One of the most common fashion pairings is food. I know! I didn’t see that one coming either. But designers love food. And to prove it I found five awesome eateries where you can eat designer food, around the world.
Armani
Locations: Milan, Paris, Cannes, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Dubai, Kuwait City, Tokyo, Santiago, New York
The Run-Down: I love the Armani Cafe in Milano which has a bookstore and Armani shopping center attached. But Giorgio Armani is an old hack at hospitality having launched his business in 1989. The Giorgio Armani portfolio of restaurants and bars range from casual Emporio Armani Cafes and the velvet-roped Armani Privé nightclub to scores of licensed establishments within the Armani Hotels in Milano and Dubai.
Cavalli
Locations: Florence, Milan, St. Tropez, Dubai, Beirut, New Delhi, Miami, Ibiza
The Run-down: Party man Roberto Cavalli got into the restaurant business in 2002, when his Florence boutique annexed and restored Café Giacosa—the rococo clubhouse of ancient Florentines and birthplace of the Negroni—and turned it into a candelabra-lit café/retail hybrid serving cappuccino and animal-print chocolate eggs, among other things. Full service menus followed and shortly after Cavalli opened eateries in party cities like Dubai, Ibiza and Miami. All locations provide ample opportunity to drink Cavalli-branded vodka and award-winning wine grown on the designer’s Tuscan estate.
Chanel
Location: Tokyo
The Run-Down: In a partnership with international mega-chef Alain Ducasse, Chanel opened Beige in 2004 atop its ten-story, LED-fronted Ginza store. Dressed in titular colors, signature tweed and matelassé quilting, the serene restaurant has a Michelin star under chef Kei Kojima. The de rigeuer dessert is the Carré Chanel, a Ducasse/Chanel collab involving chocolate praline, gold leaf and candied hazelnuts in crystalline sugar capsules.
DSquared2
Locations: Milan
The Run-Down: With architects Storage and interiors firm Dimorestudio, Dan and Dean Caten turned a Fascist-era building formerly home to Italy’s largest power supply company into Ceserio 7. Cersio 7 is one of the hottest restaurants for cool kids in Milano and is the hardest to get into during fashion week. Obviously models have no problem … The rooftop pool club and restaurant done in Midcentury lines and warm woods—reference the identical twins’ Canadian heritage. The restaurant features classic Italian food and overlook the skyline of Milan’s financial district.
Ralph Lauren
Locations: Paris, Chicago
The Run-down: Ralph Lauren got into the restaurant business in 1999, when he converted a portion of his Chicago Polo store into a dignified RL cafe furnished in the classic ‘Gentleman’s Club’ style one would have found during the height of London society. The decor of library-like woodwork, regal topaz drapes, studded leather chairs matched the price of the $24 lobster club sandwiches. Now Ralph expands his food reign with Ralph’s Coffee Shop. It opens in the new Polo flagship store in New York this fall.
Versace
Location: Australia’s Gold Coast
The Run-down: An hour south of Brisbane, Palazzo Versace—the first fashion-branded hotel in the world when it opened in 2000—is all Corinthian columns, Medusa mosaics and ocean views. Mysterious ownership took over the resort in 2012 from original developers, the Sunland Group, but La Casa Versace is still involved in overseeing everything from the linens and china to the four restaurants, which range from gourmet poolside to high English tea to locavore tastings at the crown jewel, Vanintas, where chef Damien Styles’ new winter menus star kangaroo, abalone, and black pudding. News has it that a Palazzo Versace hotel is currently under construction in Dubai!
nichelle cole 