THE JOURNAL
Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura, Florence. Photograph courtesy of Gucci
Some of the biggest names in menswear are diversifying into food.
When Gucci opened Gucci Osteria, a 50-seater restaurant in the Palazzo della Mercanzi in Florence, in January, its head chef, the Michelin-starred Mr Massimo Bottura, described the haute couture/haute cuisine crossover as “a recipe made in heaven”. As an embodiment of the brand, the lavish green-hued diner, which serves an all-day menu of Italian classics, burgers and hotdogs, is a fittingly maximalist affair that taps into an industry-wide movement.
The bond between fashion and food is becoming closer. This spring, Mr Virgil Abloh’s streetwear label Off-White landed in Paris with a pop-up at department store Le Bon Marché and a showcase of one-off pieces accompanied by a menu of organic food. Dining is proving a popular way for fashion’s major players to reach consumers. Our concept of brands is increasingly being shaped through experiences beyond retail. From mid-Pitti pitstops to Manhattan’s high-society hotspots, we’ve picked out five more fashion-led food destinations to savour.
Café Le Studio
**Marrakech **
Terrasse du café Le Studio at Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech. Photograph by Mr Nicolas Mathéus, courtesy of Fondation Jardin Majorelle
Mr Yves Saint Laurent’s enduring love affair with Marrakech ran deep. The couturier and his partner Mr Pierre Bergé owned the vivid Jardin Majorelle before bequeathing it to the city of Marrakech in 2008. In October 2017, a striking museum – and Africa’s first dedicated to fashion – was opened nearby. It celebrates the designer and his creations, and the building itself has picked up architectural plaudits for its swooping terracotta structure. Taking its name from Mr Saint Laurent’s workspace at 5 Avenue Marceau in Paris, the museum’s saffron-hued café, Le Studio, serves up a fragrant take on Moroccan and French cuisine on a sunkissed terrace amid lovingly landscaped gardens.
What to order: Caesar salad with homemade bread
What to wear
Thomas’s Cafe
**London **
Thomas’s Cafe at Burberry, London. Photograph courtesy of Burberry
Burberry, one of the UK’s most bankable fashion houses, put its own spin on café culture last year with the launch of this sleek space in its flagship store on Regent Street in London. With Scandi furniture, stone floors and Georgian-era fixtures, Thomas’s Cafe (named after the brand’s founder, Mr Thomas Burberry) is an elegant extension of a brand that flies the flag for British heritage. The all-day menu offers elevated takes on homegrown dishes that showcase domestic produce, from Dorset crab to Norfolk quail and Lancashire cheese, as well as a standout lobster and chips. Afternoon tea is another highlight centred around still-warm scones fresh from the Aga, which – when accompanied by Nyetimber sparkling wine – makes it the perfect respite from the bustle of West End.
What to order: lobster benedict with spinach and chips
What to wear
Bar Luce
**Milan **
Bar Luce at Fondazione Prada, Milan. Photograph by Attilio Maranzano, courtesy Fondazione Prada
You’ll find this small but perfectly formed space, designed by darling of the indie film circuit, Mr Wes Anderson, in Milan’s gilded Fondazione Prada. Influenced by the Milanese cafés of the 1950s, Mr Anderson’s design reflects the highly stylised and instantly recognisable aesthetic of his films. Famous Milanese landmarks are referenced across a film-set-worthy space that features pastel hues, Formica tables and terrazzo floors. Meanwhile, pinball machines sit alongside glass cabinets displaying freshly made crostatini, Sachertorte and gelati that draw a well-heeled blend of Prada employees, tourists and cinemaphiles for coffee and aperitivi throughout the day.
What to order: berry crostatini
**Find out more here **
What to wear
Greyhound Café
Bangkok
The Greyhound Café, Bangkok. Photograph courtesy of The Greyhound Café
Greyhound started out as a fashion house in 1980. Its pivot to dining in 1997 confirmed it as a fully formed lifestyle brand. Its original outpost marked the start of a high-end café culture in Bangkok, and was a popular spot for the city’s fashion crowd. The brand has since spread its wings across the Far East and beyond. It launched a two-storey site in Fitzrovia in London in January. The lively Bangkok space has murals adorning the walls and a blend of Thai and western comfort dishes on the menu, with its complicated noodles, spaghetti with crab meat and the Greyhound fried chicken wings among the most popular bites.
What to order: complicated noodles with pork
What to wear
The Polo Bar
New York
The Polo Bar, NYC. Photograph courtesy of Ralph Lauren
From the rich wood panelling and leather banquettes to the chino-clad staff in button-down shirts, Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bar is everything you’d hope it to be. The prince of preppy Americana launched this striking hunting lodge-inspired space, complete with mighty fireplace, in 2015 and it has become a go-to for Manhattan’s high society. Set in Mr Lauren’s flagship store in Midtown, the subterranean Polo Bar boasts a big-hitting range of the designer’s favourite dishes on a menu that includes Caesar salad, chicken paillard, T-bone steaks and The Polo Bar’s renowned burger, all served with a large slice of equestrian ephemera.
What to order: Ralph’s corned-beef sandwich with fries
**Find out more here **
What to wear
