"We decided to interview Francesco because he represents the new generation of designers who will return to make our city shine."

 

Interview by Perimetro, photo by Sha Ribeiro

What is Milano for you today? What is your relationship with the city?

Milano is my base, the city where I grew up and that I live most in everyday life.

 

It is a somewhat hectic but at the same time beautiful city.

 

It is the city, one of the few in Italy, where you can breathe an international air in everyday life.

 

In these pandemic days, everything has obviously changed a bit, but the city is already recovering, with many initiatives and solutions, from the outdoor areas of the premises, which have sprung up everywhere, which I personally appreciate very much, to the classic summer events Milanese as the open-air cinema “Arianteo” revised and corrected with masks, disinfectant and ordinance social distancing.

 

These and other initiatives show me daily that the city, if all of us Milanese are willing to accept some temporary inconvenience, is perfectly capable of returning to life and perhaps even improving, perhaps partially sacrificing some of its frenzy (and some parking space) in exchange for more open spaces and a more reasoned, less "running" lifestyle but without losing the dynamism that characterizes us.

 

As a good Milanese I have (and will always have) a love-hate relationship with her, which changes constantly depending on my mood, climate and traffic.

Why did you choose Brera district? What do you like? What makes this neighborhood special?

Brera is the neighborhood where I work and where I live most of my days.

 

I like the mixture of the place, between restaurants, bistros and shops, often "of the latest generation" perhaps alongside timeless presences, such as the haberdashery in via Statuto or the hardware store in Corso Garibaldi, which bring the place back to a more human size and less aseptic feeling.

 

I love to walk aimlessly through the alleys and streets that branch off between via Brera and via Ponte Vetero, next to the total chaos of nightlife and at the same time isolated and almost forgotten by everyone.

Do you have a route that your are fond of?

I start with breakfast on weekends at the Radetzky café ... among croissants, sandwiches and cappuccinos, reading the newspapers while listening to classical music.

 

Then strolling through the shops in the neighborhood without a specific destination, perhaps with a visit to the Incoronata church, a visit to the Pinacoteca di Brera or, going towards the Duomo, to the Gallerie d'Italia in Piazza della Scala.