Where do you live?

I live on Via San Gregorio, close to Porta Venezia, a nice family neighbourhood, central, full of shops and food stores. You can find anything you need close by.

Which is your favourite Milan neighbourhood?

The old part of the city, roughly the area between Piazza Duomo, Via Meravigli, Via Cappuccio and Via Torino, which has lots of beautiful, elaborate buildings and narrow streets. I also like the area between Via Palestro, Via Senato and Corso Monforte, which is more recent but still has beautiful architecture.

Which are your favourite Milan stores?

10 Corso Como, of course, where they sell my jewellery and where you can find just about all the beautiful pieces of the season. Balenciaga, where the architecture is as stunning as the clothes and bags, and Gianvito Rossi for shoes, both on Via Santo Spirito. Finally, let’s not forget the DMagazine outlet on Via Montenapoleone, because it’s crisis time and one has to try to be reasonable.

And your favourite restaurants?

I have many. My favourite food is Japanese and my favourite Japanese restaurant is Yoshi, very close to my studio. For Italian restaurants, for the atmosphere and the staff, I like the super-cosy Baretto in the Carlton Hotel Baglioni; for food I love Rovello!

Any recommendations for food to try?

Fettucine al tartufo with a glass of Ruinart (sorry, it’s French) is pure heaven! Try the Accanto restaurant in the Hotel Principe di Savoia, which has bizarre décor but the pasta is great. Or ravioli di zucca con burro e salvia.

Do you have a favourite local café?

For a simple croissant, or brioche as they call it here, Sissi, Cucchi and San Carlo; for kipferl, Bastianello or Pasticceria Martesana (worth the trip); for treccine, Taveggia. They all make a good cappuccino, which, of course, is fundamental!

Do you have a favourite walk in Milan?

That would have been easier to answer for Paris. I wish Milan had a river! I ride my bike everywhere so I don’t walk that much. I sometimes go down from home to the Piazza Duomo and across the public gardens at Porta Venezia.

How do you like to travel around the city?

I bike all over the place; pretty easy because Milan is completely flat, but very hard on your bum because of all the uneven paving stones. I practically never use public transport, which I don’t like much. When I use the car or take a taxi, I appreciate the fact that the traffic is not so bad – one of the advantages of living in a small city.

Which is Milan’s best landmark, building or attraction?

I can’t narrow it down to one. I take visiting friends to Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Villa Necchi, Piazza Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and the amazing, flawless Arengario, Santa Maria delle Grazie and so on. Milan is very rich in strikingly beautiful modern architecture dating from the 30s to the 50s by architects such as Muzio, Giò Ponti and Portaluppi which unfortunately tends to be forgotten by city guides and tours.

How would you spend an ideal day in the city?

Work, work, work, then possibly an opening at one of the many interesting art galleries and dinner with friends.

Can you recommend any good hotels?

The Gallia was great before its renovation; I don’t know how it will be after. The Bulgari has a really great location. Principe di Savoia, Carlton Hotel Baglioni, Grand Hotel et de Milan, Four Seasons … there are quite a few good hotels here.

What can’t you live without?

My work, my daughter, my ex-husband and my books.

Click here for more on:

Nathalie Jean