May 2024, in honour and celebration of art, culture, fashion and history, our BFC Foundation Co-Chairs, Narmina Marandi and Tania Fares, alongside Founding Patron, Sofia Barratieri-Weinstein, hosted a trip for the BFC Foundation to Milan. It was an action packed few days for our Patrons as they explored various activations throughout the buzzy city of Milan. For the first evening, hosted by of Count and Countess Federico Borromeo Arese, our Patrons received a privately guided tour of the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana to discover the never-seen-before treasures by the wonderful Monsignor Alberto Rocca, followed by dinner in their beautiful library. The second evening hosted by Martina Mondadori and Coco Brandonlini, was to celebrate their own specular brands, CABANA and d’AddA Atelier. Patrons joined them for dinner at the magnificent home of Martina’s, famously known as ‘Casa Cabana’, designed by the legendary Italian decorator Renzo Mongiardino. Both muse and home, this private apartment offered a true window into old world Milanese society, as well as being the foundational inspiration behind Martina’s beautiful, vibrant and colourful brand CABANA.
During the day, both Dolce & Gabbana and Armani houses provided our BFC Foundation Patrons with extensive guided tours of their Haute Couture Salons, Haute Couture Workshops and exhibitions. Giving fascinating, detailed historical context to the founding of each brand; blending creativity, craftmanship and design alongside social, environmental and political reference points throughout the 20th Century. We would like to thank them both enormously for this opportunity and for their continued collaboration alongside the BFC for many years now through various events and retail activations in London.