MILAN'S NEW AVANT GARDE

A perennial pilgrimage city for label-conscious fashion followers, Milan has an underexposed alternative culture that's doing things its own way. Words by Ann-Louice Dahlgren

THINK MILAN, AND YOU automatically picture haute couture, the fashion-obsessed and, as Italy's financial capital, business. But not all Milanese fit this mould, and a younger crowd - part of the design, art and photography set - are turning their attention away from the black-tie Champagne receptions, and towards a more alternative, sub-cultural aesthetic.

This shift has two main epicentres: the districts of Zona Tortona and Porta Ticinese. The former was previously an industrial complex close to Porta Genova in the southwest part of Milan, while the latter constitutes part of the glorious 12th-century city walls; two neighbourhoods, not far from one another, that are both attracting a hip and determined new generation within avant-garde fashion and design.

Zona Tortona used to be home to smoky industry and warehouses, and along the long Via Tortona, formerly disused buildings have been converted into artists' studios, workshops and exhibition spaces.

The annual furniture design fair, Salone del Mobile, which takes place in the town of Rho, near Milan, started to exhibit what they called fuori salone (“outside the hall”) in 2004. These were experimental pieces that did not fit in with the classic fair, and are appropriately exhibited in Zona Tortona in an old space now named Superstudio.

The area soon took off as one of the most interesting for art, design, photography and alternative fashion that did not fit in with the classic image of Milan, as smaller designers and galleries moved in. Now, Superstudio (www.superstudiogroup.com) hosts White, the avant-garde fashion fair where up-and-coming designers show their collections every September.

Beatrice Pacillo, 33, is a freelance design PR and is a keen follower of events in both neighbourhoods.

“Via Tortona is a super-creative area that collaborates with a lot of crossover activities, encouraging the people who live and work here to come up with groundbreaking ideas. It's certainly a new generation of Milan's art and design scene [that] hangs out here and inspires one another. Personally, I often go to Superstudio Piu with my friends and you usually get to meet extremely interesting people.”

Superstudio Piu, located in the former-General Electric factory, contains photo studios, sculpture, dance and concerts and hosts numerous openings and cultural events. It's a trendy underground haunt with a psychedelic twang.

“My absolute favourite hangout in Zona Tortona is Hotel Nhow (www.nhowhotels.com),” says Pacillo. “You get a mixed crowd in the T35 lounge bar. The whole hotel is like an exhibition of photos, design and art where you can chill out even if you are not a guest at the hotel, which is not yet very common in Milan.”

The neighbourhood of Porta Ticinese has entirely different characteristics. “Ticinese” is the name for someone from the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland who, in medieval times, often came to Milan with goods to sell.

While Zona Tortona is characterised by its industrial surroundings, Porta Ticinese boasts remains of medieval architecture, and the original city gate, which was part of the city wall that surrounded Milan, is still there. The arch of Porta Ticinese was erected in 1801 by Napoleon in honour of his victory over the Italian city of Marengo the previous year.

That arch marks the beginning of Corso di Porta Ticinese, along which shops and galleries are springing up, as well as fashion brands like Custo Barcelona (www.custo-barcelona-shop.com) and Les Tropéziennes (www.lestropeziennes.fr). Some of the more esoteric skate brands and DIY-fashion boutiques are tucked away on the side streets.

The green park of the third-century Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore stands next to an antique colonnade. There are 16 Corinthian marble columns that formed part of the Basilica until it was renovated in the 16th century.

The canal, Naviglio Grande, which runs like a vein through the neighbourhood, hosts flower markets and antique fairs, cluttered along both riverbanks, and on the last Saturday of every month, the flea market Fiera di Senigallia sets up stall early in the morning.

In the early 20th century, the area was a poor, working-class neighbourhood, where women used to wash their laundry in the lavandai - the little canals that splinter off the Naviglio - as late as the 1950s.

The once-antiquated buildings have now been done up as modern artists' lofts, but still manage to preserve their old charm. Now the young fashion-oriented crowd has started to move in and, aside from converting old sweatshops into exciting workshops and studios, they have also adapted the area for housing.

The influx of ambitious creative people has driven prices upward. “A small one-bedroom flat goes for around €1,700 per month,” Beatrice says. “I really like the area because it's young and has a good atmosphere and you can find some really neat places here.”

In the late afternoon, Porta Ticinese's many cosy winebars become the venues of choice for Milan's famous, near-compulsory social activity: the aperitivo.

Along the canal, galleries and restaurants lie next to one another, while at night the area becomes Milan's clubland with a host of live music venues.

“Here in the square Piazzale XXIV Maggio, people meet up for a drink before going to the galleries in the area. Some even combine bars and art exhibitions, such as Le Biciclette (www.lebiciclette.com), where I'm going tonight,” Beatrice concludes. There's certainly more to explore than mainstream fashions and the well-worn labels here in the new heart of artistic Milan.

Mediolan kojarzy się przede wszystkim z modš haute couture i biznesem. Ale nie wszystkim - młodzi kierujš swojš uwagę bardziej w stronę kultury alternatywnej. Jej główne ośrodki znajdujš się w dzielnicach Zona Tortona i Porta Ticinese.

Zona Tortona była kiedyś dzielnicš przemysłowš. Ogromne magazyny zostały zamienione na studia artystyczne, galerie i hale wystawowe. Zaczęli w nich wystawiać artyści, projektanci, fotograficy i designerzy, których prace nie „wpasowywały się” w klasyczny, oficjalny wizerunek Mediolanu. Szczególnie prężnie działa tu centrum wystawiennicze Superstudio.

Beatrice Pacillo, specjalistka PR w zakresie mody i designu, zawsze wie, co ciekawego słychać w obu offowych dzielnicach. „Via Tortona to supermodna okolica. Dużo się tu dzieje, mieszka tu i pracuje nowa generacja mediolańskich artystów i projektantów. Lubię chodzić ze znajomymi do Superstudio Piu,” mówi Beatrice. „Jednak moim absolutnym faworytem jest Hotel Nhow z barem T35. Można tu spotkać różnych ciekawych ludzi, zawsze organizowane sš też jakieś wystawy.”

Druga z dzielnic, Porta Ticinese, ma zupełnie inny charakter, mieści w swoich granicach zabytki średniowiecznej architektury, w tym bramę miejskš, będšcš częściš wspaniałych XII-wiecznych murów. Historię czuje się na każdym kroku; wybudowana w III w. Basilica di San Lorenzo Maggiore otoczona jest antycznš kolumnadš, na którš składa się 16 marmurowych korynckich kolumn.

Nowe designerskie sklepy i galerie ulokowane sš głównie wzdłuż Corso di Porta Ticine oraz przy odchodzšcych od niej bocznych uliczkach. Stare budynki przerobiono na nowoczesne, artystyczne lofty. Zaczęli się tu wprowadzać młodzi, modni ludzie. Nad kanałem Naviglio Grande jest wiele targów kwiatowych, a w niedzielę również pchli targ.

Póżnym popołudniem zapełniajš się leżšce wzdłuż kanału przytulne bary winne, galerie sztuki i restauracje. Wieczorem w całej okolicy atmosfera robi się zdecydowanie klubowa.