When I sat at my desk six weeks ago and thought yes, it would be nice to share a bit of this quiet time that I use to think about so many of the wonderful people and events that have been my week, I had not really thought about how much time I spend now being away from this desk and Milano.

So here is another picture of my favorite desk – with some of the favorite things I like to see when I am here at home at 10 Corso Como – pictures of my family and Kuramata’s bright pink lucite vases are a joy to come home to.

I am italian so for me there are no memories of childhood Halloween parties.

When I found out this feast’s origin comes from the Romans, the festival of Pomona,

goddess of fruits and seeds…I liked it better!

It is a night of scary stories and cats play a big role amongst the witches, bats and vampires…here our 10 Corso Como cats are ready to go out on the 31st, like they do every year. Trick or treat.

Blackie, our sweet Bengala cat sits on Kris’ shoulder when we got home.  She will stay safe at home on tomorrow night.

The night we leave we meet friends for a drink at Sevva Restaurant overlooking the harbour of Hong Kong. What you cannot see is the amazing sunset that circle us entirely around as we sit and catch up with friends.  By the time I stopped listening to take the picture, the colours had faded!

In the most chaotic city I think on the earth, with sounds,smells and activities seeming to take up all the space, the trees make their own space through the cement, and they grow where they can, creating this incredible living sculpture…nothing can beat nature!

Walking along Hong Kong’s elevated streets where you never get wet even when it rains – a great achievement -  we watched the workers building the new Giorgio Armani store.  Back lighted here against the scaffold and the building reminded me of the black and white photos taken by Franco Grignani in 1927 (left)  and the one by Charles C. Ebbets of New York City in the 1930’s when that city was shaping its skyline as Hong Kong does now.

This afternoon in Seoul I have turned a table in the café next to the patio

and the books of 10 Corso Como Cheongdam into my desk. This feels very

natural to do. I am not here often so it is a wonderful feeling to be comfortable

and at home seeing things I know and the many familiar faces.

Since opening 10 Corso Como Cheongdam three years ago, Chef Ahn has created

a stellar ambiance and cuisine for our visitors. Thank you! And thank you also for

the box lunch you prepared for Kris and I on our way to Hong Kong. It was delicious.

It is a Korean tradition at Café Bark to serve Irish whisky on the “rocks”

that have been carved and polished to a thing of beauty.

We had a great reception at 10 Corso Como Cheongdam for the presentation

of Ali Hewson Edun Collection for Spring 2012. The project supports the work Ali

and Bono do in Africa to create economic opportunites through fashion.

Here Kate, Ali, Janice, Vicky…and Kris  sharing a moment at the show.

Next year!  March 2012 – this will be our sign?

The first issue is light! Department store windows are rare.  We are looking

everywhere behind the walls to find windows and bring some light to

10 Corso Como - Avenue L. Milano has light and gardens in the courtyard;

we have a garden with fountains in Cheongdam. How have our eco

friendly feeling on a 5th floor with no natural lights and windows?

For those of you who have not been here, Seoul is very large and 10 Corso Como

has the opportunity to open in another space on the opposite side of town.

It is on the 5th floor of of Avenue L, the exclusive building of Lotte, one of

Korea’s iconic shopping  venues, so is quite a challenge to design

in 10 Corso Como  style. On the  flight from Shanghai to Seoul Kris looking out the

window – maybe this is an omen? We will find windows in our new challenge project?

Before leaving Shanghai we visited this amazing unexpected building in the center of Shanghai. While many of the older buildings are being replaced,

the Sino-Russian Friendship building, a Russian interpretation of classical architecture built in 1954, sits like a wedding cake surrounded by glass skyscrapers!

The new and old side by side in Shanghai.

This week it is really from several desks that I write. I will have
three desks before the week is out! Before leaving Paris this week I saw
the Kusama show. Then a quick trip home to Milano, and shop at Smile
Project, then off Kris and I go to Shanghai.

The Puli is my favorite hotel in Shanghai. It is in the center so easy to find everything with a spectacular city view overlooking Jingan Park.

A light brunch revives as we start the day and a restful balancing white tea massage this afternoon in the hotel’s wonderful Anantara Spa

before a walk in the garden slows down this Sunday almost as much as the garden at 10 Corso Como!

On a quiet street in the still chic French Concession of Shanghai, Chef
and owner Franck Pécol can make me think I had forgotten to leave Paris
last night. Following the seasons and the market, at Franck the menu changes every
day. With regular favorites like the Terrine  de Campagne and a
glass of red wine .

  Leaving Milano to travel now to Asia with a full moon over 10 Corso Como
saying goodbye. The Native Americans called this the harvest moon as it
is the time of harvesting the seeds we have been planting. So if the
moon is of good omen when I get back I will have
news of future 10 Corso Como plans and happenings around
the world.

 Since 1997, smile project in the world – onlus, a non profit
organization has helped children surgically repair facial disfigurements
first in Bangladesh and now around the world. An auction of gifts given
by all the Italian Fashion Industry made us throw our hands and hearts
into the bidding for these beautiful offers. Here Ariela Goggi from
Vogue with several of the gifts and a smile and a smiling Andrea D’Amico
and Sara Maino who helped to organize this successful event.

 I was able to see the preview for the first French retrospective of
Yayoi Kusama at the Centre Pompidou. This prolific international
artist’s influence on American abstract minimalism became clear in the
early pieces here. She settled in New York during the crucible of the
late 1950’s 1960’s. Her later works on film, scupture, performance
installations (at several Biennales here in Italy) and fashion
influences are still significant on the contemporary scene and the work
is a happy balance of joy and seriousness.

I have come to realize that my desk is where my heart is.
My heart always is thinking of my family, my friends and
what makes life interesting for me and for them.

So today I share another kind of desk with you.

This is the kitchen of Azzedine Alaia where the best dinners happen.
From serious to singing, from most famous to only the Alaia team,
always the best conversations and the mood is always the same: family.
From here I can think to write about the rest of Paris I have seen this week.
And this week my first thought is for Yohji Yamamoto’s mother, 95,
so proud to see her son being awarded

Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.
To see her next to Yohji made everybody aware of the priority our families mean to us.

At a dinner hosted by the Minister of Culture Frederic Mitterand,
I was able to see a new work by Swiss artist Felice Varini.
Commissioned by the Ministry, the piece was installed

in a hallway of the Ministry of Culture in Paris.

Varini’s projector-stencil technique is striking and uses the corridor

(my photo at the left) to great advantage.
The simple geometric shapes – circles,squares,lines – and in this case the yellow
he employs throughout gives light and life to the space.
It is great. And was a delightful surprise on Wednesday night.

In the Celine showroom Silvia and Elena happily show their slim silhouettes
achieved after following Dr. Dukan’s diet, recipes, menus and tips.
Now they can wear all the clothes they have been dreaming about.
Here photographed by Worth designer Giovanni Bedini.

The historic Palais d’Iena designed between 1937 and 1946
by architect Auguste Perret has been the breathtaking background
of the beautiful Miu Miu show on Wednesday. Brava Miuccia!

Nature reigned in the aquatic themes interpreted magically
by Sarah Burton for the Alexander Mc Queen show.

She has shown once more her talent and
with the introduction of mother of pearl, sea anemones, miles of lace, encrustations
of beading this imaginative show was actually a couture show.

Here an amazing coral dress.

Le Rasputine – evoking the old Paris of Russian émigrés is

the best of the new Paris night clubs.

With the spirits of Gainsbourg, the Aga Khan and

the Comte de Paris lounging on the banquettes
in attendance, Carine Roitfeld presented her book “Irreverent” and among the guests,
Giorgio Guidotti my dear friend who will have a chapter in my life as

“fedele nel tempo”.

I know in Paris I should eat locally and mostly I do of course,
but since 1950 this Neapolitan pizzeria restaurant Da Bartolo

has been one of the best places to find good Italian food in Paris.

My favorite dish endives with melted warm gorgonzola cheese.

And just to give myself a moment of peace I also visit Mr. Ho
who does the best pedicure in Paris.

There I fall asleep in the quiet soft music atmosphere,
an hour of pure spoiling myself. And while I rest, my toes become shining and
a baby rose colour with nothing but his magic hands – no nail polish!

Buongiorno from my favorite “desk” when I am in Paris! This is my favorite restaurant in Paris where I run as soon as I arrive: it is called 21 at 21 rue Mazarine -

the best fish by chef Paul Michelli and a lovely place to be to write to you about what I have seen this week.

Comme des Garcons bridal collection, “white drama” showed Rei Kawakubo’s interpretation of the duality of a bride’s destiny. On one side the perfect couture – satin lace tulle petticoats in volumes representing the perfect joy of the day; and then the cocooned, covered, hidden presence representing the helplessness of this destiny. Always a challenge to fathom, she gave an emotional moment…

 Azzedine Alaia was also in a bridal mood with a delicate “python” dress where the front, again demonstrating the mastery of his skill,  gives a perfect couturier’s front of sculpted volumes and a reverse – a cutout vertebrae reflecting the strength a woman must hold to flow into her destiny.

Yamamoto’s beautiful collection closed with a bride perhaps attended by?
or married to? a boyishly styled young figure in a remarkable and
delicate show on French Revolutionary Romance.

Thursday morning at the Balenciaga Show – Vogue Italia enjoys the 28 degree weather in Paris and the remarkable work of Nicolas Guesquière.

I think first I must mention the wonderful Suzy Menkes being the most intrepid of all journalists here for seeing every single collection from the smallest to the biggest designers. And always a smile and with great wit. I enjoyed our time together during this interview for The Herald Tribune