Coco Brandolini d’Adda’s Milan Apartment: A Curated Universe of Collecting

Coco Brandolini d’Adda, founder of the Milan-based fashion label d’AddA, has transformed a sprawling apartment into a captivating ‘cabinet of curiosities’ reflecting her lifelong passion for collecting. The space, shared with her husband, Matteo Colombo, and their three daughters, overflows with a carefully curated selection of family heirlooms, rare finds, and bold design choices.

A Personal Universe

Standing before a faded red French cabinet, Brandolini d’Adda describes it as one of her many collections. Inside, treasures include Murano glass vases from her grandfather in Venice, a vibrant Alighiero Boetti artwork acquired after moving to Milan, and a small brass-and-bronze bird by Gabriella Crespi, a Milanese design legend she deeply admires for her “pure Italian craftsmanship.”

Beyond the Cabinet

A glimpse into the apartment reveals a circular sculpture by Eve Rothschild above a late-17th-century Italian cabinet atop an Art Deco chest of drawers. The living room features Braquenié’s Taj Mahal sofa and a custom ottoman adorned with Egyptian cotton and Moroccan embroidery, complemented by a rug by Federica Tondato. A glass-topped table by Dimorestudio serves as a display for various 18th- and 19th-century boxes and objects.

A Global Collection

Brandolini d’Adda’s collection extends far beyond Milan. Textiles gathered during travels to Bhutan and Uzbekistan mingle with family heirlooms reupholstered in vintage fabrics. The apartment boasts artworks by Francesco Clemente and Andrea Bowers, a 1940s Russian tea service, a small screen by Lilou Marquand, and a suite of plates discovered in Greece. Even a Fabergé spoon resides within a recently commissioned chest from Dimorestudio, originally intended for her jewel boxes.

The Joy of Discovery

“Collecting fabulous things is less a hobby than an obsession,” Brandolini d’Adda explains. “There’s no judgment where you find it, as long as it speaks to you.”