By Maria Bellotto @thecashmerediaries

Oh Milan, Milan: the city of fashion, art, tech. But not everyone knows that the streets of Milan hide a number of secret places, reserved for a selected few: alcoves full of mirabilia and oddities, which have tickled the interest of generations of true Gou Gous. What are we talking about? The Cabinets de Curiosités, also known by the Teutonic (and high-sounding) name Wunderkammer.

Nestled among alleyways, doorways and courtyards are such boutiques of wonders: from the historical to the more contemporary, here is a catalog raisonné (in strict order) of Milan’s most beautiful Cabinets de Curiosités. Don’t let yourself be frightened by the horror pleni of some of these mythological places: we know that Gou Gous can be serial hoarders every now and then.

Let’s say a Gou Gou wakes up one morning and, while still lying under the covers, feels the overwhelming desire to own a vintage durmast railway notice board.

Let’s watch them, as they hurriedly get out of their paisley-patterned pajamas and slip into the first thing they get their hands on (let’s pretend we believe they would ever do that) and out the door, determined to find the object of their desires. Where would they go? To Raw&Co, ça va sans dire!

This Cabinet de Curiosités is located in the heart of Milan, on Corso Magenta, and showcases a vast catalog of unusual objects, both vintage and contemporary.
Whether you are looking for an early 20th-century kneeler bench, a vintage straw hat, or a super chic stationery set, this boutique is the right place for you.

Between us, it is also the ideal place to spend a rainy afternoon in, to shoo away the ennui.

Raw&Co – Corso Magenta 10  

The great thing about Cabinets de Curiosités is that they do not judge: they welcome beautiful and, well… kitsch objects alike. With love, dedication, and a subtle sense of reverence. And that is exactly the vibe you get when you enter Il Segno del Tempo, a gallery of curiosities in the Brera district.

Here, the two owners have inaugurated a Wunderkammer of unusual objects and of… walking canes. And indeed, what better accessory for a veritable Gou Gou? Perhaps with an elegant knob in the shape of a greyhound head, or a duck? But let’s not digress. At Il Segno del Tempo you can find true gems for knick-knack enthusiasts, from interior decoration to rare and unusual objects, such as a 19th-century silver and shell sugar shaker (which went straight onto our Christmas wishlist), to crystals and natural specimens.

A true journey through time and into the world of the admirable and the unusual, which will install in you an indefinite but persistent desire to buy sugar bowls, walking canes and, why not, a bronze apothecary mortar from 18th-century France. Who are we to judge?

Il Segno Del Tempo – Via Fiori Chiari 20  

Entering Atelier Bellinzona is a bit like slipping into the home of that aunt we all have: she travels a lot, we’re not really sure what she does for a living, and she made us drink our first glass of sherry on Christmas Eve when we were five.

Amidst pom pom-topped sailor hats and wicker armchairs that would not look out of place on a white veranda in South Orleans, Atelier Bellinzona is a treasure trove for home decor lovers.

We can already see you this winter, basking in front of the fireplace under a thick wool blanket embroidered with the words ‘ARMADA ARGENTINA’.

Atelier Bellinzona – Via Carlo Farini 29  

Vicolo Via Mameli tells a beautiful story: that of a cozy, comfortable space, lit by candlelight. And of a passing Gou Gou, who stops outside the shop window and almost glues their nose to the glass looking inside, but regains their composure and boldly pushes the glass door open.

Inside, we find a selection of objects with antique charm, lots of handicrafts, velvet cushions, woolen blankets, French sofas, and… it feels so good here, we’d almost like to be adopted and become part of the decor.

Vicolo Via Mameli V.VM – Via Goffredo Mameli 46  

One of the most Gourmode words of all: confectionery. Imagine it, say it and let your mouth water while you’re being transported in a world made of jellies, chocolates, pralines, and glazed almonds: every veritable Gou Gou starts losing their composure and is filled with wide-eyed wonder when entering Romanengo, Italy’s oldest confectionery shop, founded in 1780 in Genoa and still delighting us today, all the way to Milan.

La Corte, the Confectionery Shop and the Spice Bottega: this is how Romanengo’s Milanese world is expressed in Via Caminadella. La Corte is a café and tea room, a hidden parlor accessible by ringing the bell and being welcomed to the private courtyard; it’s ideal for a refined breakfast or a gluttonous afternoon break. The Confectionery Shop is the place of perdition par excellence, where gluttonous fondants, liquor drops, demisucres, jams and chocolates will tempt you with their precious, jewelry-like packaging. Finally, the Spice Bottega is a unique place where you can find a world-spanning selection of herbs, spices and fragrant tea blends that you couldn’t get your hands on anywhere else.

Gou Gous, hear us out: don’t show up unprepared at your next Sunday lunch invitation at your sweetheart’s. Delight them with a packet of candied fruit – trés chic.

Romanengo – Via Caminadella 23

Let’s stick to the Gourmand theme and take a walk through Brera, towards La Via del Té, a boutique and Cabinet de The. There is also one in the Sant’Ambrogio area, in Via Meravigli.
In any case, we are sure that Milan needs a third shop to satisfy the desires of all the Gou Gous in the city – and, who knows, maybe this wish will soon be fulfilled, hopefully.

Here, the essence of the Wunderkammer is revealed in a catalog of over two hundred different tea and infusion blends that take us on a real Grand Tour around the world (without the hassle of hoisting trunks full of crinolines on a steam train, as our Gou Gou great-grandmas had to back in her day – the only steam will come from the teapot, we promise).

La Via del Tè – Via Madonnina 13; Via Meravigli 18  

A respectable Gou Gou can be recognized by one thing. Yes, by the ability to combine different and seemingly incompatible prints and an obsession with walking sticks developed at Raw&Co, but also and particularly by an overwhelming passion for stationery.

You will never see a Gou Gou with a ball pen or a monochrome notebook – unless it is a precise and conscious choice of style, of course. They buy their stationery at a specialized store, preferably at Pettinaroli, which has been supplying the Gou Gous with diaries, Christmas cards, pens, pencils, and more since 1881.

But don’t be fooled, Pettinaroli’s real mirabilia are the personalized items: ex-libris with initials, monogrammed thank-you cards… Gou Gous, if you don’t have them yet, take a second to reconsider your life choices. Then slip into your friulane, moccasins, rubber boots or kitten heels, and scamper down to this old-time stationery shop in Brera.

Pettinaroli – Via Brera 4  

Unique fragrances, rarities, glass bottles with colorful stoppers, and labels with elegant lettering: all this is Officine Universelle Buly 1803. 

We see you, sniffing the fragrances in the air and envying the mahogany boiserie, as you stroll across the beige travertine floor, pondering whether to buy rose petal powder, a cold cream that looks like something out of a Victorian novel, or a perfume, to be rigorously personalized by the boutique’s calligrapher. And who doesn’t want an ivory comb with their own monogram on?

Officine Universelle Buly – Via Brera 2   

Do you ever find the perfect outfit and then regret not having the accessory that completes it? It’s a big problem, but luckily there is a place in the heart of Milan that is a true and unparalleled costume jewelry trove, Vincent Vintage Bijoux.

And we’re not just talking about a string of pearls (we steal that from maman‘s drawer, n’est pas?), but an almost endless catalog of curiosities. From pendants in the shape of ducks with handkerchiefs on their head,to collections of signet rings, to microscopic silver teapots, you’ll find the right trinket here.

All it takes is a lot of patience, a hawk’s (or rather magpie’s) eye and the desire to rummage through the most original jewellery…

Vincent Vintage Bijoux – Via Lazzaro Spallanzani 11  

Let’s imagine a clothing boutique claiming to be full of New Miraculous Wonders. Is there anything that more embodies the true Gourmode spirit?

Wait & See is the fashionable (and festive) equivalent of a nineteenth-century Wunderkammer, only instead of globes, butterflies and fossils under glass domes we find brightly colored sweaters, handbags with cheeky prints (Je m’en fous, we love it), but also and above all the desire to play, dare and never take ourselves (too) seriously.

Probably, there is no Gou Gou who would not sell an organ of secondary importance to this fashionista Cabinet de Curiosités.

Wait & See – Via Santa Marta 14  

A stone’s throw from the Duomo, you’ll find a ceramics studio that would thrill even the Gou Gou with the most demanding tastes in tableware design.

Here, between a dessert plate with hot air balloon decorations and a dinnerware set intricately patterned with flowers, snakes and jugglers, you end up in a true Wunderkammer dedicated to hand-painted decoration lovers, a must-see on our trip to Milan’s Cabinets de Curiosités.

And if you’ve always wanted a plate set with your own monogram or a unique print, custom made just for you… you’re definitely in the right place!

Laboratorio Paravicini – Via Nerino 8  

Whether you are looking for a walking cane, a cadeau, or even just a magical place to spend a Sunday morning, this compendium of Milanese Cabinets de Curiosités is sure to satisfy your insatiable contemporary curiosity!