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Gift Shop Goals

Elevating the humble souvenir to new heights, Mandarin Oriental Milan’s Dine & Design by Fornasetti is the holiday memento you won’t find in the gift shop.

Whether we commit to the pastime of collecting souvenirs from our travels with gusto or guilt, the question remains the same: is it treasure or tat? For some, a fridge magnet haggled over in the souks of Marrakech is a tale to tell; for others, it’s just another piece of junk that will no doubt end up in a box in the attic.

For those who really treasure their keepsakes, Mandarin Oriental Milan has joined forces with Italian design house Fornasetti to create the ultimate holiday memento. Dine & Design by Fornasetti offers guests the opportunity to stay in a suite adorned with the atelier’s whimsical works, and ultimately take home a handmade porcelain plate featuring a historical depiction of Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade. Part of the Cupole d’Italia series, the original design was created by Piero Fornasetti in 1979 in tribute to the city, and has now been re-edited to celebrate the partnership.

The unique experience also includes a private tour of the brand’s flagship store in Milan, where a selection of furnishings and accessories feature alongside vintage works presented in a special ‘cabinet of wonders’, as well as a three-course dinner at the hotel’s two Michelin-starred Seta restaurant, headed up by Executive Chef Antonio Guida. Parties of six or more can dine in the newly unveiled Duomo private dining space, which, of course, is decorated with Fornasetti’s porcelain creations.

Alternatively, guests can take to the comfort of their bespokely decorated suite and contemplate just how they might transport their newly acquired Italian wares through aiport security and customs.