Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week

A knitwear repair

Nick Vinson, contributing editor

This week in Milan, I collected a few Loro Piana cashmere sweaters from the brand's new Atelier project inside the Montenapoleone store. Two weeks ago, I entrusted them to Stefania, a master mender who apprenticed as a knitwear rammendatrice years ago. The three sweaters – two grey marl and one navy, all the same Silverstone model – were my favourites, worn nearly year-round with a ‘rest day’ between wears to let the fibres recover.

After five years of heavy use, the elbows had worn through, and I was heartbroken, as the Silverstone is no longer in production. Stefania rebuilt each sweater using the original Loro Piana yarn, a meticulous process taking around five hours per piece. To the eye, the repairs are nearly invisible; to the touch, the texture is slightly firmer where the stitches hold.

I am a quality maniac, and the best things are made to last and to be repaired. Loro Piana’s Atelier project celebrates this ethos, with a space dedicated to the story of their noble fibres since 1924, gentle plant-based soaps for care, and guidance on extending the life of luxury pieces. Most importantly, it offers clients the chance to repair beloved garments. I could not be happier to wear my grey Silverstone again as I write this. The Atelier service is available in Milan by appointment.

A Peak District gem

Lea Teuscher, sub-editor

It’s not often that you find a place that offers classic design, delicious cakes, fantastic walks and even the chance of a dip in a hot pool. But I think I’ve found it in Hathersage, in the heart of the UK’s Peak District. After a hike to Stanage Edge, I enjoyed a coffee and brownie at David Mellor’s Hathersage visitor centre. It combines a café, a small museum dedicated to the Sheffield-born designer’s many creations, and a boutique stocked with the cutlery specialist’s greatest hits and contemporary finds. Just outside is the Round Building, a factory designed by Mellor’s friend, leading architect Michael Hopkins, on the foundations of a gas cylinder, along with a handful of iconic designs you might recognise. Mellor designed silverware but also the traffic lights, post boxes and bus stops found all across the country. The Hathersage outdoor swimming pool, a ten-minute walk away, is heated all year round and has views over the surrounding hills.

A Portuguese spread

Tianna Williams, staff writer

I switched up my usual evening routine of exercise and deep diving into reality TV with a delicious evening out at Luso, a new-ish Portuguese restaurant just off Goodge Street. The restaurant is led by chef Leandro Carreira, who curated a menu focused on the Iberian coast. Stepping into the vibrant restaurant, which spans two levels, the atmosphere is warm and chatty, with the upper level offering a more intimate setting. To begin, I would recommend the sourdough bread with grilled chouriço, layered with smokiness. Although tempted by the homemade fish pâté, it was suggested to try requeijão cream cheese, which delicately balanced out the flavours. Mains included a mixed wild mushroom tart, grilled whole baby chicken and a fresh tomato salad. Dessert can be none other than the rich chocolate mousse, with olive oil and salt.

Dinner with a designer

Bill Prince, editor-in-chief

On Tuesday evening, members of the Wallpaper* team were invited to an informal dinner hosted by Ken Fulk at Carbone London, the first European outpost of the feted New York American-Italian restaurant for which the San Francisco-based designer created the interiors, featured on our December Entertaining Issue subscribers' cover. Over house signatures, including tableside-tossed Caesar salads, spicy rigatoni vodka and veal marsala, Fulk discussed his work in both the commercial sphere and for private clients, as well as his ongoing relationship with the Major Food Group, the company responsible for the growing number of Carbones across the globe. A key takeaway (apart from the remains of a gigantic prime porterhouse)? You want one of the custom-made gifts Fulk's team produces each year for its clients – perhaps a vinyl pressing of a hand-picked playlist complete with turntable. If so, you know who to hire.

A New York icon

Anna Fixsen, US editor

Dive bars are a disappearing breed in the Big Apple. Which is why, when international news outlets reported last week that legendary Times Square haunt Jimmy’s Corner faced eviction, I had to swing by to pay my respects. The watering hole was founded by Jimmy Glenn, a former boxer and trainer, in 1971. In the half-century since, the neighbourhood has seen a lot of change, but Jimmy’s Corner has remained largely frozen in amber, from the boxing memorabilia on the walls to the three-dollar (!) Bud Lights. I pulled up to the bar this week and found myself surrounded by folks from every walk of life – curious tourists, finance professionals and construction workers. This is as New York as it gets, an atmosphere maintained by a simple rule displayed behind the bar: ‘Let’s not discuss politics here.’