Yesterday at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan, The House of Coffee project was revealed with collaborations with K-Way, Nordica and Poldo Dog Couture.
Last March, on the occasion of the annual shareholders’ meeting, Brian Niccola, CEO of Starbucks, announced the strategic plan, Back to Starbucks, with the aim of growing the coffee shop business, bringing them back to the hype of their debut. Various initiatives are part of this plan, from the partnership with the designer Zac Posen last September during New York Fashion Week to the merchandising created together with names such as Hello Kitty, Farm Rio in South America, alice + olivia, Vera Wang, Diane Von Furstenberg and Stonebrick in Asia, just to name a few. With the appointment of Neiv Toledano as head of the Fashion and Beauty for the Brand Activation team, it is clear that Starbucks has in mind to further enhance contamination with the world of style. The first confirmation arrived last night in Milan with the launch of The House of Coffee, the cultural platform curated by Sarah Andelman, founder of Just An Idea and key figure of the French specialty store Colette. “Milan has always been a source of inspiration for Starbucks, helping to define our vision of a truly elevated coffee shop experience. With The House of Coffee, we pay homage to this connection by bringing a new level of craftsmanship, creativity and personal expression to our Milan Roastery”, explained Esther Van Onselen, Vice President Brand & Customer Experience for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Starbucks, “This is our most immersive location in Europe and the ideal context to present collaborations that reflect the premium experience our customers expect from Starbucks”. Thus, in conjunction with the start of the Milan Men’s Fashion Week in January 2026, three new collaborations were revealed, which mark the beginning of a journey that goes far beyond Mugs and promotional objects.
The first drop, in a limited edition, involves K-Way, Nordica and Poldo Dog Couture who, using the graphics of the artist Lucas Zanotto, have developed a waterproof jacket, a pair of skis and a duvet + dog bowl kit, all available in the green and white palette of the Starbucks. “It is an honor to collaborate with the Starbucks team on this project. The Milan Reserve Roastery, housed in the former Palazzo delle Poste, is a true landmark for the city”, underlined Andelman “Bringing Lucas Zanotto’s iconic characters to life and working together with such talented designers, both on brand collaborations and on the reinterpretation of the classic Starbucks apron, was extremely inspiring. I hope that visitors can feel inspired while enjoying an excellent cup of coffee”. Not only that, for the upcoming fashion shows dedicated to the women’s fashion in Milan, a new chapter is already ready with the launch of The Apron Project apron projectalso curated by Andelman, will see the synergy of personalities such as Francesca Ragazzi, Head of Editorial Content of Vogue Italia, Carolina Castiglioni, founder and creative director of Plan C, the designer Sara Battaglia, and Galib Gassanoff, founder of the Institution brand, to raise funds for charities.
