Graphic Novel

WITH DEEP BROWN WALLS JUXTAPOSED AGAINST CRISP WHITE, NEIL BARRETT’S MILAN APARTMENT IS A STUDY IN CHIAROSCURO.

- Ian Phillips

FASHION DESIGNER NEIL BARRETT HAS A VERY particular approach to color. From one collection to another, he dyes certain garments the exact same tone. “You can have things from 15 years ago, and they’ll always match my latest pieces,” he explains. The hues in his Milan apartment are similarly studied. Almost everything in it is either white or some shade of brown, even the dining and living room walls, although they may initially appear black. “I like the idea of contrast,” he says of the bichromatic scheme. “Everything I do is quite graphic.”

The apartment is just a 10-minute walk from Milan’s cathedral and close to the remains of an ancient Roman arena. “There’s so much history in the area, and the buildings are stunning,” he says. The neighborhood also has a congenial community feel. His husband and business partner, Carlo Barone Lumaga, knows all the local shopkeepers by name; many of them have been there for decades. Luma often starts his day with an outing to the legendary Marchesi pastry store, where he buys croissants and espresso for himself and crostini for Barrett.