Milan, Italy, November 2024 – Located in Milan’s creative hub, on Via Dei Giardini 16, The Wilde debuts its next-generation private members club: The Wilde Milan. A new and unique club that opened on November 7. The 20,000 sq. ft villa is a haven of sophisticated comfort for its diverse global community. It is a place for the curious and open-minded to meet and create, paired with exceptional hospitality. Members can enjoy three distinct dining concepts: a secluded garden and rooftop, a library, a cigar lounge, and world-class cultural programming, entertainment, and events.
“Finding the right location and building for The Wilde Milan has been integral to our vision and we believe we have found everything we were looking for in the former home of Santo Versace. It is in a central location yet doesn’t feel too busy and has unrivalled outdoor spaces which we know members are increasingly piroritising when looking for a club that reflects their needs. The Wilde Milan will embrace old school service and hospitality with a forward thinking approach, creating a place where two worlds can coexist in perfect harmony.” – Gary Landesberg, Chairman and Founder.
The team behind The Wilde brings together some of the hospitality industry’s most renowned names. At the helm is Gary Landesberg, former Executive Chairman and shareholder of The Arts Club for over a decade and widely recognized for leading the club’s repositioning.
In the role of Chief Brand and Marketing Officer sits Ben Pundole, award-winning hospitality entrepreneur and founder of travel platform A Hotel Life. With a career spanning over thirty years in hospitality, Pundole is best known for his role in developing Ian Schrager’s luxury lifestyle hotel brand, EDITION, in partnership with Marriott International.
“We are thrilled to debut The Wilde in Milan, an international city with a rich history and renowned for its food and culture. We are forging a community of the world’s brightest and most interesting individuals. A physical and digital space where the exchange of ideas is encouraged, where intellect collides with entertainment and, most importantly, where world-class hospitality and fun is in abundance. This will be a home away from home for our members, a place that welcomes you with open arms and provides a discreet escape in a unique setting.” – Ben Pundole, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer.
Known for her extensive experience working with private members concepts, such as Annabel’s, Mark’s Club, and Harry’s Bar, Alice Chadwyck-Healey was most recently the Executive Director of The Arts Club and joins the team as Chief Commercial Officer of The Wilde. Veteran luxury hotel manager Marco Olivieri is at the helm of The Wilde Milan as CEO.
The Wilde has received funding from innovative investment house Three Hills Capital Partners. Founded by Mauro Moretti, Three Hills has significant expertise in the hospitality space, as well as other projects, including La Bottega, Castellet, and Sant Ambroeus Hospitality Group.
Following the launch of The Wilde’s inaugural club in Milan, the team will bring their unique concept to other international cultural hubs, including New York City, London, Los Angeles, and beyond. Designed to be a home-away-from-home for its global community, each club will reflect its host city and its people, culture and character.
Situated in Brera, a stone’s throw away from the fashionable Via Montenapoleone and once the home of Santo Versace, the modernist villa designed in 1954 by architects Carlo De Carli and Antonio Carminati, has been brought into a new existence. The interior design of The Wilde Milan was entrusted to renowned Italian designer, Fabrizio Casiraghi, known for his ability to overturn interior design codes with surprising contrasts while maintaining the perfect balance between lyricism and Milanese sophistication.
Maintaining design cohesion throughout, Casiraghi has created individual identities for each of the spaces within the club. Patterns by local Milanese textile brand, Arjumand’s World and American walnut furnishings have been used throughout, interplaying with contrasting materials such as pink lacquered wood, velvet and classic travertine.
In Arturo’s, the cigar lounge, brown natural leathers have been used to create a rich, warming atmosphere, while red striped fabrics from Jim Thompson were chosen for the garden and blue stripes for AVA Rooftop, bringing to life the Mediterranean concept of the space.
The interiors of the club are complemented with a vast and eclectic art collection curated by Ed Tang’s Art Bureau, encompassing a wide array of works from both Milanese and global artists from various backgrounds, including pieces by Diane dal Pra, Danh Vo, Andy Warhol, Vojtěch Kovařík, Nikolai von Bismarck and Adrian Paci. Aligned with The Wilde’s DNA, the art curation aims to integrate local and global communities while reflecting Milan’s cosmopolitan spirit.
With a diverse, dynamic group of global members spanning multiple industries, ages, and interests, The Wilde Milan is a home for creativity of thought and a place for those who embrace diversity of opinion. Exceptional hospitality is at the club’s heart, with a rotation of outstanding activations and ongoing programming from visionary thinkers, artists, performers, and trailblazers.
A dynamic modern salon, The Wilde will provide exclusive theatre, musical, and gallery nights, intimate chef’s table dinners, talks and panel discussions, cultural workshops, film screenings, themed parties, wellness events, private gallery visits, and more.
As part of the club’s digital experience, select programming at The Wilde Milan is also accessible virtually, and features prominently across The Wilde’s social media channels. The club provides members with a secure online portal to access exclusive content and services, make reservations for dining and events and view club news and announcements. Virtual events, workshops, and digital content such as podcasts, videos featuring interviews with notable members and industry experts will also be accessible, ensuring that the club can enhance and adapt to the evolving needs and preferences of its members.
From a culinary perspective, The Wilde provides an eclectic offering with day-to-night dining across three restaurants. The Club Room and Garden offers familiar Italian flavours with international classics and a world class cocktail program including the Giardini Negroni. Flavourful Latin American cuisine combined with delicate techniques and ingredients from Japan can be found in NINA where members can enjoy tacos, tiraditos, ceviches, empanadas sushi and more.
The top two floors are home to AVA, offering seasonal, authentic Mediterranean dining that celebrates the simplicity and quality of local produce. With a private rooftop paradise, AVA enables members to dine through the seasons. For those seeking a quieter moment, sophisticated comfort can be found in The Library which offers breakfast and an all day casual dining menu and aperitivo in a space for quiet reading and work, while Arturo’s provides members with a traditional lounge for fine cigars. The Wilde Milan also offers private dining rooms and event spaces on each floor.
Prospective members can apply at The Wilde. The Wilde Spotify playlists can be heard here.
