“For the first 20 years of my career, I was never at home,” Alice Carly says. “I traveled for business out of curiosity and a desire to grow; I traveled to get to know the world and learn about the markets. Then I had to stop, like everyone else, because of the pandemic.”
This is how Carly, who has served as CEO, director and advisor for many leading Italian fashion and luxury brands, describes the trajectory of her career and the moment when, like much of the world, she had to slow down. Born in Liguria (the Mediterranean region of Italy bordering France) and Milan by choice, she is now the general manager and board member of a company that develops wearable technology. She is also an executive advisor to the Image Regenerative Clinic.
Those other roles and obligations meant she was traveling a lot, but when the closings began, the apartment (purchased and renovated in 2018) was ready and waiting for Carly to come home. It was a place where she knew she wanted to live on her first visit. “And I think I am someone who never falls in love: when I make a decision, it is a rational and considered one. Here, on the other hand, as soon as I set foot inside, it was love at first sight.”
Carly has dark eyes and a firm attitude; She enjoys a cosmopolitan vibe, dignified confidence and bears an elegant Parisian woman. She also has a calm and subtle sense of style, which is perfectly reflected in her large apartment of approximately 1,900 square feet located in a residential and elegant area of Milan. It is set amidst early 20th century buildings, beautiful courtyards, and plenty of green space. The first time Carly saw the apartment, she was shocked by the light, even on a gray Milan morning filling the rooms. I decided at that moment to make an offer and stay. Carly credits her watery nature with making the decision to often buy, renovate, furnish and then sell apartments. She says she is always looking for ways to change her “skin”.
This time, however, Carly may last longer. It seems that she has found her own wonderland, a place where she can reside and where she has found room to express her style. This charming home has a soul, albeit expressed in a contemporary way with a clean and fresh appeal. “During these shutdowns, I have put myself back in the game by studying. I have a major in Strategy from Harvard Business School. I have spent a lot of time on video conferencing – what better setup than this home! This space has become the setting for my professional and educational journey And the last character. He was also emotional as well and I knew this house was waiting for me.”
The search for beauty has always been important to Carly. And this house is living proof of her ability to find it: in the period of coffered ceilings; Parquet flooring with precious two-tone workmanship – lovingly restored to its original splendor – and details such as stucco and polished marble entryway. Every beautiful detail has been preserved, paying homage to the style and elegance of old Milan, without falling into saccharine nostalgia. Everything here speaks of a harmonious project that respects the identity of the apartment.
Busnelli Corporate Studio and interior designer Martina Menegon have been pivotal in the restoration and design of the custom pieces. The painting was identified by the owner who said: “I absorbed from creative people of all kinds a passion for color and light. I chose four visual effects or colours. First, translucent and translucent elements like the crystals of old chandeliers and the ribbed glass panels in some of the doors we kept. Next, Wood appears in the rosewood kitchen and the parquet floors of course. Burnt orange tones are introduced with seating in the hall. Finally, there are shades of night, with dusty blues and teal.” These colors complement perfectly with brass elements such as the bathroom’s mirror profile and cabinet fittings. And in the master bedroom and in the wardrobe – all made to order by Busnelli.
The apartment combines discreet Milanese elegance with Parisian touches – those of her paternal grandmother’s home. All of the chandeliers feel French, as does the little armchair in the bedroom, with its bone wheels intentionally left looking worn, and a gilded little table with a marble top. Other pieces, like the Gae Aulenti table by Fontana Arte, the ceiling-mounted bookcase from Baxter, and the sofas—which Carly re-upholstered in raw linen in shades of beige sourced from Capri—are thoughtful choices by the owner, who admits to loving sophistications. , Not revolutions, in the field of decoration.
Reflecting Carly’s passion for pieces that evoke memories, the house is filled with gifts from people dear to her, from vases to ashtrays and from porcelain – by Fornasetti, Ginori and Hermés – to photographs. A signed photo by photographer Nikola Borisov depicts Carly in her old home, leaning against the door frame that enters her bedroom. Next to it is an antique silver necklace framed by a queen from the Andes. It is fitting that this beautiful, timeless accessory is now in the possession of the queen of contemporary Italian fashion.
