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Honoring Its Founder, Azzedine Alaïa, Café da Rosa Opens in Paris

Matthew Denis
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Alaïa's Café da Rosa in Paris.
Stephan Muratet/Alïa

By the end of his life Azzedine Alaïa, the Tunisian couturier and shoe designer, was as well known among his friends for his legendary French kitchen as he was for his haute couture designs. ‘The King of Cling,’ who passed away in 2017, loved to cook and to host at his Rue de Moussy home in Paris’s Marais district, bringing together an eclectic mix of guests for fabled dinner parties.

In a nod to its founder, the Maison Alaïa apparel firm is now inviting the public to this unique culinary salon atmosphere at Alaïa’s home at 5 rue Marignan with Café Alaïa Da Rosa. The new restaurant forms the base of a four-story boutique that opened its doors just in time for Paris Fashion Week.

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Nestled into a lush vertical garden in an inner courtyard, the restaurant features Mediterranean cuisine. A terraced wall of greenery sits above a minimalist menu that offers up authentic Mediterranean inspirations. Utilizing Paris’s fine, fresh local produce, dishes will be intended to transport eaters to seaside Italy, Portugal, and Spain. 

Aiming to prick eaters’ aesthetic inspiration, Café Da Rosa surrounds guests with art installations and collectible design items that aim to reflect the joie de vivre of the house’s famous founder. And this is just the bottom floor. The four-story hôtel particulier that houses this eatery sits below a range of new spaces. 

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If it’s a physical recharge that visitors are seeking, Alaïa’s house proffers Martine de Richeville’s celebrated, transcendent remodeling treatment in response. The regenerative hand massage method blends holistic medicine and psychology and is considered a secret weapon among fashion insiders for slimming the silhouette. 

The evolution of the 5 rue de Marignan encourages a synergy between body and soul, extending the maison’s universe. Of course, boutique retail will remain at the center of Alaïa’s galaxy, but the store aims to be more than just a shopping venue. Floor space and displays are focused on cultivating a luxury lifestyle. 

Creative director Pieter Mulier took over the house’s redesign project in February. The Belgian designer’s S/S 2022 collection will subsequently hit the floor of Alaïa’s revamped flagship in December. 

Café Alaïa Da Rosa is open now at 5 Rue de Marignan, 75008, Paris, open Tuesday through Saturday from midday to 7:00 p.m.

Read More: Television, French Cuisine, and More with David Burke

Matthew Denis
Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
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