My Milano with J.J Martin.
Fashion force and spiritual seeker J.J Martin shares the wellness hubs, wonder-filled boutiques and welcoming cafes that have made Milan her home for over two decades.
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When J.J Martin landed in Milan 24 years ago, the city was a very different place. Fresh from Los Angeles, via Berkeley and a high-paced stint in New York at Calvin Klein, she found herself in what felt like a cultural dead end. Sushi was impossible to find, yoga classes didn’t exist and wellness felt a decade behind the rest of the world. Running through the streets earned her curious stares and Vitamin C serums were still decades away.
For the first 15 years, J.J carved out her career as a fashion journalist before launching her own label, La DoubleJ, in 2015. What began as a vintage clothing project quickly grew into a full-fledged fashion, interiors, and now spiritual lifestyle brand. Over the last decade, she’s witnessed Milan blossom into an international hub, shaped not only by design and fashion weeks but also by a new wave of conscious living expats and a growing appetite for wellness.
Today, Milan is not just J.J’s adopted home but also the epicentre of her creative and spiritual community. With her five-story La DoubleJ headquarters – complete with a Gong Temple and Galactic Deck – she has helped anchor a cultural shift in the city. And as both an entrepreneur and seeker, she has mapped her own Milan: a blend of sacred spaces, creative ateliers and old-world cafés. Here, J.J shares her top ten unmissable Milan moments.
1. My ultimate wellness space
Our La DoubleJ headquarters in Milan is not only my workplace but also my spiritual home. It’s five stories of creativity and consciousness, complete with a Gong Temple and Galactic Deck where we host yoga, meditation and healing sessions. It’s where I go for sound baths, breathwork, and classes with incredible visiting teachers – a place that feels alive with community and energy.
2. My favourite yoga practice
On Wednesday mornings I practice with Christina Curry, whose classes blend flow with grounding presence. Mondays are reserved for sound healing, and Tuesdays I attend visiting teachers’ sessions. These rituals anchor my week and remind me how vital it is to carve out space for mind, body, and spirit, even in the middle of Milan’s hustle.
3. My escape into nature
Milan isn’t blessed with endless greenery, but Parco Sempione is my refuge. I love meditating beneath the ancient oaks, walking with friends, or simply breathing in the calm. It’s essential to me to stay connected with Mama Gaia, and these moments under the trees balance out the intensity of city life.
4. My florist and guide to the earth
I work closely with Sachiko, a Japanese florist who tends to my terrace and helps me care for my plants. She’s more than a florist – she’s a teacher who deepens my relationship with Mother Earth. Our walks together feel like rituals of connection with the natural world, even in a city as urban as Milan.
5. My healer-facialist
For skincare that goes beyond the surface, I visit Antonia Stefanaki. She’s a Greek facialist who combines energy work with wrinkle removal and emotional healing. Each session is a reset – physical, emotional, and spiritual – and I always leave feeling both radiant and grounded.
6. My shopping sanctuaries
I spend time in our La DoubleJ flagship store, where the Divine Mother Cave downstairs is filled with sacred energy and iconography. I also love browsing Milan’s bookshops – particularly Libreria Mondo Esoterico – and I Sentieri del Vento, the crystal store on Via Santa Marta, which has an unpretentious vibe and always surprises me with hidden gems at great prices.
“Milan isn’t blessed with endless greenery, but Parco Sempione is my refuge.”
“Milan isn’t blessed with endless greenery, but Parco Sempione is my refuge.”
7. My favourite fashion finds
For timeless pieces, I go to Alba for his extraordinary cashmere or Marta Ferr for exquisite, one-of-a-kind vintage. Both create clothing with soul and craftsmanship, and they remind me why Milan remains one of the world’s true fashion capitals.
8. My most-loved restaurants
For something simple and soulful, I adore Trattoria Masuelli, a tiny family-run spot with only a handful of tables and vegetables straight from their garden. When I want to host friends in style, I head to Beatrice, where the food is always elegant and delicious. And for something new and buzzy, The Wilde has the atmosphere of a private members’ club with a creative, international energy.
9. My historic café
I have a long love affair with Pasticceria Cucchi, one of Milan’s last great cafés. When I was a journalist, I used to sit there with my laptop long before it was common to work from cafés. Over time, I befriended the family and even collaborated on La DoubleJ events there. It’s a place that holds my history and Milan’s history all at once..
10. My go-to gifts
When I want to bring a piece of Milan to someone, I buy a big, shrink-wrapped hunk of Parmigiano from Peck — it keeps for months and always delights. Another favourite gift are the jewel-coloured fruit gelées from Marchesi, little sugar-dusted treasures that feel quintessentially Milanese.
When J.J Martin landed in Milan 24 years ago, the city was a very different place. Fresh from Los Angeles, via Berkeley and a high-paced stint in New York at Calvin Klein, she found herself in what felt like a cultural dead end. Sushi was impossible to find, yoga classes didn’t exist and wellness felt a decade behind the rest of the world. Running through the streets earned her curious stares and Vitamin C serums were still decades away.
For the first 15 years, J.J carved out her career as a fashion journalist before launching her own label, La DoubleJ, in 2015. What began as a vintage clothing project quickly grew into a full-fledged fashion, interiors, and now spiritual lifestyle brand. Over the last decade, she’s witnessed Milan blossom into an international hub, shaped not only by design and fashion weeks but also by a new wave of conscious living expats and a growing appetite for wellness.
Today, Milan is not just J.J’s adopted home but also the epicentre of her creative and spiritual community. With her five-story La DoubleJ headquarters – complete with a Gong Temple and Galactic Deck – she has helped anchor a cultural shift in the city. And as both an entrepreneur and seeker, she has mapped her own Milan: a blend of sacred spaces, creative ateliers and old-world cafés. Here, J.J shares her top ten unmissable Milan moments.
1. My ultimate wellness space
Our La DoubleJ headquarters in Milan is not only my workplace but also my spiritual home. It’s five stories of creativity and consciousness, complete with a Gong Temple and Galactic Deck where we host yoga, meditation and healing sessions. It’s where I go for sound baths, breathwork, and classes with incredible visiting teachers – a place that feels alive with community and energy.
2. My favourite yoga practice
On Wednesday mornings I practice with Christina Curry, whose classes blend flow with grounding presence. Mondays are reserved for sound healing, and Tuesdays I attend visiting teachers’ sessions. These rituals anchor my week and remind me how vital it is to carve out space for mind, body, and spirit, even in the middle of Milan’s hustle.
3. My escape into nature
Milan isn’t blessed with endless greenery, but Parco Sempione is my refuge. I love meditating beneath the ancient oaks, walking with friends, or simply breathing in the calm. It’s essential to me to stay connected with Mama Gaia, and these moments under the trees balance out the intensity of city life.
4. My florist and guide to the earth
I work closely with Sachiko, a Japanese florist who tends to my terrace and helps me care for my plants. She’s more than a florist – she’s a teacher who deepens my relationship with Mother Earth. Our walks together feel like rituals of connection with the natural world, even in a city as urban as Milan.
5. My healer-facialist
For skincare that goes beyond the surface, I visit Antonia Stefanaki. She’s a Greek facialist who combines energy work with wrinkle removal and emotional healing. Each session is a reset – physical, emotional, and spiritual – and I always leave feeling both radiant and grounded.
6. My shopping sanctuaries
I spend time in our La DoubleJ flagship store, where the Divine Mother Cave downstairs is filled with sacred energy and iconography. I also love browsing Milan’s bookshops – particularly Libreria Mondo Esoterico – and I Sentieri del Vento, the crystal store on Via Santa Marta, which has an unpretentious vibe and always surprises me with hidden gems at great prices.
“Milan isn’t blessed with endless greenery, but Parco Sempione is my refuge.”
“Milan isn’t blessed with endless greenery, but Parco Sempione is my refuge.”
7. My favourite fashion finds
For timeless pieces, I go to Alba for his extraordinary cashmere or Marta Ferr for exquisite, one-of-a-kind vintage. Both create clothing with soul and craftsmanship, and they remind me why Milan remains one of the world’s true fashion capitals.
8. My most-loved restaurants
For something simple and soulful, I adore Trattoria Masuelli, a tiny family-run spot with only a handful of tables and vegetables straight from their garden. When I want to host friends in style, I head to Beatrice, where the food is always elegant and delicious. And for something new and buzzy, The Wilde has the atmosphere of a private members’ club with a creative, international energy.
9. My historic café
I have a long love affair with Pasticceria Cucchi, one of Milan’s last great cafés. When I was a journalist, I used to sit there with my laptop long before it was common to work from cafés. Over time, I befriended the family and even collaborated on La DoubleJ events there. It’s a place that holds my history and Milan’s history all at once..
10. My go-to gifts
When I want to bring a piece of Milan to someone, I buy a big, shrink-wrapped hunk of Parmigiano from Peck — it keeps for months and always delights. Another favourite gift are the jewel-coloured fruit gelées from Marchesi, little sugar-dusted treasures that feel quintessentially Milanese.
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