Prada reopens the historic Caffè Principe in Forte dei Marmi

Born in the 1920s and exploded between the 1950s and 1960s, today it is reborn in a new project of design and passion that restores to the town, the heart of Versilia, the ancient splendor dear to the inhabitants of Forte Marmini.

A fashion & food combo that aims to rediscover a place where tradition is deposited, a symbol of local gastronomy and hospitality.

With the intention of preserving its original identity, giving it new life, the renovation work, carried out in collaboration with the Florentine architect Michele Bonan, has in fact concentrated on an accurate research activity which has made it possible to recall the original furnishings , making its customers take a dip in the 50s, keeping the chandeliers, the seats for the outdoor area, the formica tables and the wicker armchairs unchanged. The nuances recall the colors of the sea and range from navy blue to the white of the wood, typical of the cabins that animate the long beach overlooking the Ligurian Sea, together with the director’s chairs, characteristic of the local bathrooms.

“This project was strongly desired by the owners to give a new splendor to an iconic and significant place for the area – explains Valentino Casamenti, director of Caffè Principe – The place was born in the 1920s, but the period of maximum vigor dates back to the Fifty and Sixty. Our effort was to insert ourselves in a precise context without distorting it, but on the contrary to start afresh from its authenticity and from the values that have made it famous and indispensable over the years, giving it back to Fortemarmini and tourists giving continuity in a modern key.”

A redevelopment project which in the end has been able to enhance the historical flavor of the pastry bar, a symbol of the gastronomy and hospitality of the local area, and which pushes the challenge in the world of food of the fashion group ever higher.

An experiment that seems successful, judging by the inhabitants of Forte Marmini who immediately returned with pleasure to the city venue, finding the same references as always unchanged and therefore guaranteed the continuation of their habits. Like that of breakfast, which here is a ritual before going to the beach, to the market or to work: at the usual coffee – it was decided to keep the same local roasting company, i.e. Bei&Nannini in Lucca, also founded in the 1920s – it is accompanied by the proposal of Marchesi’s classic desserts, with the most popular cakes, haute patisserie and leavened products.

“Breakfast at the Principe is a must – continues Casamenti – but in these first days of opening both the pre-dinner and after-dinner moments are going well, with aperitifs and after-dinner cocktails to end the evening after the usual stroll through the streets of the center”.

As for their uniforms, these have been designed by Miuccia Prada and include a crisp white shirt with the cafè’s italics logo embroidered on the front, navy jeans and white sneakers for men or espadrilles for women. Bartenders wear a white bowling shirt with navy piping.