Few names in the world of luxury patisserie carry the weight of history quite like Marchesi 1824. Founded in Milan in 1824, the house has become synonymous with quiet opulence.

Now owned by Prada, Marchesi 1824 has been carefully woven into a broader cultural universe that extends beyond fashion into art, design and lifestyle. Its presence at the Fondazione Prada epitomises this dialogue, placing the patisserie within one of Italy’s most influential contemporary art spaces, where espresso and exhibitions coexist with effortless elegance.

From its original Milanese addresses, including Via Monte Napoleone and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, to its refined London outpost in Mayfair and now Harrods, the brand’s expansion has been measured. The space is unmistakably chic, bringing a distinctly Italian sensibility to an international audience with its typical green and pink pale palette.

This spring, Marchesi 1824 marks Easter 2026 with “The Return of the Swallows”, a collection that captures the poetry of the season. Boutiques are transformed into dreamlike environments: delicate birds in flight, sculptural chocolate nests, and colours that shift from soft pastels to deep, lacquered browns.

The Gifts and Small Delights range includes panettone and pandoro in decorative tins, chocolate truffles and Grand Cru bars, marron glacé, and assorted gift boxes with chocolates, biscuits and spreads, along with coffee and tea blends, hot chocolate, cocoa, nougat, and commemorative sets in elegant packaging designed for easy, luxurious gifting.

At the centre are the maison’s Colomba cakes, feather-light and fragrant, alongside a series of single-origin chocolate eggs sourced from destinations such as Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. Hand-finished chocolates, artisanal biscuits and exquisitely boxed assortments complete the offering, each piece as considered in presentation as in flavour.

Beyond the confections themselves, Marchesi 1824 invites a slower engagement through its Easter workshops, where guests are guided through the rituals of decoration and craft. Beautiful!

Under Prada, Marchesi 1824 has become more than a historic pasticceria, it now connects Milan and London, tradition and indulgence, showing that true elegance never goes out of style.

–