My City: Dr Antoinette Fionda-Douglas, co-founder of luxury sustainable fashion brand Beira, reveals her Edinburgh haunts, highlights and hidden gems
Co-founder of one of Scotland’s most stylish sustainable fashion brands, Beira, Dr Antoinette Fionda-Douglas lives and works in Edinburgh, where she enjoys practicing pilates, exploring the Water of Leith, and seeking out fresh-baked pastries. Here, the designer shares some of her favourite places in the Capital.
What independent shops do you like to visit in Edinburgh?
For interiors, I love Catalog, and Jeffreys Interiors, both based in Stockbridge. In the same area, The Pastry Section is great for sweet treats, and I love Mr Eion for freshly roasted coffee beans.
Where do you love to eat?
Osteria Dei Sapori, an Italian restaurant in Colinton, has been a firm favourite of mine for years!
Where is your ideal date night spot?
Date night? What is that? LOL. If we are going out, we love to go for dinner and try lots of new places around the city, supporting small and local. Next place on our list is Lyla, Stuart Ralston’s newest restaurant.
You are treating yourself to a day of rest and relaxation – where do you go?
If I ever manage to squeeze in a day of relaxation, I love going to my good friend and amazing teacher, Agi Falenta, for pilates. She has online and in-person classes.
Edinburgh has lots of parks and natural spaces to escape the hustle and bustle – where’s your favourite?
Just out my backdoor on the Water of Leith – we’re nestled at the bottom of The Pentland Hills in Juniper Green, and it’s a treat living so close to the city yet having so much wilderness around.
What about a favourite museum or art gallery?
Dovecot Studios. I love, love, love the space, their tapestries are amazing, and we hold our annual fashion show on the mezzanine. A new exhibition, Andy Warhol: The Texiles, was showing when our recent fashion show took place, it was a wonderful night!
Visit beira.scot.
