SHOPPING IN ITALY.
Updated: Jun 15
after a two-week trip to italy, i find myself preemptively scrambling, despite my jetlag, to clean out my closet before i unload and organize the mess of shopping bags lodged in my suitcases. yes, damage was done, and i am here to catalog all my favorite shopping destinations—spanning from family-run handmade leather shops to luxury outlets.
milan
milan was actually the last stop on my trip, but as one of the big 4 in fashion, i think it deserves the very first headline.
LA DOUBLE J
i discovered this brand just walking around the quad d'oro, where you can find almost every luxury designer boutique. their storefront perfectly encapsulates the brand's energy: colorful and maximalist.
some of their designs remind me of pucci and missoni: vibrant palettes, rich texture, mixing patterns, swirling florals, etc. if you're looking for something more unique and delicate, opt for la double j over pucci and missoni, since the latter two are so overdone by now and common targets of replicas by cheap fast fashion brands.
i also love how attentive this brand is to their fabric. they use 100% italian silk (sourced from lake como according to one of the salespeople) for most of their items, and all their items are made entirely in italy.
their price point isn't ridiculous considering their high-quality craftsmanship. their cashmere tops are priced at around $450, and silk dresses a little higher, at around $1000.
ANN DEMEULEMEESTER
one of their only two physical locations worldwide, the milan boutique is absolutely stunning. also located in the quad d'oro area, it's tucked away in a little alley on via montenapoleone.
ann d is a part of the antwerp six, known for their avant-garde, gothic yet feminine aesthetic. their footwear is especially iconic, from the classic lace-up combat boots to belted ballerinas. as you can see: lots of black, fluid silhouettes, slightly emo.
i fell in love with these earrings they had on display, but i thought almost $800 for costume jewelry was a bit much.
DAAD DANTONE
i don't know how i'd never heard of this boutique before because they carry the coolest, most insane pieces ever from avant-garde brands, lots of which are by asian designers. they actually have two different boutiques near via montenapoleone, but one of them functions as more of a preview-like showcase. though their items are generally $1000+, if you're looking to collect funky one-of-a-kind pieces, this is the place.
^ this cigarette heel from alberto ciaschini. obsessed.
ANDREA GHELLI GIOIELLI
this is a hidden gem for handmade sculpture jewelry located in the quad d'oro. andrea ghelli is the creative genius who designs and crafts all the pieces, and him and his daughter run the store themselves.
although the store itself is tiny, and andrea's atelier occupies half the space, it took me ages to examine even half the pieces they had to offer. if you have any specific designs or stones you want to see, further pieces can be shown upon request.
because of andrea's esteemed craftsmanship and quality of the jewels, prices are generally higher than other jewelry boutiques.
lake como
i took a day trip to como so my time there was limited unfortunately, but i still managed to pop into some small boutiques and buy a few pieces. i knew that como was great for sourcing silk and handcrafted jewelry, so i focused on those two specialties.
CORNER SHOP BELLAGIO
this jewelry shop is in bellagio, which we had to take a ferry to reach. my residual boat-sickness magically subsided as soon as i stepped into the store (in retail therapy we trust). everything is beautiful and meticulously crafted.
i ended up buying the two necklaces on the right: one of them is vintage-inspired and gold plated, and the other is costume jewelry, the metal parts also gold plated.
BOUTIQUE PATRIZIA
honestly i didn't spend too much time looking for silk shops, and this was the first (and only) one i encountered. their designs are nothing special—a lot of the scarves are basically pucci and hermes replicas—but the quality of the silk is top-notch.
florence
when in florence, there is one clear target: leather. i steered clear of all the sketchy rip-off ones near more touristy areas and ended up scoring all my leather shoes at one boutique, mannina. i didn't spend as much time as i would've liked on shopping unfortunately, so maybe more recs to come in the future.
FLORENCE FACTORY
starting off with a boutique specializing in handmade jewelry and leather goods by tuscan artisans. the store is located in downtown florence, definitely not hard to find. they had a wide variety of jewelry styles, most of which were gold-plated silver, and some one-of-a-kind. i got a pair of fun,color block square earrings with silk (weird combo) that i literally haven't been able to take off.
MANNINA CALZATURE
leather shoes HEAVEN. handcrafted and both ready-to-wear or custom, mannina surpasses most luxury brands in terms of quality footwear. at this point in the trip i forgot to take photos of the stores i visited but trust me when i say that their selection is immaculate. they have block heels, ballerina slingbacks, suede mules, sandals, literally anything you could imagine. the designs are more elegant and timeless rather than anything crazy, so they're good for staple shoes.
THE MALL FIRENZE
last but not least i obviously had to hit up the biggest luxury outlet just outside of florence. they have almost all the a-tier brands and the shopping experience was so much better than i expected. it wasn't too crowded and everything was spaced perfectly so that you wouldn't have to walk your legs off. prada and miu miu had pretty good discounts, but the selection of items was kind of crappy, as expected. there were a few pieces i liked but were sold out in my size already. for most brands, the items weren't too last season and were discounted at least 40-50%.
closing thoughts
i think that italy is undoubtedly the source of inspiration for creatives, since so many of the enduring, prevalent aesthetics in architecture, fashion, design, etc. are derived from italian art and history. beyond shopping, visiting landmarks or perusing galleries in cities like rome is gold for accumulating references that build your taste which, in turn, affects your sartorial habits. i think in general, milan is really inspiring for their bold and vibrant street style, but the shopping isn't too different from any other global hub; florence, though not nearly a fashion capital, is a mecca for scoring vintage, handcrafted pieces at lower prices. happy hunting!
ajp
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