Fashion and leather, Milan

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Milan is a magnet for fashion-buyers and designer labels. The Via Montenapoleone and immediate surrounds is the home of most of the great labels of the world, where you can virtually walk out of Dolce & Gabbana and into Versace and then onto Armani, and on ... and on ... and on.

It's a beautiful little area (bounded by Via Gesu, Via Andrea, Via Gesù, Via Borgospesso, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia) of discrete shops and narrow streets, although needless to say it can pretty busy.

What to buy: Labels :) Shoes, clothing, accessories...

What to pay: A lot :)

It's the outlet of 10 Corso Como, a high-end department store. We actually have the address but the store front (lack thereof) and the area it's located in gave us some pause. We ended up going to the main store at (surprise) 10 Corso Como to confirm we got the right place. The information desk gave us a map and a list of designer items available at the outlet for that week. We walked about 15 minutes and reached the outlet, which is located in a nondescript building with no real signage. We were really just going there out of curiosity, since 50% off a 1,000 euro bag is still 500 euros and way out of our price range.

It's not really a big location. The first thing we noticed when we entered the courtyard was a sign on a table that says 70 euros. Intrigued, we walked over there and saw a few pairs of Prada and Miu Miu shoes / boots / sandals. My friend and I each grabbed a shoe (the label at the bottom indicate the available sizes) and went inside the store to get the other shoe. They fit, and we're already 50-70 euros poorer. Charged with renewed energy, we proceed to examine the items offered at the outlet.

There are both men's and women's clothing, shoes and accessories - all designer, though I am not familiar with some brands. We only had about 1 hour there, so we focused on shoes - the discounted prices (at 50% unless otherwise marked) are still pretty steep, but we did manage to get something at a price we can justify. One frustrating thing is not being able to find the "perfect shoe" in your size - this is an outlet after all.

(We didn't make it to Il Salvagente, so I can't comment on whether the stuff are better/more economical here.)

The store does participate in the Global Tax Refund program, so remember to bring your passports for the paperwork. (Yeah, you'll have no issues getting over the 155 euro limit.)

What to buy: I bought a pair of Miu Miu sandals for 50 euros. They could be very "end-of-the-line" though :>

What to pay: Varies - There are some "deep discount" items in the front, but 50% off really expensive goods are still pretty expensive.

What can I say about shopping in fashion´s world capital? Well if you want to buy in the most exclusive boutiques, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is the perfect place or Rinascenta department store are the ones.

Que se puede decir sobre hacer compras en la capital mundial de la moda? Que si buscas las tiendas mas exclusivas, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele y los almacenes Rinascenta son los sitios perfectos.

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When talk about Milan, normally ppls will say, FASHION! yess...but where is it? Its not inside a main city centre or Piazza Duomo ... so, you have to go further outside (not very far) and you find your heaven for shops there.
Famous place is, Via Montenapoleone, Via Manzoni, Via St Andrea and Via Spiga. What are you looking for? Here..only expesive and branded shops... what a name? ARMANI (for sure), YSL, Ralh Lauren, Hogan, Rolex, and other famous brand are located here (sorry..i am not uptodate about fashion..I have same shirts from past two yrs!). Its interesting to walk here, esepcially after office hour...looiking for model? Most italian girls here are model...fuh!
You can reached here by Metro. Take a MM3 red, stop at Montenapoleone. You already there...for a guys, ready for you gf's trick ... :)
Come here now ... sales season for this year started this week!!!

What to buy: Clothes, shoe, watch, jewel, etc ...

What to pay: The cheapest watch I found here is 400 euro (thats only from Swatch shops), and some suits (Armani) can cost 1162 euro ... huhuhu

Tad is described as a "concept store", because it sells goods of various kinds, but all inspired by the same concept of style. The shop is on 4 floors. Two are devoted to fashion, and in the other two you will find furniture and accessories for the home, an art gallery, a beauty salon and a cafe. The owner, Marina Coffa, designs herself many of the home accessories.

What to buy: The art and furniture are beautiful to look at, but for shopping it is mainly the clothes that I recommend. You can find at least 30 brands here.

In the most fashionable area of the fashion capital, where do the locals do their shopping? At Gio' Moretti is the likely answer. This shop is organized as a small department store, and sells items for men as well as for women. You will find here up to 100 brands (Versace, Blumarine, Chloe etc.), even the ones that have their flagship stores in the same street or just around the corner.
The "total look" (being dressed head to toe in one brand) is completely outdated, so this shop is often the one-stop solution for the eclectic Milanese.
Open from 10 am to 7 pm from Tuesday to Saturday, from 3 to 7 pm on Mondays.

What to buy: If money is not a problem, you will certainly find something you like. Otherwise just visit to have a look.

Now, when it comes to Zara, and if you're a guy; don't do the same mistake as I did in Milan. There is a huge Zara store to the left shortly behind the Duomo, but it's not for you. I ran up and down for four floors, looking for some nice men clothes. And the place was packed as a summer sale...

But there are no men's clothes there...

Instead you should continue a bit further on the outside, where you'll find a small Zara shop, also to your left, with only men clothes. Just one floor, much smaller sortiment, but at least something.

Zara is, if I'm not mistaken, a spanish brand, and I actually found the Zara store in Barcelona much better. There I bought a whole lot of things, and for a good price. A jacket, a shirt and some more clothes.
In Milan instead, since the shop for men is so small, there wasn't much to buy, and I got quite disappointed.

What to buy: I did buy something though. A shirt and a cardigan. Somehow some sort of panic buy, but now when I'm home again I'm quite pleased with them.

Should have tried them on first though, sits a bit too tight maybe... ;)

What to pay: More expensive than I remember from Barcelona, but still "only" 80 euro for both the pieces.

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You have to go look in all of the shops when you're in Milan. Never mind if you can't afford it. I went to Pucci and Versace and Prada and tried not to drool.

If you are on a budget, drop in at H&M and Zara. I did. Now when someone asks me where I bought that new shirt, or jeans, or whatever, I just act all snooty and say "Milan, darling". Never mind that it came from H&M.

What to buy: Beautiful clothes, leather goods, sunglasses. You name it.

What to pay: A lot. If you have to ask you can't afford it.

It's useless to mention again that this is the most famous fashion shopping street in Milan.

For the ones who have money to spend on name such as Versace, Armani, Dolce&Gabbana, Dior, Fendi, Gucci or Prada - here is your place.

For the others – window shopping is for free.

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La Rinascente is the most famous and, according to their statement, the most elegant department store in Milan.

I think there aren't so many tourists visiting Milan that missed La Rinascente. And this had two reasons: first for the stylish products and second for the wonderful view of the dome from the last floor.

Beside shopping, La Rinascente has also a bar, a restaurant, an Estee Lauder beauty centre and even a branch of Banca Commerciale Italiana.