Milan Designer Boutiques

Beginning with the established, great names of fashion and the most glam part of shopping, the place to visit is the greater zone between Montenapoleone (its friends call it "Monte Napo") and Via della Spiga, Manzoni, and Corso Venezia. In these streets it is rather easy to spot Greek tourists talking loud on their mobile phones, commenting by-passers, and showing off their shopping bags. Speaking of shops, beg VISA's mainframes to show mercy on your cards. Designer heaven awaits you.

The Armani mega-store is certainly a centre of attraction on its own, offering anything you may want from the classic designer. Having said that, you should rather skip its cafe if you're looking for a break. Cold and slightly overlooked, it offers a rather uninspired break during the ritual of shopping. Much more interesting and with personality but different style is the old class luxury Cova, famous for its chocolates and pasticcini (small cakes). It houses lots of sweet temptations since 1817 and it is a must-try if not for anything else at least for its ultra-stylish regulars.

Continuing shopping, the fairly large and lush boutique of Gucci attracts endless Asians loaded with shopping bags and the most polite personnel, like Dior's. Thinking of smart design, Joan Tan manages to grab the attention with the shop windows of Moschino which wink at you. She did one -some time ago- where the shop windows were covered, had a keyhole and "peep show" written on them. Looking through it, you could see a miniature bedroom dressed in burgundy, ready to stage a small orgy. Prada on the other hand is spread in more shops, some for accessories, some for the sport line.

One of the shops that are worth seeing is that of the devilishly talented Viktor & Rolf who quite literally have turned everything upside down. The ceiling is the floor and the floor is the ceiling in one of the most original concepts in shop decoration. Marni boutique is interesting too, especially in the placement of clothes and accessories in the store. Dolce & Gabbana have created their own world with men's section standing out. Especially its Martini Bar, (exceptional D&G cocktail and the whole "people watching" it offers) where you easily bump into Dominico walking around dressed casually, and the stylish barber's shop they have.

On the other hand for those who have a model's body, the Roberto Cavalli shop is highly recommended. Women will also go crazy for Ars Rosa at "Monte Napo" with the endless luxurious underwear. For delicacies, the classic is Peck on Spadari; for many the absolute deli store featuring mountains of parmesan, endless wines and many delicacies patiently awaiting to be consumed.

Fashion-wise, it goes without saying that Montenapoleone and the neighbouring streets are shinning with a wealth of designers like Ferragamo, Valentino, etc.; much like a parade of the Italian fashion loop. In the surrounding area and when the survival instinct kicks in (see: hunger), Paper Moon is a very good proposition. It is split in two levels, it features black and white photos and it has a relaxed cuisine at any time; just make sure you avoid rush hours.

As for desert, Le Tre Gazelle at Vittorio Emanuele carries a grand and sweet reputation of many years on its back.

On to the mega stores now, one of the most well known is Rinascente. Positioned at Duomo, it enjoys the benefits of its central location, without -in my humble opinion- offering anything peculiar. It is a decent store with regular clothes for the average shopper which is worth visiting as long as you don't have very high expectations. Opposite of that, the classic by now Corso Como 10 certainly impresses with its multifaceted personality. The ex-FIAT garage is a daedalean and endless ode to design of all kinds: from ultra-branded clothes for men and women to rare perfumes and eccentric home accessories. Add to that a bookstore, a record shop, and a cafe and you'll begin to get the picture.

Designer Boutiques in Milan: Addresses

• Prada, Via Andrea Maffei 2, Via Montenapoleone 6, Via della Spiga 1
• Gucci, Via Montenapoleone 5
• Roberto Cavalli, Via della Spiga 30
• Viktor & Rolf, Via sant'andrea 14
• Dior, Montenapoleone 14

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