Milan Shopping
Publication Date: 18 November, 2007 | Category: City Guides
“It may not have the huge department stores of Dubai, the high class atmosphere of the boutiques in Paris, or the avant garde designers of London, but Milan is the capital of opportunities, of ultra commercial designers, and -without doubt- the centre of fashion.”
My first time was during a fashion week. A few invitations at hand, a cheap ticket, some encouragement from friends; it didn't take much more to give in. If only I knew I would discover Heaven (of shopping) and Hell (of credit card bills) all together! For better or worse the consumer opportunities in Milan never stop. Fashion there never stops, not even for a quick glance in the mirror. Shop windows transform at a blink of an eye, clothes that haven't been in stock for over a few months are being "thrown" at the baskets of outlet shops. As for furniture and home-ware? For those I'll let the deco experts to talk; I am sure they'll have plenty of stories to tell. Mine follows.
The expensive boutiques are gathered in specific central spots, the mid-range shops are evenly laid out, and the stock shops are scattered in the city or they even escape the city limits with some of them being even up to a few hours out of Milan.
Regarding prices, there are differences between with the rest of Europe, although clothing prices have evened out. For accessories such as sun glasses though, your buying power is greatly increased. Also, before the official start of sales many of the boutiques give in to consumer's demands earlier by marking some items or by offering "sconto" on the spot if you dare to ask them. Since it is considered almost "shameful" to feature sale prices at a flagship store, sales is something that is not always obvious, more so because the price signs are microscopic and they rarely get used. Therefore, you must not hesitate to ask if there are items on sale. The answer is almost always "yes" with most shops starting unofficial sales at 30% off. For those who are well "networked" (journalists, PR, etc.) there are invitations at the end of the season to visit showrooms and buy whatever is left with discounts of 70% off or more.
In any case, Milan is a city that you certainly don't visit if you don't have two things in place: plenty of cash in your pockets and an extensive credit limit.
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