By Edward Schmidt Jr.
Photography by Elizabeth Garvey
Strolling in the area around Piazza di Spagna in Rome recently with a gelato in hand, as I window-shopped at Versace and Armani, it dawned on me that Italians aren’t just fashion-conscious, they’re fanatically obsessed with fashion — whether it’s handbags, shoes, or cars.
The elegantly and intricately designed window displays at the designer boutiques invite passersby into a world where leading-edge fashion and customer satisfaction are paramount. For the most part, in Italy’s finer stores, I find salespeople who are passionate and extremely knowledgeable about their goods or services. To me, shopping in Italy is as much a part of the getaway experience as sightseeing at the Colosseum or dining alfresco at a café overlooking a bustling piazza. There, you can regale in an intoxicating shopping experience at its most sophisticated level.
If you think personal attention and customer service are ancient anachronisms, you definitely need an Italian shopping fix. Here are five superb opportunities to immerse you in the Italian shopping experience.
DINO BARTOLINI
For anyone who loves to cook, Dino Bartolini in Florence is a must-stop. I have a reputation for preparing a delectable pasta carbonara, and I highly recommend a visit to Dino Bartolini for the amateur chef who likes wielding a spatula and preparing fine food. Situated about 300 feet from the Piazza Duomo, the store is a treasure trove of everything needed to cook, including cutlery, cookware, coffee machines, the top names in crystal, and original avant-garde porcelain. My favorite part of the store is the section brimming with pasta machines, pasta cutters, cheese graters, olive wood chopping boards, and corkscrews of every shape and design. Bartolini’s has an impressive inventory of pastry-making utensils, and world-renowned pastry chefs have been spotted roaming the aisles of this 70-year-old, family owned store.
BRIONI IN ROME
Donald Trump, Tony Bennett, and a slew of presidents, ambassadors, CEOs, and actors wear Brioni suits, one of Italy’s most prized exports. While the suit company, which opened in 1945, has stores around the world, including ones in Beverly Hills and New York City, there’s nothing like the personal attention and sense of privilege you get at its flagship store on Via Barberini in Rome. The attentive staff of veteran salespeople and master tailors makes the occasion an event, not a tedious shopping chore. There is a wide selection of ready-made garments and more than 5,000 different fabrics to choose from for custom-made suits, which range in price from $4,000 to $24,000. For the full ultra-luxury experience, you can select your fabric and have measurements taken by a tailor in your Rome hotel room. The finished product can be sent to you anywhere in the world.
FENDI OUTLET
Everyone likes a bargain, and on an Italy sojourn a few months ago I discovered the Fendi outlet store, located at The Mall, Italy’s most exclusive outlet center about 30 minutes from Florence. There are other outlets at the same venue as well, including Gucci, Armani, Ferragamo, Bottega Veneta, Sergio Rossi, and Yves Saint Laurent, but Fendi is my favorite, with lots of choices, sizes, and fantastic prices. The huge store is stocked with everything from handbags and shoes to suits and dresses, with prices ranging from 35 percent to 70 percent off retail. Most of the items are the previous season’s goods. However, there are some current products and even factory one-of-a-kind samples. Fendi, whose most famous designer is Karl Lagerfeld, is known for its sleek, distinctive, Italian-and-Euro look. Prices drop even lower in mid-January for the winter sales period. A few words of advice: Avoid weekends, which are very crowded with locals and tour buses, and arrive early in the morning, a few minutes before the 10 a.m. opening time.
SCHEDONI SHOWROOM MILAN
If you’ve ever owned, driven, or sat in a Ferrari, you’re familiar with the distinctive aroma of the Italian leather upholstery. For more than three decades, Schedoni, a 120-year-old family owned company based in Modena, has created leather interiors and custom-fitted luggage sets for Ferrari. Schedoni products are handmade, and the head of the company, Mauro Schedoni, personally selects all hides and inspects finished products. One of the best places to view Schedoni’s collection of travel bags, briefcases, wallets, purses, and golf accessories is at its fifth-floor showroom at Piazza della Repubblica 32 in Milan. With rich wood floors, sleek display cases, and high-tech lighting, and professional, knowledgeable salespeople, the showroom, filled with the aroma of the world’s finest leather, provides an unforgettable Italian shopping experience. Shopping at the Milan showroom is by appointment only. To set up an appointment, call 00-39-059-250020 a week prior to your visit.
GALLERIA VITTORIO EMANUELE II
The forerunner of the luxury American mall, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, flanking the Piazza del Duomo, is the perfect blend of opulence, convenience, and conviviality. Lined with designer boutiques like Prada, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton, interesting book and art shops, and exquisite coffeehouses, the Galleria offers much more than a simple shopping experience. Built in 1865, the four-story building with vaulted ceilings, a 150-foot-high iron and glass roof dome, and marble and mosaic floors, is the ideal spot to shop, linger, and watch. Sit down, order an espresso, and gaze at the passing parade of fashionistas, Milanese businesspeople, and visitors from around the world. As a struggling music student, Giacomo Puccini, who penned La Bohème, used to spend time people-watching at the Galleria. Today, many of Milan’s politicians, musicians, and opera singers (La Scala is nearby) meet in the Galleria’s cafés.
Florida-based writer Edward Schmidt Jr. has visited Italy more than a dozen times and has shopped extensively in Milan, Florence, and Rome.
BEYOND THESE PAGES
Brioni
Via Barberini 79, Rome
www.brioni.it
Dino Bartolini
Via dei Servi 30, Florence
www.dinobartolini.it
Fendi Outlet Store
The Mall, Via Europa 8, Leccio, Reggello 50060, Florence
www.fendi.com
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Piazza del Duomo, Milan
www.Italiantourism.com
Schedoni Showroom Milan
Piazza della Repubblica 32
(fifth floor), Milan
www.Schedoni.com