The country of fashion
Milan, the must-see. Shopping in the city often means shopping for fashion. Let's give Milan its capital place. It is in the Fashion Quadrilateral that you meet or become a fashion victim yourself! In this imaginary square, traced by four streets in the center, is concentrated the fashion of the biggest fashion brands, haute couture and ready-to-wear (Gucci, Prada, Armani, Valentino, Versace, Fendi, Bottega Veneta, Moschino, Dolce & Gabbana, Miu miu, Closed, Instance, MSGM, Benetton). In the shoe department, the Velasca house in Milan guarantees solid, elegant and casual models. The wardrobe would not be complete without the essential fashion accessories, jewelry, watches, sets and glasses, but also leather bags and leather goods in all their forms and colors, travel luggage, stationery ..
Real or fake Gucci bags! Some people, especially border workers, prefer the Ventimiglia market every Friday. It is the antithesis of the Quadrilateral! You can find everything there. Clothes and accessories, cosmetics, food, plants, objects and junk, toys, improbable gadgets. Bring cash because few shops are equipped with credit card payment machines. But beware, this is also the biggest counterfeit market in Europe (along with Warsaw). Fake Gucci or Prada bags, not to mention Vuitton or Dior, go like hotcakes at unbeatable prices. Be warned, if you are checked at the border, you could see your goods destroyed and have to pay a fine for receiving counterfeit goods.
The scarves of the Po Valley. If we stay in the field of fashion, of elegance, the handmade silk scarf is indispensable. Although Chinese production is at the origin of this refined fabric, Italy also has a long tradition. In the 17th century, Catanzaro became the silk capital of Europe. Then, the largest European producers of raw silk flourished in various regions of the Po Valley: Vicenza, Verona, around Lake Como. Today, you can find in stores beautiful scarves, especially those from Como or Verona, double-sided, silk and modal, printed with floral patterns in different shades of colors, enhanced with orange threads, which creates a sparkling effect.
Handcrafted leather goods can be purchased in specialized stores. Tuscan leather bags are highly sought after. The high quality of the leather and a long tradition of craftsmanship have earned Italy a reputation as the world's leading producer of leather bags. In Venice, travel journals or diaries are covered with calfskin with protective tabs at the corners and a buckle closure. The whole thing is made of bronze with patterns reminiscent of medieval knotwork.
Stationery. With these beautiful notebooks, nothing beats a box with wooden fountain pens and a bottle of Murano glass ink. Still in the traditional stationery, the mail-manuscript kit can be bought in Florence, at Rossi 193. Their stationery and envelopes always have those incomparable floral decorations and an antique letter opener will look great on your desk!
You can't leave Murano without succumbing to the enchantment of glass tinted with bright, swirling colors. There are several ways of making glass; some of them, handed down from father to son, are kept secret and require a lot of dexterity. The majority of the jewels are declined in several ranges of design. They are made with the lamp technique: different types of glass paste are melted together to create mesmerizing combinations of colors and shapes. A difficult technique for the glassmaker, who works long hours with a gas flame to add his new colors. If the jewelry or Murano pillboxes are the most requested, other objects will embellish the table, such as bottle caps topped with a multicolored glass ball or colored wine or liquor glasses, decorated on the outside with a frieze of another color. The lattimo vases, made of opaque white glass, imitate Chinese porcelain, the sommerso vases, made of thick glass already blown, which are immersed in another transparent glass jar. When drying, the two vases will merge, becoming one in a chromatic play comparable to air bubbles in sea water.
In Italy, craftsmanship is not an empty word
Italy also has a long history in the production of high quality ceramics. The Etruscans were the first to produce them, then, during the Renaissance, the Tuscans, Umbrians and Sicilians distinguished themselves. New or in antique shops, you can find decorative or functional ceramic dishes: plates, bowls, cups, antipasti dishes, candlesticks, and even rectangular tiles for landscape paintings.
There is a renewed interest in ecological wooden gifts. The olive wood benefits from it. It is especially used in the kitchen, because it is hard and very resistant. It would even have antibacterial properties! Traditionally, newlyweds were given several of these utilitarian objects: cutting board, knife rack, pepper mill, seasoning set, tray, salad bowl, etc.
In terms of design, if you have developed a taste for Italian coffee, small appliances (coffee maker and grinder) cost less in Milan than in Paris. Three brands dominate the market of the timeless Italian coffee maker: Bialetti Moka Express, Delonghi and Smeg. And for the coffee break, we fall for the crunchy amaretti from Saronno, as much for the delicacy as for the pretty red metal box.
Beware, the phenomenon of fake products, whether food or inlaid, is growing, according to the union of Italian agricultural entrepreneurs (Coldiretti). Be sure to check the label for the origin of production and the controlled designations (DOC / PDO).
As a rule, you won't have to worry about counterfeiting with traditional crafts. This heritage, one of the most enduring in the Western world, values the know-how of the manufacturers. Some of this heritage is legendary, as is the timeless style of some of the objects sought after by discerning collectors. Art lovers will find beautiful objects in workshop stores and, in museum stores, honest reproductions. Antique shops, which sometimes resemble veritable cabinets of curiosities, have everything.
