Milan
Slowear takes its cue from the Slow Food philosophy and markets an ethical stable of menswear labels (Incotex, Zanone) that fit a wearable, timeless and…
Must-see shopping in The Italian Lakes
Milan
Casadei's signature shoe is called the 'Blade', a dangerous looking steel-heeled beauty in candy colours: lime green, lemon and orange. Milanese girls…
Milan
This is where the hip and affluent crowd of Milan go to maintain their on-trend wardrobes. It has an eclectic selection that mixes up avant-garde,…
Milan
Direct from Tokyo comes Milan’s one and only Japanese concept space. Combining a sleek cafe with a homewares and design shop, a co-working area and a…
Milan
Billed as a creative lab for emerging designers, Stiù stocks shoes that are often bold and always on trend. Along with the likes of Swedish Vagabond and…
Milan
With two nimble-fingered seamstresses for grandmothers, it's unsurprising that Sara Scaramuzza’s fashion and homewares showroom is full of colourful,…
Milan
A firm favourite with fashionistas on a budget, Mauro Leone's handmade-in-Italy footwear offers style for between €50 and €80 per pair. Pick from a range…
Milan
Given you usually have to schlep out of town for deeply discounted designer threads, what’s up with this oddly central outlet? Yes, all the major labels…
Milan
The grim basement courtyard of Il Salvagente gives scant indication of the upmarket brands inside. Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli and Alberta Ferretti…
Milan
Owned by a former skateboarder, this independent clothing store has a clean minimal style that walks the line between elegant and street. Its curated…
Milan
Locally sourced, recycled jersey, cashmere and leather are the base materials of asap (as sustainable as possible). The pieces are not just gorgeously…
Milan
Fornasetti faces appear to signal their approval of the great mix of ultrawearable clothes, shoes and bags. Rebecca Minkoff clutches, Suecomma Bonnie…
Milan
Overlooking the revitalised Darsena, where boats once docked in medieval Milan, the city's main food market now has a swish new glass-and-steel enclosure…
Consorzio Olivicoltori di Malcesine
Lake Garda
Olives harvested around Malcesine are milled into first-rate extra virgin olive oil by this local consortium. You can sample the product here. Known as …
Milan
Since 1909 this historic shop has been satisfying stationery lovers with its timeless selection of goods. Discover notebooks and pencils from the 1950s,…
Lake Orta
Established in the small town of Omegna on Lago d'Orta in 1921, Alessi went on to transform modern kitchens with humorous, ultracool utensils designed by…
Milan
Said to be the biggest farmer's market in Lombardy, it's also proudly dedicated to 0km produce, which means all goods come from local suppliers in Italy's…
Milan
The former home of Filippo Tommaso Marinetti (founder of the futurist movement) has been turned into a three-level store embodying the whimsical style of…
Como
First opened in 1919, this is the last remaining silk shop in town dedicated to selling Como-designed-and-made silk ties, scarves, throws and sarongs…
Bellagio
A deli-cum–grocery shop piled high with Larian goodies, among them dried porcini mushrooms, DOP Laghi Lombardi-Lario olive oil, missoltini (dried fish)…
Milan
Fumetti (comics) are an obsession in Italy, and SuperGulp caters well with racks and racks of beautifully illustrated classic, popular and fantasy comics,…
Como
This smart little shop is run by designer Simona Trombetta, responsible for much of the well-priced contemporary jewellery made with brass, bronze, silver…
Milan
Midcentury shops are surprisingly thin on the ground in Milan (presumably because everyone was wise enough to hold onto their hand-me-down Arco lamps and…
Milan
This 1930s studio is a blast from the past with its wood-framed cabinets packed with frames, ranging from vintage '60s butterfly lenses to chic modern…
Milan
It all began in Padua with Marol Paresi combining her love of travel and her craft skills to create ethnically inspired and artfully beaded, embroidered…
Lake Como
This delightful ceramics shop is a fine place to browse for gift ideas. You'll find artfully wrought vases, bowls, vases, mugs, ornaments, picture frames…
Milan
This is probably Milan's leading commercial photographic gallery. It showcases the work of internationally famous photographers such as William Klein and…
Milan
Kristina Ti specialises in things that are swoon-inducingly pretty but never one-dimensionally girly. Her collection includes very wearable slouchy t…
Como
Wines, vintage whiskies and grappas, along with olive oils and balsamic vinegars, line the walls of this sociable wine shop and bar. Drop by in the…
Lake Garda
This 40-shop mall on busy Viale Rovereto boasts a free toilet, free wi-fi, a supermarket, free parking, a bookshop selling local maps, an outdoor…
Milan
The ultimate money look – silk ties, cashmere T-shirts, embellished purses and bolts of lavishly patterned fabric – at plebeian prices. Upstairs you'll…
Milan
Stuffy offices beg to be misted with Culti's green-tea room spray, and spice-spiked candles turn ordinary bathrooms into beauty temples. Habits Culti has…
Milan
This city-wide chain of inventive toy stores has been mini Milanese for decades. Given that this is a design city there's a heavy emphasis on Bauhaus…
Milan
Gallo may spice up its seasonal collections but it’s the perennial striped knee socks in silk, cotton, wool and cashmere that locals love for adding…
Lake Garda
A rare Italian junk shop and real Aladdin's cave selling everything from 1990s Nokia phones and art-deco lampshades to 1970s stuffed toys and defunct…
Milan
Franco Jacassi's multilevel store stocks pristine vintage woollens, 1930s evening wear from Chanel, Dior, Balenciaga and Vionnet, belts, buckles, bags,…
Bellagio
Lili Barone and Gabriel Kantor turn out exquisite etchings, engravings and other design products from their studio high in Bellagio's old town. Opening…
Mercato dell'Artigianato e Antiquariato
Como
A monthly antique market fills the piazza in front of the Basilica di San Fedele on the first Saturday of each month; on subsequent Saturdays, the market…
Milan
Rocking a range of mod-vintage styles from the 1950s and '60s, this cult eyewear brand from Abruzzo crafts beautiful made-in-Italy frames that you won't…
Milan
Stocked to the rafters with classic vinyl, and used and new CDs, this tiny shop is heaven for music aficionados searching out that hard-to-find '70s…
