Shop til you drop in Milan

As one of the most expensive streets in Europe, Via Monte Napoleone is very much Milan’s Mayfair. This street is where Milan’s latest looks emerge from, a place that influences the rest of the city’s wardrobes – regardless of whether you’ve shopped here. For some, Via Monte Napoleone will be a window shopping experience. A place to peer at parked Ferraris while gazing through windows stocked with Cartier, Tiffany and Dior. For others, a place to splash the cash on a statement piece or spend some savings on a whole new look. An upscale experience on a street that’s home to Gucci’s flagship store. Dress to impress – it’s not uncommon to see fashion designers stalking the pavements on this street. 

Brace your budget and your toes for ten storeys of superb shopping, because Rinascente is one hell of a department store. It all starts on the lower ground floor with the design supermarket. A place where you’ll spend a little too long wondering whether you should look into hiring a shipping container to cart back every item of chic and sleek Italian furniture you set eyes on. That minor inconvenience aside, this floor isn’t to be skipped. The smaller knick acks are the ideal compromise to add statement pieces and Italian design to your home. Before you rise up through the floors, there’s a chance to dine at an outpost of one of the best restaurants in Milan – God Save the Food. 

Milan’s shopping centres can take a toll on your budget. So if you’re looking to make your holiday money go a little further, it’s worth taking the 15 minute journey out to the Scalo Outlet Mall. You’ll find over 100 stores from mid-range brands selling everything from pre-loved treasures  to sale goods and overstocked items. The perfect hunting ground for bargain hunters, with a good mix of familiar high street names – think Calvin Klein, The North Face and Levis, along with Italian brands such as Liu Jo and Nara Camicie. Expect the usual outlet centre experience – lunch at the food court anyone? But don’t miss the chance to leverage your tourist status. Register online before your trip for an ‘I Love’ card and you’ll get an extra 10% off at selected stores.  

Looking for high end fashion at a fraction of the price? Head to DMAG on Via Manzoni. Curating cut price items from over 3,000 brands, this Milanese wonder is every shopper’s dream. Not surprisingly, DMAG has won awards for its services to outlet shopping. So what can you expect to trawl the rails for? Well, new stock comes in every single week from brands such as Fendi, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Balenciaga and Jimmy Choo. These sit happily alongside bargains from Ugg, Fred Perry, Adidas and Burton. So you’re looking at mid – to high end fashion. The perfect place to pull together that essential capsule wardrobe, complete outfit overhaul or a few statement pieces to zhuzh up your collection. 

Do a little Milan research and you’ll quickly see the banks of the Naviglio Grand being talked about by foodies and cafe culture lovers. Yes, the coffee and croissants on this Milanese canal are next level, but so is the shopping. From Monday to Saturday you can nip in and out of the waterside art galleries, pick up a vintage find from the clothing stores or possibly a chic Italian antique. But on Sundays, the banks fill with market stalls selling everything from antique posters and vinyl, to clothing, antiques and flea market finds. A treasure trove for bargain hunters with a keen eye for design – a gorgeous setting for those who like their shopping to come with a view and close enough to gourmet goodies for anyone who can get a little hangry if they shop for too long. 

Save on the leg work of flitting from store to stall on the canal and drop into one of the three Cavalli E Nastri stores instead. They can all be found on Via Gian Giacomo Mora, and have inspired everyone from Milan’s fashion designers to fashion-forward shoppers curating their ideal vintage look. Proudly pushing the on-trend reuse and recycle ethos, Cavalli E Nastri fill their stores with unique pieces from the 1920s onwards. Specialising in late 21st century fashion, this is the place to scour the rails for Gucci and Pucci or just shop for your style. Sweet talk your way into the much talked about Cavalli E Nastri archive for a trip back along fashion’s memory lane – or keep an eye out for their pop-up stores in Milan’s malls.