Milan is a shopping mecca — many visitors come with the express purpose of scooping up the latest fashions straight from the source.
But the city offers a wide range of shops outside of the famed Quadrilatero d’Oro, or “Golden Triangle,” including funky vintage boutiques, sprawling design stores and tantalizing food halls.
Armani Libri
Armani Libri is the perfect bookstore for Milan, a rich tapestry of a city woven with the threads of fashion, design, art and culture.
Located at Via Manzoni 31, mission control for the Armani empire, the massive shop is stocked with gorgeous photography, fashion, art and design titles that are rigorous enough to be found in an art or design library but also dazzle on a coffee table.
Don’t fear if you can’t afford these tomes — there are books and prints at a wide range of price points.
Wait and See
Wait and See may be housed in an 18th-century former convent, but the eclectic concept store is about as diametrically opposed to a nunnery as one can get.
Founded by Uberta Zambeletti, who is as effervescent in person as she is on Instagram, the intimate shop is overflowing with refined womenswear, including contemporary pieces and vintage items, as well as a slew of accessories and baubles that are often equal parts humorous and stylish.
Labitino Easy Chic
The streets of Milan may be studded with boutiques, but it can be difficult to find garments outside of a narrow size range and at affordable price points.
This is where Labitino Easy Chic comes in: Their cheery shops — a few are scattered across the city — are stocked with an ever-changing selection of dresses, all priced below $150, in a wide range of sizes, at least compared to similarly sized clothing stores in Milan.
Borsalino
You may be familiar with Armani and Gucci, but that’s just scratching the surface when it comes to iconic Italian fashion houses and ateliers. Take Borsalino, the venerable hat maker: Originally established by Giuseppe Borsalino in 1857, the brand is now synonymous the world over with stylish headwear.
Visit their flagship store on Via Sant’Andrea for a custom piece or their outlet in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele to peruse seasonal styles.
Peck
One of Italy’s biggest draws is its cuisine, and while most uniquely Milanese dishes aren’t very portable, there are plenty of delicacies from around the boot available at Peck, a historic deli close to the Duomo.
When you first enter this temple of gastronomic delights, the glass cases displaying a cornucopia of cold cuts and cheeses will likely draw you in. But don’t miss Peck’s jarred and canned goods, like porcini mushrooms in extra-virgin olive oil, which make excellent edible souvenirs.
Cavalli e Nastri
If you want to stand out in Milan, or you’re on the hunt for a particularly unique piece, vintage is the way to go. Cavalli e Nastri, a vintage emporium consisting of three funky boutiques spread across the city, has an incredible selection of gently used designer threads and accessories.
If only going through grandma or grandpa’s closet resulted in such fashionable finds.
DMAG
Fashion is baked into Milan, and the city has the designer workshops and boutiques to prove it. For bargain hunters, this density translates into outlets brimming with last season’s designs.
To find brand names at discount prizes, head to DMAG, a retailer selling clothing and accessories for both women and men. But with brands like Versace and Prada on offer, don’t be surprised if the discounts aren’t as steep as you’d like.
Spazio Rossana Orlandi
Some of the best names in design have gotten their start in Rossana Orlandi’s sprawling store, which occupies a former tie factory in Sant’Ambrogio.
Part gallery, part design hub, part shop, Spazio Rossana Orlandi is above all a showcase of the tastemaker’s renowned (and at times unusual) style. While it may not be feasible to cart some of the bigger pieces home, there are plenty of smaller accessories that will add a touch of novelty to your surroundings.
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