Versace, Gucci, Emilio Pucci, Prada. We have heard of some, if not all, of these designers before. But what do they each have in common? Yes, you guessed it—these luxury brands were established in Italy.
When it comes to the fashion capital of the world, people immediately think of Milan, Italy. However, you can find a fashionable new look to rock the Italian chic in other locations in Italy, with shopping strips and malls.
The biggest deals that can be found here are actually at the outlet malls-- in particular, The Mall Firenze, which is a luxury outlet in Tuscany. A 45-minute bus ride from Florence, with a round trip ticket of 13 euro, this mall is well worth the time and the money. And here is why. People from all over the world come to Florence for fashion, history, wine tasting tours, and food. Just on the outskirts of this vibrant center, you can find The Mall (yes, that is the name).
Once the bus drops you off at the shopping center, it is as though you have been transported to wine country, with modern luxury stores built in the center of it. The layout is very unique, and you can see the rolling hills of Tuscany just beyond the roads surrounding the mall.
We are all aware that designers such as Gucci and Prada sell bags ranging to at least $1,000 in the US, and is frankly beyond affordability. It is difficult to find any such merchandise without risking getting ripped off for an imitation brand, or even finding the luxury brand for a good deal. Not to say that anything is necessarily going to be inexpensive because it is still a luxury brand, but you can definitely find deals for at least around 30% off of the original price in Europe, and will most likely be less expensive than what you can find in the US for the same product. For example, one Gucci bag was discounted from over $1,000 to $490 euro. (To top off the experience, you can find the Gucci Caffè Restaurant above the store in case you are craving some treats.) It is still relatively expensive, but if you want to buy anything by an Italian designer, these prices are typically better than what you can purchase at either the regular or international Gucci store.
Eri Inoue, a sales clerk for the Emilio Pucci store at The Mall, has worked for the store for 13 years and gave me some insight about Italian fashion and Americans who like to shop their brands. She is originally from Japan, but studied in Siena. She worked for a trading company and learned Italian, moving to Florence afterwards and landing a job with the Emilio Pucci store.
Being passionate about fashion, Inoue spoke to me for a while about the shifts in fashion she has seen during her experience in working here. In her words, she described a huge difference between American and Italian fashion: “Mode of fashion, generally Italian is simple…” And then she surprised me by telling me that Italians do not really follow fashion magazines, which more Americans keep up with. You would think that being home to fashion capitals, Italians would follow fashion magazines more than they actually do. On the other hand, they are more conservative with their fashion statements.
Inoue told me about how Abercrombie & Fitch was not well known before, and then it spread from American to Italian fashion.
H&M, Mango, and Zara all grew as a blend between the American and Italian fashion lines, as well as with other European countries. These stores have become the more affordable “fashion mergers” of these cultures. She explained that this occurred with the Italian switch to actually follow the American style, moving towards the sporty and modern looks. The salary in Italy is also not very high, and it makes it more difficult for Italians to shop their own luxury brands. This is quite ironic, because Americans end up buying a lot of their merchandise here instead to avoid the higher costs in the US. Looking around the Emilio Pucci store, all of the products were brightly colored and patterned. Inoue explained, “He (Emilio Pucci) is (the) first person to print on the clothes.” Each color is printed individually with great craftsmanship and detail.
On top of this, Pucci was responsible for the rise of ski outfits and jumpsuits. He created them. I unknowingly stumbled into a store with a well-informed clerk, and later conducted a fact check to find that all she told me was true. I was shocked in learning that I walked into the store of a man who created designs from the early 1900s that are still trending today. These are just a part of the trends that are occurring between the American and Italian cultures—just as the American style is casual to promote a sense of freedom and the Italian style promotes the genuine craft of their products. Armine and Galya Poti, two Armenian sisters, make a trip to The Mall once every 6 months. They live in Russia and both shared what brings them back to this shopping center. Armine talked about how she likes the Billionaire store because they have “good consultant(s)” and “very professional people”. They see a difference in the general interaction with Italians, and believe there is something special about it that makes them want to come back.
Galya loves the layout of the mall, with stores close to each other and the mall itself not being too big. But above all, they really like the prices in Florence, because these designers are more expensive in Russia. This seems like a common trend, where everyone is just trying to find the best bang for the buck. And here is another perk: after making your purchase, you take your receipt to the tax refund office at the mall or at the airport, where you present your passport with it and get it stamped by customs to receive money back. So is spending this kind of money really worth it, even with the discounted price? At this point, it is your call, but just keep in mind the differences in the designers in each country—they tend to be more expensive in international and regular locations.
The Mall is probably your best bet if you are willing to spend a bit extra without emptying your bank account over a single item. Just be smart in taking into consideration the differences in currencies before making a purchase, and remember that there is always a way to be comfortable as an American with the Italian chicness that will leave you looking Gucci.