The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy. Photo / Getty Images
A fashion-focused stay in Milan starts with the luxury fashion houses and evolves into something so much more, writes Kate Wickers.
I’m sitting in restaurant “10_11″ within the swanky five-star hotel Portrait Milano (listed as one of Leading Hotels of the World), which opened just one year ago and is now firmly positioned as one of the best people-watching spots in Milan. A willowy young woman in a white fur coat, swinging multiple Prada shopping bags, has just passed me by (surely a model?), and beside me, a stylish woman in black (polo neck, leather trousers, paired with Gucci loafers and gargantuan gold hoop earrings), is sketching a design to show to a male companion, who sports oversized specs and a midnight blue velvet jacket (surely fashion designers?). It’s only 1pm, but I feel a little underdressed.
Milan can be overwhelming for first-time visitors, particularly as you wander the fashion district - or Quadrilatero d’Oro (Golden Quad), as it’s known - where you’ll find the glittering flagship stores of Armani, Dolce and Gabbana, Prada, Moschino, Versace, Valentino, Fendi, Bottega Veneta, Missoni and Ferragamo, who all began their careers here. If you’ve not got the cash to splash, it’s still fun to pop into these hallowed modish halls, as unlike in London or Paris, you’ll rarely find bouncers on the door or snooty sales staff within. Browsing is a favourite Milanese pastime, so it’s perfectly acceptable just to look, without the pressure to buy.
Not a shopaholic afterall? Read our guide on the best things to do in Milan besides shopping.
However, a fashion-focused stay in Milan isn’t just about shopping. New for 2023 is the “Stories of the Fashion Capital”, a 45-minute self-guided tour (booked through Viator for just NZ$9.50), which takes me on a whirlwind journey from medieval Milan to today’s modern fashion capital, where battles are fought between luxury fashion houses. It’s gripping stuff, but there’s nothing like stepping out with a local for a more intimate view of the city, and Tours by Locals provides just that. I meet Valeria Zulbarti, an artist who was born and grew up here, at the world’s oldest and most beautiful shopping centre, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a soaring arcade that was constructed from iron and glass in 1865. My head is immediately turned by the original Prada store (Fratelli Prada [brothers Prada] is etched into its glass door) with its original wooden cabinets and collection of pristine vintage handbags, but Valeria is keen to steer me in the direction of lesser-known stalwarts. Piumelli Milano, established in 1958, began as a leather glove maker and holds on tightly to its position in the galleria. “I hope it will still be here in 19 years’ time and not be pushed out,” Valeria tells me. “But it’s so difficult to compete with the mega luxury brands.” These days, it also has a range of gorgeous leather belts and bags in a rainbow of colours, which begin at a very reasonable €98, so I buy a bag in burgundy, happy to support a traditional, well-priced business still punching in an arena of fashion titans.
We stroll to the La Scala theatre, where I learn fashion isn’t solely about what you wear. “Milan is fashion. It’s what you drink, what you eat, it’s art and music. It’s how you think. It is everywhere. During fashion week, the top designers hire out La Scala for their shows because this is the heartbeat of the city, where music, theatre and fashion meet,” Valeria tells me. This year, it was also the venue for the Sustainable Fashion Awards, now in its sixth year, where Donatella Versace won the Humanitarian Prize for her work in supporting minorities and the LGBTQIA+ community. Showing at La Scala until April 2024 is the Maria Callas exhibition, featuring a selection of impressive gowns the world-renowned opera singer wore while performing at La Scala. Also not to be missed is the red silk dress designed by Giorgio Armani, inspired by Callas’ voice and personality. It exudes drama and passion.
Valeria sends me off to the Prada Foundation, which opened in 2015 and offers a rich cultural calendar of film and art. It is perhaps the best example of how a designer has given back to the city where their fortune was made. Housed in a former rum factory, there are multiple exhibition spaces, including The Haunted House, a playful name referring to the spirits that were once produced here. Bar Luce is another big draw, designed by film director Wes Anderson (who has a history of working with Prada) to resemble a traditional 1950s Milanese cafe. It has all the hallmarks of Anderson’s style in muted green Formica tables and a pale pink speckled terrazzo floor, retro fixtures and fittings and bow-tied waiters in crisp white shirts. It’s impossible to resist playing with the “Modern Physics!” pinball machine or slotting a Euro into the jukebox for an old Italian song. Understandably, it attracts many a fashionista looking for the perfect “model” shot for Instagram, so it’s another great people-watching spot. For a table, you’ll have to make a reservation, but in true Italian style, I choose to stand while enjoying an espresso, feeling like an extra in one of Anderson’s films. Don’t miss the Asteroid City exhibition, complete with sets, artwork, props, and costumes from the director’s latest blockbuster.
From here I head to the Armani Silos, a slick museum that charts Giorgio Armani’s life from 1975 to the present day and the establishment and rise of his global empire. Here you’ll find fashion-related exhibitions (on display until August 2024 is the work of photographer Aldo Fallai, a long-time Armani collaborator), but the highlight of a visit is the permanent collection, in which Armani’s glamorous, luminous designs shimmer with sequins and exquisite embroidery.
With a lot less bling, the civic collection of fashion, ranging from the 16th century to modern times, is housed in the stunning Palazzo Morando, a typical example of a Milanese noble house dating back to the 18th century that was bequeathed to the city by Countess Baglioni in 1945. In four rooms, there’s a small but seminal display of Milanese fashion. Particularly poignant are the garments designed by long-forgotten pioneering women, such as the little black dress designed by Gigliola Curiel, part of a ready-to-wear line she designed for New York department store Bergdorf Goodman, which shone a global spotlight on Italian fashion post-war.
After browsing Milan’s vintage shopping opportunities (you’ll find a glut of fabulous stores on Via Gian Giacomo, where I scoop up an Armani blazer for a bargain price of €95), I’m now back where I began in 10_11 and dining on a signature dish – la pasta in bianco del 10_11 (parmesan-infused white pasta, and utterly delicious). I’m trying to keep my gawping as low-key as I can, but this proves a little tricky as a steady stream of stylish people arrive for dinner. I remember what Valeria told me: “The Milanese want to be noticed for their style but they’re not attention seekers. If you see a limo pull up, it’s most likely a Russian. Anyone who is anyone here arrives on a bike.” Donatella Versace on a bicycle? Now, that’s really something I’d like to see.
Pricy but exceptional, with being listed as one of the Leading Hotels of the World, double rooms at Portrait Milano from NZ$1,633 lungarnocollection.com/Portrait-milano
On a budget? Airbnb has many stylish options, which begin around NZ$145.
To book a tour with Tours by Locals, visit toursbylocals.com. Cost is dependent on group size.
For more things to see and do in Milan, visit italia.it/en.
When there's nothing as far as the eye can see, you may appreciate the company.