Florence: City of Fashion!
2013
Some fashion clothes from the Roberto Capucci Foundation in Florence
It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful shopping destination than Florence. What could be more relaxing than wandering around the huge selection of shops and markets, surrounded by stunning Renaissance architecture? Florence is undoubtedly one of the most important fashion cities in Italy, if not Europe, as a whole host of Italian fashion brands are Florentine by origin: Ferragamo, Cavalli, Gucci, Prada and Pucci- to name but a few!
So, where do you start if you want to see the best of Florence fashion? Well, why not get clued up with a little background knowledge first. As well as being home to a wealth of shops and stores, Florence also has a collection of interesting fashion museums. One of the most well-known is the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo. This museum is housed in the 700 year old Palazzo Spini Feroni, and showcases a great number of exquisite shoes, all designer by Ferragamo, or ‘the shoemaker to the stars’! You could also try the Fondazione Roberto Capucci, which can be found in the Oltrarno district. Here you can see 400 fashion creations, 300 illustrations and thousands of photos, which document this designers long career. The Galleria del Costume Palazzo Pitti is also well worth a visit, as it houses over 6000 costumes, accessories and fabrics.
So, onto the shopping itself! The city centre is bursting with retail opportunities to suit all budgets and styles. Head to the San Lorenzo Market to pick up leather goods, stationary and second hand clothes. The quality might not be the best, but you can’t beat the prices. If it’s a great quality leather piece you want, try the shops on Borgo dei Greci near Piazza Santa Croce. For high street shops, there’s Via dei Calzaiuoli, which has a great selection of stores and reasonable prices, or Via Roma, which houses the main department store in Florence, ‘Rinasconte’. Via del Corso is perfect for a spot of boutique shopping. And then of course, there are the designers! The best place to pick up a stylish designer piece is on Via dei Tornabuoni; definitely the smartest retail address in Florence. You can satisfy all your designer needs here, with big names like Pucci, Gucci, Bulgari and Versace.
Still feel like you need a little bit of shopping guidance? Then why not take a tour! With our fabulous shopping tour in Florence, Italy, you can pick up lots of gorgeous designer goods- at much lower prices! The tour includes some of the best known fashion outlets in the Florence area, like the Prada outlet, Fashion Valley Outlet and The Mall, where you can get your hands on some true Florence fashion from the likes of Ferragamo and Gucci, as well as other Italian and international designers. So what are you waiting for, start you Florence shopping experience now!