MONTEFOLLONICO, Italy _ For a woman whose earliest childhood memories include being pushed around in a rented stainless-steel stroller at Cincinnati’s Tri-County Mall every Saturday morning, the choice is easy: Feast on a fabulous seven-course meal at the “ristorante” at this town’s world-class La Chiusa hotel _ or do some serious bargain-hunting at the Prada outlet near Florence?
Get out the charge cards. I’m going shopping.
For the past two years, I’ve made my mall-maven mama proud by opting for the to-die-for buys at the primo Italian outlet stores in Tuscany. A girl has to have priorities, and nothing says “I love me” like a microfiber Prada handbag and Gucci heels that may hurt your feet but are worth the pain at this price _ 40 to 60 percent off retail.
Besides, between stops at the Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and Yves Saint Laurent outlets, all strategically placed in small Tuscan towns an easy drive from Florence, you can refuel at the Italian version of a truck stop, the autogrills that combine gas station and restaurant in one easy location along the A1 Autostrade.
For the serious clothes hound, Italy is the promised land, and not just because of its legendary designer houses (Armani, Gucci, Prada), Milan’s trend-setting fashion shows or the upscale boutiques of Rome, Milan and Florence. No, the real deal is the wealth of fashion available at rock-bottom prices at brand-name outlets in Tuscany and elsewhere.
In a few busy days this spring, my traveling companion and I completed our Christmas shopping, scored birthday presents for family and friends, and satisfied our own material needs for about a third of what we would have spent on similar items in the United States. For just under $1,200, I brought home three Gucci bags, two Prada bags, one Fendi bag, a pair of Yves Saint Laurent pants, a cashmere Burberry sweater, four Armani shirts and a few other things without designer labels bought in Florence and Perugia. Italy is now the only place in the world where this vintage clothing junkie actually buys “new.”
The Italians really know how to say it with style.
At Italy’s outlets, you’ll get quality versus quantity. Italian outlet stores cater to those who want to look fabulous in haute couture at bargain-basement prices. You won’t find the usual, tired lot of Nike, Reebok, Gap and accessory shops that dominate outlet malls in the United States, the United Kingdom or much of the rest of northern Europe.
“Italians have tremendous fashion sense and a very good feeling for quality,” says Theodora van Meurs, author of the bargain-hunter’s bible, “Designer Bargains in Italy”
The book not only lists the locations of more than 1,100 stores and their operating hours, but also tells you what to expect once you get there.
“(Italians) also design clothes that one can wear year after year since they are well-made and blend in well,” van Meurs says. “Muted colors for suits in designs that can be worn by normal men and women and made of superior fabrics _ the quality of the fabric is their secret weapon. Their fashion shows are all sparkle with sexy Lolitas in skimpy lace, but their actual production is geared to a comfortable, easy-going life.”
It takes careful planning and patience, however, to score bargains like the ones I got.
According to the Dutch-born van Meurs, great deals can be found at the beginning of the spring and autumn, when manufacturers sell off their showroom collections, but the best prices are at January and July sales.
You also need to choose your destination wisely. Van Meurs says Milan has the best deals, with its famous bargain basements like Salvagente and weekly markets like the one on Saturdays in Viale Papignano. Rome is probably second, but “the things offered there are more flamboyant, not as understated as the Milanese style tends to be,” she says.
The area around Florence is good for all-around shopping, plus it boaststhe gorgeous Tuscan countryside, making it perfect for a vacation that combines shopping with plenty of relaxing, eating and sightseeing.
Also, it helps if you have someone who knows the ropes _ local guides canbe hired, or you can join tours in Florence. I had help from my friend Patty Sutherland, a former Arlington resident who co-owns a cooking school with her husband, Bill, in Montefollonico, and leads shopping tours. Sutherland had information on just about every outlet from the Swiss border to the Amalfi Coast, but more important, she introduced me to van Meurs’ book.
Armed with all these resources and a wallet full of plastic, we hit the A1 early on a Monday morning. And here’s what we found:
PRADA
The first stop was the popular Prada outlet, which is actually called IPellettieri D’Italia. Like most of the other outlets we visited, it’s in a bland-looking industrial park. It’s in a town called Montevarchi, and it’s easy to miss, especially if you’re looking for a “Prada” sign. There is a small sign marked “I Pellettieri,” but the best landmark is a Fina gas station directly across the street from the entrance to this shopper’s paradise.
It’s important to arrive early; tour companies from Florence bus in hundreds of tourists throughout the day. If you don’t, chances are you’ll have to take a number and wait outside in a long line to get in. If the lines are excessively long, employees only allow 10 new customers in at a time.
But at least there’s a nice cafe where you can sit and wait your turn. A flashing sign will tell you when your number is up.
Once you get in, go for it. I’ve seen folks grab up to 10 bags at a time and hang on to them long enough to figure out which two they’ll eventually purchase. You end up stalking the other customers. To make things easier on your limbs, employees will store your wish items at the counter until you’re ready to part with your euros or credit cards. Also, once you make it inside the store, stay inside, because you might not get back in if there are lines outside.
Although the merchandise wasn’t as desirable at Prada this year as it was the previous year, there was a nifty storewide, 20-percent-off sale. That made for some dandy bargains on merchandise that had already been marked down 30 percent. With the two discounts, I got a microfiber purse for about 50 euro (about $51). I also scored a nice woven leather bag for just over $200. The retail price for this bag at the Nieman Marcus in Beverly Hills was $465. Most bags at the outlet were priced between $50 and $1,200.
You could spend hours in Prada. We spent a full day here. Employees replenish the stock about every 30 minutes, and it takes awhile to sift through the new stuff and try on all those shoes, too. Although most of the shoes, in Prada and Miu Miu labels, are from the previous season, who would know? Prices range from $112 to $168.
Other good deals here _ wallets ($74-$150) and sunglasses (around $60). Skip the clothes, however. These duds are overpriced and far too trendy for the average American. And in addition to being five minutes ago, it’s hard to find anything larger than a size 2. My biggest regret? I couldn’t find those sweet and comfy black loafers _ that retail for $300 at Neiman Marcus _ in my size. They were $90 here.
Hours: 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-8 p.m. Sunday. Call first because they sometimes make up their own hours. Also, it’s best to come early in the week. That’s when they put out the good stuff.
GUCCI
Located in Leccio, about 15 minutes from Prada (there are signs) in a strip called The Mall, Gucci was the highlight of this year’s shopping spree. With some items marked down 50 percent, I finally got Mom that black patent-leather Gucci shoulder bag ($150) she never said she always wanted, scored a suede-and-leather number for a friend for the same price and got myself a purple shoulder bag for $110.
My quest to score some of those fab Gucci shoes, however, fell as flat as my feet. Nothing in my size. The classic Gucci loafers, which retail for about $200 in the States, were about $95; pumps ranged from $110 to $180; boots were about $200 to $220. There were also good deals on scarves, belts, wallets and day planners, all in the $50-$150 range.
Unlike Prada, which puts out clothing designs with a 20-minute lifespan, Gucci’s rags were reasonably priced and classic. You could wear some of these things 20 years from now. Men’s suits that normally retail for about $1,200 were $750 and lower. And although better deals on leather pants could be found in Florence, $450 isn’t bad for some lambskin trousers emblazoned with the double G.
Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 2-7 p.m. Sunday.
THE MALL
Gucci is the star of this high-couture fashion plaza, but it shouldn’t be your only stop. Among the other stores offering great deals on clothing, shoes and accessories are Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Bottega Veneta and Sergio Rossi.
Frankly, the merchandise at YSL and Armani was slightly superior to that of the other stores. We spent more than an hour in YSL plowing through the half-off items and an additional 90 minutes in Armani sifting through the racks. Best buys at YSL were on women’s suits, tuxedoes and shoes. Best buys at Armani were on men’s shirts. I snagged a linen dress shirt for someone who used to be special for $25.
Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 2-7 p.m. Sunday.
FENDI
The Fendi Outlet is just five minutes from The Mall, behind a series of ugly warehouses. Best known for its purses and wallets, Fendi didn’t disappoint when it came to selection and price on these items. Most of its trademark bags with the inverted double F logo were all less than $300. Wallets ranged from $70 to $125. I picked up a nice microfiber shoulder purse for a friend’s mom for $150, but the logo bag I wanted had a creepy plastic covering. It reminded me way too much of being stuck to my grandmother’s plastic-covered sofa on a hot day.
Like Prada, the five-minutes-ago rags here were pricey and not especially attractive. Ditto the shoes. Hours: 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. daily.
DOLCE & GABBANA
You’ll run into this store as you head back toward the A1 from The Mall. Again, there’s no sign. For most folks over 35, D&G is an acquired taste. Although the trendy clothes were more than reasonably priced, they’re only good bargains for someone who likes to take fashion risks and has a flat tummy. D&G cuts for the slim and hipless, so unless you or someone you know fits this description, you might as well cross this one off your list. Plus, even though some items were 40 percent off, everything was in short supply on our visit.
Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 2-7 p.m. Sunday.
OFF THE PATH
One of the best finds was Liba, a shirt manufacturer in Chiana, about 20 minutes from Montefollonico; Liba makes shirts for Armani and lesser-known designers.
To get in, ring a bell. You’re escorted into a small storeroom that has about four rows of boxed shirts for men. Some will have the Liba tag instead of Armani, but they’re just as good _ especially considering they were all made right there. The Armani shirts range from $20 with slight blemishes (look in the boxes in the back righthand corner) to $42. That’s less than half of what you would pay in the States and about $15 off the Armani outlet prices, too. Liba also makes men’s and women’s shirts for Barney’s New York ($20-$30). Hours vary.
If you head even farther south toward Perugia, you’ll come across some of the most incredible bargains on cashmere in all of Italy. Few of these shops have signs. One, which offered splendid deals on Burberry sweaters, didn’t even have a name (the receipts say UniEuro). It was located in a mothball-scented warehouse next door to the exquisite Lamberto Losani cashmere outlet. The only drawback is that the employees cut the Burberry labels out before you leave the store. Hmmm. Sadly, my dad will never know who made his gray cashmere V-neck sweater or that it only cost $48. No credit cards taken here, and the hours vary.
Just up the street is another cashmere spot called Corso Vannucci. The deals here are not quite as good as they are at the nameless outlet, but you could snag a nice thin cashmere sweater for $20 or an angora one for about $40. Heavier sweaters ranged from $30 to $89. Hours: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m and 2:30-7 p.m. daily.
One thing that I have learned about shopping in Italy is that you shouldn’t allow yourself to be ruled by labels. Bargains in Florence are plentiful _ especially at the outdoor markets at San Lorenzo (adjacent to the Duomo) and at Santa Croce, home to the famous Scuola del Cuoio (The Leather School) and an indoor/outdoor shopping plaza.
Here, even though the euro is not as strong as lire used to be, you’ll find good prices on leather goods _ particularly gloves ($10-$20 at Gloves by Dania in San Lorenzo), duffel bags, purses, wallets, belts, scarves, shoes and the normal tourist fare.
The best part _ or the worst, depending on your perspective _ about shopping in Italy is that it never gets old. It’s a good thing I don’t live on the East Coast, because I’d be bopping across the Atlantic every other weekend in search of designer wares. But since I don’t, I can take pleasure in planning my next trip _ and in smiling wickedly every time I see someone paying retail for a Prada bag at Neiman’s or dropping major coin on an Armani shirt at Barney’s.