We know many Fashion Cities around the world but if we are talking about Men’s fashion, it is the PITTI UOMO Immagine fair in Florence where it all happens twice a year. PITTI is all about Menswear and fashion: from garments, accessories, grooming products and even fragrances. It is not only the fair and the after-parties which can amuse you in Florence, but the city is beautiful in itself as well. Not to forget that Florence is the hometown of Fashion Imperials like Ferragamo and Gucci. Here are some places you want to visit during your short stay.
Pass the Jewellery shops at the famous Ponte Vecchio Bridge and visit one of the interesting exhibitions at the Museum Palazzo Pitti. Going back, towards city centre, you cannot miss one of the most famous museums in the world: Galleria degli Uffizi.
Located in the heart of Florence it hosts works of art by great Italian artists such as Botticelli, Giotto, Cimabue, Michelangelo and Raffaello (just to name a few of them..). The long lines of visitors at the museum’s entrance are almost as famous as the artists, so arrange your trip, buy your ticket online and you can use your valuable time to visit The Gallery of the Accademia di Belle Arti as well. While you are in Florence, you should see the original David by Michelangelo (don’t be fooled with a copy of the statue in front of the Palazzo Vecchio). Visit the massive Florence cathedral “The Duomo; impossible to miss as it’s in the centre of the shopping area. Stroll through the daily market starting from Piazza San Lorenzo and have a quick bite at Bondi, where you have the chance to indulge one of the best focaccia”s, straight from the oven.
Walk back direction “Duomo” and have a look in LuisaViaRoma. It is the number one concept store in Florence and definitely worth the visit, if you are looking for the latest trends in fashion. They presented the “Pug Dogs for Happy Kids“ project recently, where 20 selected designers (Balmain, Pucci, Cavalli, etc.) collaborate with Toy brand Steiff to create exclusive, one of a kind “designer dogs” and donate the sales to UNICEF.
Sip on a Prosecco at the The Savoy Hotel’s bar before your dinner. This is a place were it is all about good service and, maybe even more important, “to see and to be seen”. Make sure you made your dinner reservations in advance, restaurants are fully booked around these days. Trattoria Sostanza, is not a very “upscale” place but it’s the “Butter Chicken”, “the Bistecca Fiorentina” and the “wild strawberries and creamy meringue” which will make you remember this place for years and the mashed potatoes with grilled artichokes in Ristorante Cibreo are to die for! If you are looking for a trendier place try Ristorante 4 Leoni and dine among designers and fashion magazine editors.
After an intense day of sightseeing and shopping, make sure you have booked (again in advanced, its crowded around PITTI) a nice comfortable hotel room in the city centre. The Savoy hotel and The Lungarno Suites by Ferragamo are definitely a recommendation to get pampered during your stay.
Other shops to visit:
Boutique Nadine is a wonderful and charming vintage store for the wife’s or girlfriends. It is a wonderful place to find some vintage designer pieces without the outrageous price tags and slight mouldy smell of old clothes.
To do some “gentleman shopping” try the historic Profumeria Inglese, founded in 1843 by the pharmacist and inventor of talcum powder Henry Roberts. The shop is in a solid 19 century style with dark woods and sell valuable Italian, French, Swiss and Japanese brand like Acqua di Parma, Creed, Penhaligon’s, Chanel, Lancôme, Pier Augé, Starline, Arc,Valmont, Shiseido and it is just steps away from the Duomo. After surviving for 150 years, this Perfumery is put in the list of the 57 “untouchable” shops, protected by the Belle Arti Minister.
Il Papiro, founded in 1976 in Florence, was first in Italy to rediscover the fine taste for materials and techniques in paper crafts. It provides an exquisite collection of agendas, notepads, notebooks, pencils, pencil sharpeners, photo frames, seals with your initials to be stamped in wax and many more hand-made paper goods for any occasion.
PN\P “a piedi nudi nel parco” translates to “Barefoot in the Park” is a retail space nestled in the heart of Florence. It has two shops that cater a more “alternative crowd” with a focus international and local designers with a goth/rock/avant-garde edge. The interior stands out because it is set among Roman ruins of the old city walls (visible in the basement area. You can find clothes, jewellery, shoes and bags while enjoying your espresso at the bar in the corner.
