Department Store shopping in Italy
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A
Peck
Forget The Last Supper: gourmands head to the food and wine emporium, Peck. This Milanese institution opened its doors as a deli in 1883. Since then, it’s expanded to a dining room–bar upstairs and an enoteca (wine bar). The Aladdin’s Cave–like food hall is smaller than its reputation suggests, but what it lacks in space it makes up for in variety, with some 3200 variations of parmigiano reggiano (Parmesan) at its cheese counter, just for starters. Other treasures include an exquisite array of chocolates, pralines and pastries; freshly made gelato; seafood; caviar; pâtés; a butcher; fruit and vegetables; truffle products; olive oils and balsamic vinegar.
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B
Rinascente
Italy’s most prestigious department store doesn’t let the fashion capital down. Come for Italian diffusion lines, French lovelies and LA upstarts. (While it makes convenient one-stop shopping, there’s a disturbing disjunct between the swirling department store frenzy and the superluxe price tags.) The basement hides an amazing homewares department (Guzzini to iittala, and Italian-mama pots and pans for a steal) as well as a tax-back office for non-EU citizens. Up on the 7th floor, the Food Market will both feed you and tick gift to-buy boxes with its edible souvenirs, top-notch casual dining and gob-smacking views of the Duomo.
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C
TAD
TAD is a cutting-edge conceptual department store that sells an entire lifestyle. Here you can buy clothes by Chloë, Balenciaga and more, have a haircut, buy scent and flowers, and furnish your apartment with wooden daybeds and Perspex dining chairs. Don’t forget to pick up soundtracks to your perfect life from the CD rack. The serene courtyard cafe is the perfect ladies-who-lunch pitstop, offering appropriately stylish Italian-Asian morsels.
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D
Mas
Glorious MAS (Magazzino allo Statuto) is a multistorey temple of glorious didn’t-know-I-needed-it, cheap-as-chips practical goods, thermal vests, bags, watches, pants and the kitchen sink, all piled high and at bargain prices – you can pick up a hat here for a couple of euro, or a pair of silk pyjamas for €5.
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E
Coin
This is a rarity in Venice. Although not gargantuan, Coin brings a bit of modest department-store action to canalside shoppers, with this branch specialising in affordable men's and women's clothes and accessories. Another branch, on Campo San Luca, specialises in beauty products and accessories.
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F
COIN
Like a small-scale cousin of John Lewis, COIN is a dependable choice. It's a large department store stocking good-quality, sensible clothing and accessories, cosmetics and an appealing range of homewares. Another branch exists at Via Cola di Rienzo 173 (06 360 04 298).
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G
Jam Store
This is like a Roman version of US clothing and homewares store Urban Outfitters, with a range of funky clothing and other stuff - the kind of thing that might appeal to Paris Hilton, skate kids and Japanese dudes. Labels include Paul Smith and Hello Kitty.
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H
10 Corso Como
Ultra-exclusive concept shop 10 Corso Como was set up by former Italian Vogue contributor Carla Sozzani and is secluded in a vine-draped and plant-filled townhouse courtyard.
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I
Tebro
Since 1867 this upmarket department store has been keeping wealthy locals in linen, underwear and nightwear. It's from a gentler era: styles are staid, quality is tiptop, service is courteous.
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J
La Rinascente
Longer hours (including Sunday hours) plus the rooftop cafe with its winning views across Florence make this upscale if otherwise uninspired department store worth a gander.
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K
COIN
Good as far as department stores go, this is a stylish, multifloored display case for midrange, middle-class fashion and accessories at reasonable prices.
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La Rinascente
La Rinascente is a stately, upmarket department store, with a particularly buzzing cosmetics department, all amid art nouveau interiors.
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Sapori di Sardegna
Franco Zola shops at this emporium when he comes to town. Staff can arrange to ship orders (such as boxes of wine) worldwide.
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