Milan is one of the most impressive fashion capitals in Italy and in the world with a long and lauded sartorial history, plenty of incredible boutiques, headquarters and flagship stores of many of the world’s most famous designer labels, designer cafés, restaurants, and bars, fashion museums, ample opportunity for stylish people-watching, and so much more besides. However, as more and more of the clothing market turns to vintage and resale in a bid to make the industry much more sustainable, savvy and stylish travellers who have found a vacation rental in Milan might be looking for some of the best places to shop for clothes in search of a new home. As such, we have compiled a list of just five of the must-see vintage stores in Milan in order to kick off your trip to this fashion fanatics’ dream holiday destination. Read on, get shopping, and go green.
1. Cavalli e Nastri, Via Brera, 2, Milan
+39 02 8940 9452
Undoubtedly the most famous vintage store in the city, this Milanese institution features in almost every guide to vintage shopping and fashion in the city and offers womenswear, menswear, and furniture. It is a fashion pack favourite and carries lots of designer brands including Gucci, Chanel, Dior, and much more besides and, as such, carries a price tag to match. However, if you’ve got the money and an inclination to spend it, this is the picture of a perfect adult playground. There are three different branches (we have listed the address of just one of them – the OG space) but across all of the shops you will find intimate and elegant spaces that evoke turn of the century glamour and are full of unique charm. This is high-end vintage shopping at its best.
+39 02 8940 9452
Undoubtedly the most famous vintage store in the city, this Milanese institution features in almost every guide to vintage shopping and fashion in the city and offers womenswear, menswear, and furniture. It is a fashion pack favourite and carries lots of designer brands including Gucci, Chanel, Dior, and much more besides and, as such, carries a price tag to match. However, if you’ve got the money and an inclination to spend it, this is the picture of a perfect adult playground. There are three different branches (we have listed the address of just one of them – the OG space) but across all of the shops you will find intimate and elegant spaces that evoke turn of the century glamour and are full of unique charm. This is high-end vintage shopping at its best.
2. Vintage Delirium, Via Giuseppe Sacchi, 3, Milan
+39 02 86 46 20 76
This store began with the owner and iconic Milanese fashionisto, Franco Jacassi, collecting fashion as a hobby and developed into a beloved vintage store that boasts some of the most incredible vintage finds that you will ever stumble across in your life. Jacassi’s own collection dates back to the 1800s and the store boasts pieces from all throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, from major brands and labels like Missoni, Pucci, Givenchy, YSL, Balenciaga, and more. The store itself is a beautiful and traditional little gem, tucked away in a Brera courtyard. Expect rich wooden fittings, rails upon rails to peruse, cases of incredible costume jewellery, and pieces available from just twenty euros.
+39 02 86 46 20 76
This store began with the owner and iconic Milanese fashionisto, Franco Jacassi, collecting fashion as a hobby and developed into a beloved vintage store that boasts some of the most incredible vintage finds that you will ever stumble across in your life. Jacassi’s own collection dates back to the 1800s and the store boasts pieces from all throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, from major brands and labels like Missoni, Pucci, Givenchy, YSL, Balenciaga, and more. The store itself is a beautiful and traditional little gem, tucked away in a Brera courtyard. Expect rich wooden fittings, rails upon rails to peruse, cases of incredible costume jewellery, and pieces available from just twenty euros.
3. L’Arabesque Cult Store & Café, Via Francesco Sforza, 4, Milan
+39 02 7634 1477
This is probably the most beautiful space on this list and combines and incredible store and a truly elegant café. Stocking impeccable clothes from the 1920s to the 1960s as well as some contemporary pieces in the most beautifully designed space, the vintage shopping it reason enough to visit but there are lots of reasons to stay. Head to the modern art section and view the collection of stunning 1950s furniture and home décor, browse the incredible tomes and art books in the bookshop, and then grab lunch or coffee and a pastry in the impossibly elegant modern café. Founded by Chichi Meroni, a sixth-generation Milanese fashion designer and design collector, in 2010, L’Arabesque is an aesthetic dream and an absolute heaven on earth for lovers of fashion and good taste.
+39 02 7634 1477
This is probably the most beautiful space on this list and combines and incredible store and a truly elegant café. Stocking impeccable clothes from the 1920s to the 1960s as well as some contemporary pieces in the most beautifully designed space, the vintage shopping it reason enough to visit but there are lots of reasons to stay. Head to the modern art section and view the collection of stunning 1950s furniture and home décor, browse the incredible tomes and art books in the bookshop, and then grab lunch or coffee and a pastry in the impossibly elegant modern café. Founded by Chichi Meroni, a sixth-generation Milanese fashion designer and design collector, in 2010, L’Arabesque is an aesthetic dream and an absolute heaven on earth for lovers of fashion and good taste.
4. Madame Pauline Vintage, Foro Buonaparte, 74, Milan
+39 02 49431201
If you are looking for a more curated and easily palatable space, Madame Pauline Vintage is just that. You won’t have the volumes of potential hidden gems to uncover among swathes of vintage garments and accessories but you will find a selection of truly incredible pieces awaiting perusal. Located on the elegant Foro Buonaparte, a tree-lined beauty that reminds of a Parisian boulevard, this beautiful store is a seafoam dream filled with amazing vintage pieces from the early 20th century onwards from the likes of Chanel, Versace, Gucci, Prada, Hermes, Dior, and many other famous favourites. Another beloved spot among fashion insiders, it is also a breath of fresh air in the vintage world, which can often deal in incredible volumes. Pop along during a vintage crawl of Milan for a breather.
+39 02 49431201
If you are looking for a more curated and easily palatable space, Madame Pauline Vintage is just that. You won’t have the volumes of potential hidden gems to uncover among swathes of vintage garments and accessories but you will find a selection of truly incredible pieces awaiting perusal. Located on the elegant Foro Buonaparte, a tree-lined beauty that reminds of a Parisian boulevard, this beautiful store is a seafoam dream filled with amazing vintage pieces from the early 20th century onwards from the likes of Chanel, Versace, Gucci, Prada, Hermes, Dior, and many other famous favourites. Another beloved spot among fashion insiders, it is also a breath of fresh air in the vintage world, which can often deal in incredible volumes. Pop along during a vintage crawl of Milan for a breather.
5. Elio Ferraro, Via Pietro Maroncelli, 1, Milan
+39 02 4311 3202
Elio Ferraro’s store and gallery space is another run by an owner with a design background (having previously worked for the likes of Emilio Pucci and Salvatore Ferragamo) and, as Sabrina Querci, Managing Director of the store states, “Being a designer, Elio’s approach in buying is completely different from regular vintage dealers.” Ferraro seeks out only the most truly special and stand-out pieces in a carefully curated selection of clothing, accessories, and antique furniture from the early 20th century through to the 1980s that makes it a true pleasure to shop in his store. Says Querci of what makes them so unique, “We carry everything Elio considers to be an extraordinary piece, regardless of style or era.” To find something just for you and unique while shopping vintage in Milan, this is probably the right place to hit up!
So, if you have found a vacation rental in Milan and are planning on going shopping while you holiday in the area, why not take advantage of the incredible array of vintage stores that the capital city of fashion in Italy has to offer?
+39 02 4311 3202
Elio Ferraro’s store and gallery space is another run by an owner with a design background (having previously worked for the likes of Emilio Pucci and Salvatore Ferragamo) and, as Sabrina Querci, Managing Director of the store states, “Being a designer, Elio’s approach in buying is completely different from regular vintage dealers.” Ferraro seeks out only the most truly special and stand-out pieces in a carefully curated selection of clothing, accessories, and antique furniture from the early 20th century through to the 1980s that makes it a true pleasure to shop in his store. Says Querci of what makes them so unique, “We carry everything Elio considers to be an extraordinary piece, regardless of style or era.” To find something just for you and unique while shopping vintage in Milan, this is probably the right place to hit up!
So, if you have found a vacation rental in Milan and are planning on going shopping while you holiday in the area, why not take advantage of the incredible array of vintage stores that the capital city of fashion in Italy has to offer?