The 14 best spots for shopping in Milan

It’s not a shopping trip in Milan without a trip to 10 Corso Como. The flagship store was founded by Carla Sozzani in 1990, and despite its chic-ness, it’s not just about clothes. Corso Como has actually been described as the first ever concept shop, as it was the first to put everything at once all show, impeccably curated. It’s home to a boutique, a book store, art, a café and an entire gallery too. Worth it just for the venue, which is beautiful. 

La Rinascente is a huge, luxurious department store in the iconic Piazza del Duomo, with a whole ten floors full of clothes, makeup, homeware and more, plus a load of great restaurants. Anything you need, La Rinascente has it in buckets. Plus, the food hall right at the top has some of the best views of the city that you’ll find in Milan. Shopping doesn’t get much better than this. 

The location – a convent from the 18th century in Milan’s historic Cinque Vie (five streets) – may be old, but the philosophy of this colourful and eccentric boutique is forward-thinking. Fashion expert and self-proclaimed aesthete Umberta Zambeletti offers a curated selection of clothing, accessories, objects, stationery and vintage pieces from all over the world.

If you are looking for a quirky and truly Milanese keepsake or souvenir, venture no further than the flagship Fornasetti store between Porta Venezia and the Duomo. This three-level store feels almost like a museum, featuring creations by famous 20th-century designer Piero Fornasetti along with newly inspired collections by his son who continues to carry on the family tradition. Here you’ll find furnishings and items for the home, such as plates, candles, vases, and much more, all showcasing distinctive Fornasetti prints. A temple of Italian design in the heart of the city. 

A longtime arbiter of Milanese style and unofficial uniformer of the Milan's bourgeoisie, Pupi Solari excels in understated but ultra-chic clothing for women and children. The shop is still run day-to-day by the octogenarian owner, Pupi, who originally opened it in the '60s. Find a thoughtful curation of pared-back brands like Aspesi, Jil Sander and Massimo Alba, as well as perfectly prim clothes for kids.

Chichi Meroni, designer and proprietor of L’Arabesque, has created a world of her own in her Largo Augusto 10 flagship. The boutique carries her own designs, vintage clothing, furniture, rare books and a café. L’Arabesque ups the ante when it comes to concept stores, channelling an old-world, distinctly Milanese kind of glamour – a byproduct of Meroni’s impeccable taste.

Prints are on the table at this shop and showroom. They’re also on the floor, walls, chairs and all the way up to the ceiling. Founded by former fashion journalist and American ex-pat JJ Martin, La DoubleJ started as a vintage e-retailer but soon blossomed into a ready-to-wear line that specialises in maximalist, colour-centric, made-in-Italy womenswear and . 

Milan’s most fashionable crowd has got to clean out its closets sometime, right? And when that happens, stuff goes straight to Bivio. The only consignment shop we know of where you can find two seasons ago Marni or Prada for the price of a Zara dress, bargains await once you roll up your sleeves and dig into Bivio’s overflowing racks. Spanning three stores for both men and women on via Mora in the Ticinese district and a third in Porta Venezia, follow the shop on social media to get first dibs on the latest second-hand arrivals.