The London Lounge

I just returned from Milan, a city that I had never visited before. I stayed at the Four Seasons which is across a very tiny street from Brioni, Kiton, and Lattanzi. Despite being a New Yorker now for about 5 years, Milan is now my favorite shopping district in the world. I have not been to Dubai, but I was recently told by a friend that it had even better shopping. In any case, I was wondering where the favorite shopping areas of other members are? I trust no one here will mention the Paramus Mall

Well, to me, I don't go shopping anymore, per se.

Meaning, not interested in the high street designer stores any longer.

To me, a real shopping treat is to discover craftsmen, artisans dedicated to their individual craft. Small shops with artisans who do individual handwork. Commission something that is made just for me.

I don't find these by casually walking to the nearest famous shopping street; on the contrary, the pleasure is in the hunt, in learning of these artisans through word of mouth.
Often, people in the know will not readily share their secrets of who and where these craftsmen are.

Afterall, the artisans have very limited production; you will not find them in the exclusive areas although indeed, Rubinacci is on Via Monte in Milan and I do think that one can still get a true artisinal product from Rubinacci; A. Caraceni, on the other hand, is on the first floor of a non-descript apartment block on an untraveled street in Milan. Yes, A. Caraceni is famous by reputation but they are very low key, very discrete and have a very selective clientele who search for them; you won't find any casual visitor there who happened to see their store window. But they are very expensive and it would be much more rewarding to find a wonderful tailor who caters for the neighborhood, local people, much as Jona has described elsewhere. You and I, as casual visitors, would unfortunately not be bumping into those small tailor shops hidden away in a low rent shop.

I was in Milan recently; it is great for shopping and who can resist marveling at the clever shop windows and designs of the international designers. But I didn't enter one store.

I don't know why, but I cannot buy from them any longer. I am interested to see their creative designs but I am not their customer any longer.

BTW, Dubai is horrible shopping in mega malls; you are not missing anything.

By far and away Hong Kong is the most impressive shopping city I have ever been to. Many brands have several stores there. The new Lane Crawford is really what a department store should be.

My favorite is a stroll down Jermyn Street from the Circus to Swaine, up the Burlington Arcade, up Bond street, and back down the Row. Can be done in an hour or a lifetime, depending on your patience, purpose, and finances.

Well, it is no longer possible to shop in a single place. Savile Row, Milan, Naples, Paris has JL Paris an Charvet, as well as many others. For the true bespoke customer the expression "citizen of the world" acquires a completely new significance.

I would love to spend a few weeks in Naples exploring the artisans there.

Milan has a Finamore flagship store with beautiful shirts and ties.