From its 16th century roots in millinery, to a premium denim boom led by Adriano Goldschmied—and every Prada, Armani and Versace in between—Milan’s place in fashion history has many chapters.
The city is also the setting for Denim Première Vision May 28-29 at Superstudio Più.
“We wanted to touch down in capitals with mature fashion industries, cities that can inspire our exhibitors and our brands. Milan is all of that,” said Guglielmo Olearo, Première Vision director of international shows. “It is a focal location of the big Italian houses, and we chose it because it has a storied past while continuing to invent new stories.”
And few cities are true shopping destinations like Milan, where the most important streets and piazzas are lined with iconic designer names. Here’s a look at the best boutiques, department stores and experiential shops to snag your next pair of jeans.
Candiani Denim
Piazza Mentana 3
Candiani Denim’s first boutique is a one-stop shop for jeans made with the Italian denim mill’s fabric. The store offers jeans from some of its best partners, including Ace Rivington, Denham, Blue of a Kind and more.
Edwin
Corso di Porta Ticinese 103
An emporium for Edwin loyalists, the brand’s store in Milan’s alternative shopping street—Corso di Porta Ticinese—is home to the Edwin Europe collection as well as a selection of Japanese imports that honor the label’s heritage. Follow the cobblestone streets to the indigo haven.
Antonia
Via Cusani 5
Experience-seeking consumers will enjoy Antonia set inside a renovated 19th century Palazzo Cagnola. The store’s three distinct zones—men’s, women’s and accessories—are staged with plush velvet seating, aged walls and bronze, marble and translucent fixtures. Come here for a highly curated assortment of Alanui, Sacai and Saint Laurent denim.
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Piazza Gae Aulenti
Porta Nuova
Soak up high-end fashion at Piazza Gae Aulenti, home to a host of luxury branded stores, including DSquared2, Costume National, Margiela and GCDS. Located in the heart of Porta Nuova, the piazza represents the future of Milan with public spaces enhanced with solar-powered artwork and views of influential architecture like the “Vertical Forest,” two residential eco towers swathed in greenery.
Slowear
Via Solferino 18
Grab a coffee or prosecco at Slowear’s library and be sartorially inspired. This all-Italian, multi-brand retail concept is chock-full of timeless men’s wear (i.e. leather biker jackets, turtleneck knits and wool trousers) but with a millennial twist. The premium garments are upgraded with innovative fabrics like IceCotton and FlexWool—each with performance properties designed to make the wearer more comfortable.
The Loft Shop
Via Marcello Malpighi 8
From Tellason denim and a trove of knit and wool layering pieces, to exotic skin phone covers, The Loft Shop is a veritable cabinet of curiosities, particularly for men’s wear. The store specializes in apparel, accessories and items for the home that evoke travel and adventures in foreign lands.
Eral 55
Piazza Venticinque Aprile 14
Spruce up your denim uniform with inky blue corduroy jackets, Italian-made wool hunting vests or linen shirts from Eral55. The handsomely disheveled store also offers made-to-measure suits and jackets done in archival fabrics.
Full Milano
Corso Venezia 45
Capture the “Pitti man” look at Full Milano. The atmospheric shop, laden with vintage mirrors, candelabras and tufted leather seating, stocks more than 40 denim, knitwear, accessories and footwear brands, along with a curated selection of vintage pieces. Here, shoppers can snap up the latest collaboration between American legends like Pendleton and Sebago, or order custom-made suits, coats and shirts from the store’s in-house tailor.
DMAG
Three locations in Milan
Since 1990, fashion hunters have scoured DMAG, now a trio of designer outlets in Milan, in hopes of scoring a deal. And with labels spanning Moschino and Vetements, to Frame and Levi’s Made & Crafted, there’s likely a denim bargain for every style waiting to be discovered.
Fortela
Via Melzo 17
Italian tailoring, American authenticity and Japanese craftsmanship collide at Fortela. From denim woven on antique looms in Japan and jeans with chain-stitched hems, to hemp and linen shirting made from French army surplus, the brand’s Milan store is a go-to for men seeking quality pieces with character and history.
La Rinascente
Piazza del Duomo
No shopping trip to Milan is complete without roaming through La Rinascente, the 10-floor luxury department store adjacent to the famed Duomo di Milano. Soak up the latest men’s and women’s denim fashion from contemporary and high-end designers like Calvin Klein, Diesel and Gucci. Refuel at one of the store’s rooftop restaurants where you may sit eye to eye with one of the Duomo’s gargoyles.