A day in Milano? Take a stroll around some of the most fashionable districts of Milano and get to know the city as a fashionista.
Milano is synonymous with fashion and design. The city is the capital of Italian and European fashion, home to the most important fashion district in the world. The Milano Metropolitan area produces over 60% of the Italian turnover for design and fashion.
Milano is a world capital of shopping and attracts millions of visitors with shopping opportunities, international fairs, entertainment, restaurants as well as beautiful examples of art and architecture emerging from the historical structure on which the city lies.
Compared to some other cities abroad, Milano is smaller, which means you can visit it by foot. This is the best way to get to know the city and discover its central area which has a lot to offer in terms of tourist attractions, arts, lifestyle and shopping.
Contributor: Chloe Payer, Communication and marketing specialist in fashion and luxury. Professor of Marketing, Communication and Business Development at Accademia del Lusso. Professional and self-development Training & Coaching. Editor, blogger & author.
Enjoy a stroll along the Quadrilatero della Moda, the city's fashion district, where all the big names in the fashion industry have their flagship stores. During the Fashion Week this area hosts catwalks and shows and the streets are packed with models, celebrities and street-style photographers chasing the perfect shot.
Fashion boutiques in the Quadrilatero are designed to share the best experience and many are decorated like art galleries to offer customers a modern, multi-sensory retail experience. It is always worth paying more than just one visit to the same shop: you always feel there’s something new to discover in store!
Take advantage of the unforgettable and stylish Brera district. Brera is synonymous with the artistic heart of the city and its vintage shops and bohemian atmosphere. As you stroll along the backstreets of this district, you can enjoy the atmosphere of its small artisans' workshops and art galleries.
Brera is home to the Design week and Fashion week, each year organizing events in beautiful locations mostly between Via Brera, Via Pontaccio, Via Solferino, Via Fiori Chiari.
The Brera Design District is the most important district for the promotion of design and is a centre of Milano's creative, commercial and cultural development. Beautiful exhibitions are organized in courtyards and exclusive locations, all to be discovered during those events.
Additionally, Brera is home to the Accademia di Belle Arti, and visitors can admire the famous painting collection of the Pinacoteca.
At the end of the 15th century, the Milanese court was the capital of fashion, luxury and art. In fact, Duke Ludovico il Moro supported the collaboration of the architect and painter Donato Bramante and most of all the incomparable Leonardo da Vinci, who changed the course of Milanese painting. Leonardo also organized some famous parties such as the party of Paradise in 1491 and even became a fashion stylist, having curated and designed in detail the tournament costume of Count Galeazzo Sanseverino.
The exclusive neighbourhood of Brera in the heart of the city has been chosen by an increasing number of fashion and luxury brands as their favourite location to open mono-brand boutiques and pop-up stores to attract a growing number of people.
Fashionistas will find exclusive ideas and brands in the nearby Corso Como, featuring the renowned 10 Corso Como.
A meeting point for real fashionistas, Carla Sozzani’s famous concept store, is an eclectic ever-expanding mix of spaces combining art, fashion, music, design, cuisine and culture, grouped around a beautiful courtyard. It was founded in 1990.
Worth a special mention is the Galleria Carla Sozzani, a bookstore offering publications on art, architecture, design, fashion and photography, upmarket boutiques, a cafe and a restaurant.
Don’t’ miss the creative hub and one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Milano: the Tortona District. It used to be Milano's factory district and it is now one of the liveliest and most interesting districts in town for fashion, creativity, culture and design. Several fashion brands have opened their showrooms around via Tortona. Giorgio Armani is headquartered in Via Bergognone, next to the Armani/Silos, which showcases some of the brand’s masterpieces.
In the former Nestlé factory and then Nestlé training center in via Bergognone Giorgio Armani created his headquarter. Out of the 12.000 square meters, a new space was created which reminds of the industrial past of the area. The project was entrusted to the architect Tadao Ando who has thought for the space to be revitalized by a fusion of cement, water and light, three main elements of all his projects.
Make sure to visit Mudec (Museo delle Culture), a one of-a-kind blend of art and anthropology hosting world-class exhibitions. Every year in April, Zona Tortona becomes the centre of the Design Week, when the whole street turns into a giant furniture pop-up with a festive vibe and models everywhere.