An Insider's Guide To Shopping in Milan
If you assumed that the birthplace of Prada, the city Giorgio Armani called a “true metropolis,” would have some of the best fashion shopping in the world, you assumed right. The global fashion destination has an overwhelming selection of shops, including vintage gems, avant-garde designers, and the finest in local Milanese streetwear. So, to help you navigate your next spree, we called on one of Highsnobiety’s resident Italians (and buyer for the Highsnobiety Shop), Federico Ferrari, to give us the lowdown on his favorite places to shop in Milan.
One Block Down
Piazza Armando Diaz, 2, 20123
One Block Down is not only a proprietor of some of the best streetwear labels and sneaker drops; it’s also behind many a headline-grabbing collaboration. Thanks to co-branded collections with names like Needles, C.P. Company, Schott N.Y.C., and Mizuno, you’re sure to find some exclusive merchandise any time you visit.
Modes
P.za Risorgimento, 8, 20129
Modes has stores across Italy and Europe, including three in Milan, and each one offers a different experience. There's the shop's original flagship location, with a curated edit of contemporary menswear, a shop dedicated to children and teenagers, and a boutique regularly hosting temporary installations.
Across all three locations, you can find new designers and hard-to-find labels such as the art world pranksters MSCHF, the cutting-edge Chinese label Christopher Raxxy, and the rapidly rising German label NO/FAITH STUDIOS.
Bivio
Via Lambro 12 (zona Porta Venezia), 20129
Topping Federico’s list of second-hand shops is Bivio. It has three outposts in central Milan, all of which sell stock exclusively bought from its clients through its resale formula. If you have lots of clothing to get rid of, the shop will pay you for one-third of the value in cash or one-half of the value in store credit.
Slam Jam
Via Giovanni Lanza, 1, 20121 Milano
Founded by Luca Benini in 1989, Slam Jam has become a globally recognized cultural powerhouse and a Milanese institution. It began as the first Italian importer of many OG streetwear labels (long before streetwear was called streetwear) and has been part of the scene ever since.
Today, it also offers a mix of high-end labels like Acne Studios, Dries Van Noten, and Maison Margiela, and is popular for its exclusive collaborations. Recent highlights include Ska-inspired Clarks, silver-hued ASICS, and making Umbro cool again.
Antonioli
Via Pasquale Paoli, 1, 20143
The range of luxury labels available from Antonioli makes it a shop that’s not to be missed — even if your budget limits you to window shopping. All of the biggest names in high fashion are here: from classic houses like Gucci and Prada to more avant-garde designers like Ann Demeulemeester and Rick Owens, to name a few.
Union Fade Store
Via Giovanni Battista Morgagni, 31, 20129
Cowboy boots, flannel shirts, varsity jackets, hard-wearing denim… this vintage store specializes in Americana. Its online store even has a pair of patchworked and hand-repaired overalls that date back to the 1930s.
END.
Via dei Mercanti, 21, 20123
Founded in 2005 in Newcastle, England, END. was one of the first retailers to mix high fashion with streetwear. Now, with stores across the U.K. and its first European outpost stationed in Milan, it’s a one-stop shop for everything new in menswear, curating all of the best sneaker releases, independent labels, luxury houses, and much more.
Antonia
Via Cusani, 5, 20121 Milano
No shopping trip in Milan is complete without a visit to Antonia. The multi-brand luxury retailer has two locations in the Italian city, one of which is dedicated to established houses and experimental designers while the other spotlights some of the most exciting fledgling brands from around the world.
