I was so excited to visit Milan last month, officially known as the fashion capital of the world! I was prepared for an unparalleled shopping experience and that’s exactly what I got (and an empty pocket of course)! But with that came some amazing experiences– fashion and culinary. I had the best coffee I’ve ever tasted, the yummiest pasta and the tastiest biscuits (Baci di dama – made with two melt-in-your-mouth hazelnut cookies held together with some good dark chocolate) that disintegrated in my mouth. I also loved the warmth of the people there, which makes shopping there so much fun.
Because I was continuing my trip to the town around Lake Como, I decided to go through all the immaculately curated boutiques from AiSPi in Milan and pick my favourites to wear there. This allowed me to pack light and gave me an excuse to shop, killing two birds with one stone. Below is my pick of what I thought were the most exclusive boutiques and designers from Milan and what were my favourite pieces to wear to Como.
4uattro
4uattro may seem like a quaint little store at first, but I found the most stunning pieces here! I absolutely loved their collection. My favourite pieces to wear in Como would be this beige and red belted cut-out maxi dress. It flows beautifully down the body and would be perfect to take near the pristine blue waters of Lake Como when travelling in a wooden private boat ride from one town to the other.
Another dress I absolutely loved is this simple yellow collared dress with feathers coming out of the collar. I am big on the feather trend right now, and this dress was really perfect for the “dolce far niente”. It means the joy of doing nothing. I could totally envision myself just doing nothing on a cafe at the edge of the lake. I definitely couldn’t choose a favourite from this store.
Rosantica
Rosantica has really taken off and become quite a favourite with whoever discovers it. Their bags are so unique, yet so luxe, chic and wearable. I am in awe of their whole collection! Every time I have carried the bag, I have gotten a ton of compliments and questions about where its from.
Yet, if I had to choose these are my favourite ones. I picked the ‘Duomo’ bag (Cathedral in Italian), for my little Italian Holiday. Also, the actual Duomo in Como is absolutely stunning. I am enamoured by the ‘Macramè’ work and it is definitely going to be the next big fashion trend and we have already started seeing it a lot.
Macramè is the art of tying knots to form a specific pattern, but it also has a spiritual meaning – Macramè in Arabic is a fringe known to evoke righteousness, insightfulness and willpower and is hung on walls of homes as well. Hence, the pink Macarmè bag for my days out in the sun. And another item to add oomph to my days in the sun, is the visor. It is super cute with an embellished cherry in wicker.
Celeste Pisenti
When you go to Milan, each store has a more stunning collection than the previous one. But they are all so different–it is really tough to pick from them! This store really caught my eye as it is very ‘me’. I adore feminine silhouettes that have beautifully printed details, a good fit and are versatile. I loved this ruffled swimsuit (that also comes in black!) and this co-ord set from them. What’s amazing is that I can pair the skirt of the co-ord set with the swimsuit to create a whole different look as well as wear it by itself. For a more causal affair, I can pair the off shoulder top with some jeans as well.
De Siena
When I was younger, someone I looked up to told me something I will remember for the rest of my life. “You can always judge a person by their shoes.” And that somehow made me a shoe fanatic too, where I want to be sure I am wearing highest quality and visually appealing shoes with every outfit. In Milan, I found the cutest, most vibrant shoes, that define my holiday vibe at De Sienna.
My favourites from their collection were the Macramè knotted in Raffia slip-ons and their city name beaded slip-ons which not only make a statement at the beach, but are uber comfortable and eco-friendly as well.
Ottod'ame
Ottod’ame literally means 8 women in Italian, who are the souls behind this amazing Florentine label. My favourite thing about this label is that their clothing is so lightweight and comfortable and yet have such fresh style. These are my favourite pieces from their new collection. I love the entire outfit of the white and red blouse and the red pants with scarf for a boat day. And the beige and yellow printed jumpsuit for a nice dinner by lake.
These were my favourite selections of the off mainstream local labels of Milan. Each of them, carry pieces that would work perfectly when travelling around (or lounging) in Como.