Marie Hennechart
When I think of Italian fashion, I think of Milan. Of fashion week and the hordes of fashionistas who flock from around the globe to learn what incredible confections Gucci, Prada, Marni and more have in store for next season…
But as soon as I set foot in Florence in October, as part of a Trafalgar tour, I realised I had seriously underestimated this Tuscan city’s fashion reputation. For those in the know Florence is also a wonderful place to buy, and to buy up big. Here’s our guide to know where to flex your credit card when exploring the Renaissance capital.
Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
On the second day of my trip to Florence, I discovered a time machine: Officina Profuma Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. Walking through the doors of this apothecary was like stepping back through history. My eyes widened, taking in the frescos, the 17th century cabinetry, and the shelves and shelves of perfumes, soaps and balms still made according to the brand’s original Renaissance-era methods.
Think I’m kidding? Let me present Aqua di Colonia, a fragrance heady with bergamot and neroli created in the 16th century for Catherine de Medici. Hearing that little tidbit, I immediately sprayed it all over, finally embodying my ambition to feel like a royal for a day.
After my friend Julie and I tried to sample a good portion of the house’s 90+ signature scents, I decided to go with a blend with the intoxicating name of Cinquanta. It still transports me to this heavenly place every time I spritz it on.
Leather workshop
That first touch of buttery leather. That rich, deep smell. The breathtaking craftsmanship. I’ll be honest – handbags are like a drug for me. After a day in Florence, a mecca for leather goods, I need a hit and badly, which is why Natalie, Julie and I find ourselves in a unique shop for leather-lovers.
Sculo del Cuoio is far more than a simple boutique. It’s a leather school that was founded after World War Two by Franciscan friars and Florentine families to teach orphans a skill. Today, the school is a world-leading establishment, which hosts a select group of students from around the globe who travel to Florence to learn this ancient craft.
Visitors can not only wander amongst those crafting the wallets and handbags and belts, but can shop from their extensive collection of classic and more modern collections of clutches, totes, backpacks and wallets.
Although the workshop is famous for its buttery leathers, I didn’t know whether the styles would fit into this fashionista’s wardrobe. But I was wrong, as I wandered the aisles, I saw chic clutches, bucket bags and backpacks that wouldn’t have looked out of place on the Milanese runways. After all, what could be a more perfect Florentine souvenir than a new handbag in the most buttery of ltalian leathers? I confess I couldn’t resist the urge.
Luisa Via Roma
I knew I had found my shopping paradise the second I saw this three-floor, modern boutique in the shadow of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. Luisa Via Roma is one of the city’s most famous high fashion stores (it also has a branch in Rome) and the ultimate in Italian fashion. Think Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli, and up-and-coming Italian labels like Anthony Vaccarello and N. 21.
Pineider
Founded in 1774, this fabled stationer not only created calling cards for Napoleon, but Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning all shopped there. (Not to mention more recently, Henry Ford and Marlene Dietrich.) If you’re a stationary junkie – like myself, and Julie, my new American buddy from the Trafalgar group – this is an absolute must. We were both in heaven the minute we saw the brightly coloured notepaper, cards and chic leather bound notebooks.
Procacci
After my day of shopping (I know, I know – such hard work, but somebody has to do it), we stopped off at Procacci in the centre of Florence for a restorative glass of vino. While sipping away, I browsed the deli’s specialist gourmet ingredients. If I could have smuggled them home my number one buy would be a handful of local truffles, which I would shave on top of all my home-cooked pasta dishes. Buon appetito!
Made possible by Trafalgar.
