A La Mode: Italian Fashion & Shopping

The many beauties credited to Italians include ground-breaking art, innovative architecture, sublime classical music and incomparable cuisine. Fashion, too, has deep roots in Italy, with a predominance of Italian names on clothing labels in every major city in the world. Everyone associates luxury with the names Armani, Balenciaga, Cavalli, Gucci, Tod’s and Valentino, among many others. When visiting Italy, then, it is important to include a stop at the outlet malls in Florence. What better place to find a souvenir leather handbag or Italian cashmere scarf?

The Mall in Leccio

The shopping outlet center referred to as “The Mall” is situated in the town of Leccio, just outside of Florence. Leccio is located less than 40 kilometers from the historical city center, making it a very easy option among the many one day trips/tours in Tuscany. Even those with very limited free time should manage to set aside a few hours to stride through the stores in search of deals on famous Italian brands without paying astronomical import fees. Shops selling the goods of other prominent European brands such as Burberry can also be found at the Leccio outlet mall.

A nice feature of the outlet mall in Leccio is its international information center which provides information in a multitude of languages. There are also cash machines and an office for tax refunds, which residents of countries outside of the European Union should investigate for maximum savings. Even if you are only spending part of a day at the Mall, you may work up an appetite or thirst which can be quenched at the shopping center’s cafe and restaurant. Don’t miss the scenic views of the surrounding country side from the restaurant’s windows.

The Prada Outlet in Montevarchi

While you will not find Prada among the outlets in Leccio, that does not mean you are out of luck if Prada is your label of choice. In the town of Montevarchi, located slightly further south on the A1 towards Arezzo, there is a Prada outlet open seven days a week (an unusual schedule in Italy). The shop sells everything Prada, from clothing to footwear to accessories such as perfume and sunglasses.

Barberino Designer Outlet

Another large designer-brand outlet mall is found north of Florence in Barberino del Mugello. The shopping center is open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. every day, even on bank holidays. As with the Mall in Leccio, duty-free deals are possible by visiting the tax refund office. The Barberino Designer Outlet has on-site cafes and restaurants that feature the flavors of Tuscany.

Some guided tours and transfers in Tuscany may include these designer outlets on their itineraries because of their convenient locations so close to downtown Florence. Whether you opt to devote an entire day or only a handful of hours to so-called retail therapy, you are bound to come back with the good kind of excess baggage.