Venice:

Starting off at the heart of Venice, in the Piazza San Marco, we'll take you down the fashion high roads and by-ways of the city. Rows of fine boutiques of every sort, from big name labels to jewellers, line these ancient and genteel walkways that seem to go on forever.

Many of the haberdasher's shops joining the Piazza San Marco to the Rialto date back to Medieval times: the Venetian nobles of days gone by came here to purchase the luxurious fabrics and fine leathers they wore.

Not all that much has changed over the centuries --
today's visitors, passing through the portal of the Torre dell'Orologio in Piazza San Marco, will find themselves on a fashion stage, perfectly set against the impressive background of the city on the lagoon! Boutiques abound: Pollini, Max Mara, Gucci, Armani, Missoni, Cartier, La Perla, Fratelli Rossetti and many more...

Starting out once again from the Piazza San Marco towards the Museo Correr, (art gallery housing Bellini's La Pietà ), walk along the Via XXII Marzo, fashion's mighty mile in Venice.

It is a wide street, beginning at the Chiesa di San Moisè and extending to the Campo San Maurizio, near the Palazzo Grassi. This area is among the most chic in Venice, and is in great demand by designers, in view of its central location and proximity to the royal gardens of San Marco. The Via starts at the Campo San Moisé with the recently inaugurated Luis Vitton boutique, followed by Bruno Magli, Damiani jewellers, Fendi, Versace, Prada uomo e donna, Moschino, Genny, Bulgari, Laura Biagiotti and Frette.

Florence

Leaving the Santa Maria Novella train station, go down Via della Scala. Continuing along Via del Sole, you'll run into the Via dei Tornabuoni at your right, just past the Tourist Information office. (The trip should take you approximately 20 minutes on foot.)

Florence's finest boutiques are concentrated along this ancient street, crowned by the trademarks of native sons Ferragamo and Gucci.

Ferragamo(Via dei Tornabuoni 14r), referred to as the "shoemaker of dreams", has elegantly shod the feet of such screen stars as Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren.

The United States presently accounts for 45% of Ferragamo's export trade and for aficionados, the chance to buy a pair of Ferragamo's in the very heart of "his" city is a real treat.

Gucci(Via dei Tornabuoni 73r) is perhaps the world's best-known Florentine trademark. Sold to the Arab concern Investcorp in the '80s, Gucci products still carry the family's trademark.

ROME: The Streets of Fashion
Cheap and Chic

"In Rome there is no need to search for beauty, for it offers itself to you unashamedly" wrote the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. The most beautiful shop windows, the major names in clothes and jewellery are all around Piazza di Spagna, between the white steps of Trinità dei Monti and Via del Corso, which is one of the European streets with the highest concentration of shops: especially casual clothes and '50s revival home furnishings.

Shopping
Shopping in Rome can be really convenient. The prices of some products, when compared to cities like Milan, Florence and Venice, are on the average 25% lower, as established by a recent government study.
The best bargains are to be found most of all in craftmanship products (leather, gloves, shoes and umbrellas), clothing and furniture (brass objects, bronze fusions, silver, hand made objects in marble or plaster).
Fashion:
The key streets housing Roman fashion are precisely three: Via dei Condotti, with Trinità dei Monti visible in the distance, Via Borgognona and Via Frattina.
The "king" of Roman fashion is Valentino Garavani: boutique "Miss V" in Via Mario dé Fiori, 16 next to Hotel d'Inghilterra.
Boutique Uomo Donna Via dei Condotti, 13.
The "DolceVita" seamstresses
If Valentino is the most reknown Roman designer, the oldest dress-making workshop is that of Sorelle Fontana, Via San Sebastianello, 5, where the DolceVita protagonists of the Fifties and Sixties, including Marcello Mastroianni, were outfitted.
In Men's High Fashion, Battistoni in Via dei Condotti, 61, which also offers an important line of perfumes. Armani Boutique Uomo Donna is in Via dei Condotti, 77, while Emporio Armani is a short distance away in Via del Babuino, 140. Still in Via dei Condotti at n. 8 is Gucci and at n.49 Trussardi Boutique.
In Via Borgognona we find Fendi as well as another typically Roman griffe like Laura Biagiotti, which is at n.43 on the same street.

Missoni Boutique's shopwindows face Piazza di Spagna at n.176. Roman stylist Rocco Barocco is on Piazza di Spagna, 72/A.
Among the designers for the younger crowd: Dolce & Gabbana in Via Borgognona 7/D.
Jewellery
Bulgari represents for Rome what Tiffany is for New York and Asprey in London. The shopwindows in Via dei Condotti are easily found because landmarked by clusters of tourists. Andy Warhol was one of the major estimators of this shop.
Leather goods
in this field Rome offers an excellent price-quality ratio especially in shops around via Sistina (Subway Piazza Barberini). Among all, the most reasonable prices are to be found at Pappagallo (via Crispi 115/A) which produces leather and suede goods.

At a stone's throw from Piazza di Spagna two important streets: via Margutta, with art galleries, the ateliers of contemporary Roman painters and the best antique shops.
Via del Babuino is famous for expensive modern furniture, lamps and precious crystal shops.

The Caffé Greco
In Via dei Condotti n.86 near Piazza di Spagna visit the famous Caffé Greco. A place rich in history, frequented by artists. Here sat romantic writer J.W. Goethe for "un caffé all'italiana".
But nowadays one risks meeting too many tourists.
The Porta Portese Flea Market
Each Sunday morning, from six-thirty, there is a famous flea market in the Trastevere area. Arriving there early is essential for estimators because the best things go in the first hour. Federico Zeri, the major expert on Italian art, is said to have found some drawings by Raffaello, wrapped up in old canvas, on one of the Porta Portese stalls.