Europe Buys

I must fore-warn you all, I'm not sure if its still jet lag, or me still adjusting to the time difference, but I am completely off. I sleep at the most random times and then I'm awake at even more random times. So if this post seems a little jumbled, I apologize:)

The trip was everything I could have dreamed for and more. It was a 10 day trip with my school for a course in Foreign Buying with the Retail department of my school. The trip started out with our stay in Lake Como, then over to France for a few days with a stay in Nice, then back to Italy, to stay in Rapallo. It was 10 days filled with lectures, travel, scenic sights and crazy mayhem. 

Our first stop (fresh and smelly of the airplane), was to Mii Santero, one of the most famous Silk producers in the world. How famous? They make the silk goods of Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Pucci, Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel, Cartier, the list goes on and on. We took a tour of the factory, saw the production process, and learned about distribution. I couldn't ask for a better first lecture. After the lecture, we proceeded to Il Tesstura, which is basically like an outlet store for the factory. They sell past season goods, but also "damaged" goods. I say "damaged" because some of the defects were so minuscule, that to the untrained eye, they looked perfect. Being the scarf freak that I am, I picked up this DVF scarf for 25€.

 

On our last day in Milan, we went to I Santi, a family owned leather maker since 1947. We took a tour of the museum and got to see how handbags have taken shape and changed over time. After, we took a visit to their showroom, and of course shopping ensued in their Warehouse sale. In all honesty, while looking around, everyone had nabbed the cute evening bags before me. The bag I did fall in love with was 300 Euros, and I was not having that, esp since it was supposed to be a sale. I was determined to find something, only to spot this little beauty sitting on the counter near the back. I'm a sucker for doctor style bags (hello LV Speedy and Gucci Boston). And at 90€ I couldn't pass it up.

There was lots of great shopping around the hotel in Nice. I picked up this tunic for 10€ from a little outdoor shop (my favorite). Its extremely sheer, but nothing a cami can't help. 

I think the visit to Mii Santero might have sightly brainwashed me. I took a little trip into LV in Nice. Sweetest staff ever! I absolutely LOVE my new Olivia scarf. I also picked up a Monogram key/change holder. I almost bought a Neverfull, but that's a bag I still need to think about (the lack of a zipper could be a problem).

Rapallo and Portofino were great for shopping and like Milan and Nice, a great mix of high and low. Both places were great for getting things that weren't super touristy (shot glasses, mugs, magnets, etc.). In Portofino, I picked up cute handmade goods such as a baby bib and kitchen goods, and in Rapallo, lots of food goods such as, biscotti, cookies, chocolate, pasta, and sauces. While doing some last minute shopping in Rapallo, I picked up this gem in a bookstore, Il Mondo Della Moda/The Fashion Book (though it translates to The World of Fashion). Its 100% in Italian, and I cannot wait to start reading it. Hundreds and hundreds of pages of designers, photographers, artists, musicians, actors etc. who have influenced the fashion world as we know it.

I also bought a Longchamp weekender bag because I needed an extra piece of luggage (tsk tsk) in Rapallo. It turned out to be a great deal, because after doing the conversion, it ends up being $40 cheaper in Italy, then in the US. 

Well I'm off to take one of my 5 daily naps that "help me adjust back to the time difference/get over jet lag." Ciao!