What would you buy in Italy?

[Beaverfeaver]

Small enough to fit in luggage, Verona area.

Do you what? I'd sightsee and eat and treat shopping as a happy find.
Clothes manufacture and retail is international now and it's not worth doing a special shopping trip in Europe.

Verona is a major tourist destination. You'll find tat shops and international brands. Individual shops are priced out.

Italian shops are catering for Chinese and other far eastern people and Russians and what they want may not be to your taste, budget or shopping experience.

But I like shopping so: I'd recommend gloves, fur, underwear, nightwear and swimwear. I prefer pretty vests to bras because I can never work out Italian bra sizes and Italian underwear can be a little bit too Nancy Dell Olio for me. But there's still loads of nice stuff.

If they have sales on in designer shops then go for it. Italy used to have strict sales periods but that's breaking down so you might be lucky.

Almost everything will be made abroad and finished in Italy - often that means they just stitch the Fatto in Italia label in. That goes for the most expensive stuff.

Don't bother with shoes unless you see something you like - just like you'd normally do. They won't be better than anywhere else. Women's shoes are made in Brazil or Romania because that's where most shoe manufacture is.

If you want to buy quality men's shoes, the Italians go mad for anything made in Northamptonshire, because that's where they make some of the best men's shoes, and which is where some Prada shoes are made. But you might as well buy them here - that's if you want waste your time buying shoes for a man

Unless it's very expensive - at least £500 a jumper - cashmere will be made in China, and usually from the sweepings of the factory floor, so you might as well get it here.

You might luck in on a sale in a designer shop in which case it'll be made in Scotland and shipped to Italy.

For younger more fashionable things look at Yves Saint Laurent (not Italian but they like it and they're not wrong). If you want classic Italian (a bit boring, but lovely) look in Malo or Loro Piana. Look for two or four-ply, but it won't be cheap (£800+)

From that post I guess I will end up
Just stroking Juliette's boob for luck rather than shopping.

So far I have bought some decent chili oil.

If I am buying anything in verona it has to be something that I can't get the and of in the uk so its 'special'.

Tbh I'd get what you like. Market and if you see what you fancy.

So what if its not made in Italy?!

And I'd rather shoot myself than wear fur.

Ps browsed websites and coin and upim seem worth a look especially coin.

I spent a load of time in el corte ingles whilst in Barcelona over summer!

Not a damn thing. I visited Italy in my twenties and was made to feel like shit on the shoe of the sales assistants, whose job seems to be primarily to keep anybody from looking at or touching their merchandise.

It was like spending a week in Pretty Woman. New York, now there's a shopping destination. All customers equally welcome.

Although fwiw I scored some Fiorucci jeans and a Replay jacket. A wee bit cheaper than home, and all the rage in the 90's. I didn't even enter the lingerie shops. One look told me they'd have nothing in my size.

I loved Verona!

The shops were ok (not as good as Riva on the north of lake garda though IMO as they are more boutique/independent)

I didn't spend a lot but bought some nice things in Desigual and Stradivarius.

Ate some wonderful food and took in the sights.

Back in Uk now and it's freezing!

If you are in Turin then an aperitif called Punt e Mes-a vastly superior vermouth.TBH most of Italian stuff I lust after I can get inTKMAXX ,although if you see nice leather goods,shoes,scarves,stationary-high -end magazines and the apocetheria hair products.Actually on any foreign trip I just love cruising supermarkets!

I'm not a Desigual girl but those and Stradavarius very big in Barcelona when I was there in summer.

Didn't have patience for Stradivarius.

When I was in barca sales were on and missed Aztec canvas bag 5 euros both me and SIL were umming and aahing and should've got yellow Zara bag too!

All i remember in Riva was boutiques!

Isn't Riva where the reptile museum is?

That's right,
I didn't go in as DH is scared of spiders

Went into the Bluemarin
shop in Venice. Beautiful clothes but sadly way out of my price range ( and size) it was a few years ago.

Glad you enjoyed your holiday Beaver.

While it's certainly not cheap - especially after VAT hike in Italy this month to 22% -I'm not sure that Europe is such a bad shopping destination.
Obviously when it comes to big name brands it's all the same (actually I just saw that KIKO makeup is opening a big store on Regent's Street), but how about craft products, handmade jewellery, silk scarves, hosiery etc and - a big favourite of mine - skincare and toiletries from pharmacies. And sometimes half the fun is in the experience of shopping, talking to the locals about some particular product, even if you can get it back home or off the internet for less. Plus I know plenty of shops that sell shoes that are actually handmade in Italy, not just assembled here. You just have to know where to look - and be prepared to pay a bit more than average perhaps.

Morris - I know what you mean about Italian sales assistants, they can be vile and leave you fuming. Customer service is a pretty alien concept for many shop staff here, but it is getting better. One notable exception is Prada, where they're always polite IME, even if you're blatantly not going to buy anything!