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Posted: Sun 21:33, 01 Sep 2013 Post subject: Designer outlets bring Italy's coveted style and h |
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Designer outlets bring Italy's coveted style and high prices at your fingertips
ROME -- The silk-swathed signora behind us, inky hair pulled right into a simple low ponytail, wasn't about to wait any more. Leather-tipped toe pointed at Hotel Mediterraneo's enormous marble concierge desk, she sighed loudly, waiting once we wrestled with this day's agenda and waffled within the city's shopping areas.
"Castel Romano," she half snapped, half purred. It appeared to be the solution to an essential question that we missed.
"Is shops. Inside a castle. Best prices in Rome," she explained, and proceeded to circle it on our map. Her impatience and taut veneer were visibly thawing as she began waxing poetic concerning the deals found at Versace, Dolce Gabbana,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], and La Perla. Within Ten minutes, she and our concierge had together -- between anecdotes about scored treasures -- mapped out a day of spending at Castel Romano, rented us a car, and equipped us with driving directions.
"Now," she added with not a grin, but a toothy grin, "you will shop Roman."
Rome may be all about the history of civilization, but one of its most civilized contemporary pursuits is designer outlet shopping, an undeniably more authentic undertaking here than stateside. Rather than the made-for-outlet clothing present in even upscale US outlets (essentially mediocre-quality pieces sewn with a designer label, that you pay mass market chain-level prices), here you get the genuine article: exquisitely made designer pieces, meant for upscale boutiques, but that just occur to possess a button missing or a scuff inside pocket.
In Rome and also at outlets around Milan, what they are called are big (add Prada to the list), new shops are available just away from two cities, and the discounts are seriously steep,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], often as much as 75 percent.
It can be a challenge, however, to get to the outlets at just the right time to get a money's worth. No tour buses navigate to the outlets in Rome; renting a car a very good idea to beat the crowds after new stock shipments arrive. Getting to Milan's outlets takes a car, too, as well as locating the places on the small , winding network of roads. Still do it, though, and you will go for a long weekend and, despite hotel and air fare costs, still save hundreds.
That very goal was foremost within our minds once we buzzed toward the Castel, map at hand within our rented mini. So foremost, indeed, that giddiness might have got the very best of us.
"Is the ancient city wall?" Maybe. "Was that the Colosseum?" Probably. However with 25 kilometers between us and upward of 95 stores, sightseeing was another day's priority. Besides,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], didn't we obtain culture points for shopping in an Imperial Roman castle? Well, it depends. Easing in to the parking area 40 minutes later, we faced something which looked a lot more like Copley Place Mall by way of Disney. (Opened only last year,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], the outlets have previously seen a lot more than 6 million shoppers.) Colorful flags fly over each of the dramatically lighted, turreted entrances and shiny, new paved-stone walkways at the huge complex.
The outside might be false, but the heady thrill is real. We went right to Dolce Gabbana to dig through the horsehide bags for $300 and buttery leather totes for $250 ($700 to $900 in the States). Abutting shelves held a slew of color-splashed bikinis for $67 (down from $300). One customer teetered on a pair of petal-pink stilettos, then claimed them when she realized they were $125, down from $550. A set of feather-tipped slides were twice that, at $250, down from $800.
"The best thing to do is are available in the morning, and usually the center of a few days is best," said our saleswoman. "We get lots of shipments in within the week, and don't have enough time to place them out until the busy weekend has ended."
Follow her advice and you simply might find deals like we did at La Perla, where exquisite negligees that would normally ring in at $250 were $60. Nearby, the Frette linen outlet sells duvet bedding for $75 (the same one costs $350 in the usa). A set of bold red patent leather sandals at Fratelli Rossetti were $85, from about $200. In the even further upscale Versace,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], a pink pin-striped dress was $150, down from $600. And simply beautiful iridescent men's suits that will normally run $800 were only $300.
Away from faux castle walls, other outlets have staked their very own discount territory. In Milan, it was simple to resist the full-price boutiques' siren call understanding that at the nearby Serravalle outlet (founded by the same McArthurGlen group that developed the newer Castel Romano and develops designer outlets in the States) we're able to indulge in Prada, Roberto Cavalli, and Furla at 30 to 70 percent off. Simply pointing to the brochure prompted our hotel concierge to help us with travel arrangements.
"Take the train; you won't waste whenever becoming lost," she said. "More time for shopping."
The route from Milan to Serravalle is direct and efficient. The opening is within the suburbs called Arquata. train taken in at 10,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], and it would be a quick taxi ride towards the outlet. Our driver told us that although cabs regularly circle the train station to shuttle shop-hungry tourists, they don't linger at the outlet.
"Call me, I pick you up," he explained,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], handing us his card. Being stranded in a designer paradise didn't sound so bad, but we took his card once we remarked that the businesses would close eventually (the amount of time are 10-8, and 10-10 at Castel Romano).
We descended on the Prada store like design-starved outsiders and discovered exactly what the insiders knew: The shop stocks only shoes, no clothing or accessories. However, the options were delectable: funky stilettos with flower-wrapped straps for $200 and classic black pumps for $125 (Prada shoes in the usa often start at $400). The stock also included Helmut Lang slides for $40 and Jil Sander flats for $120, both of which would cost upward of $250 in the usa. As we began to grab for that boxes, we got a stern slap on the wrist.
"No, no, no,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]," said the saleswoman. "I get your size and the box for you." Having tourists tear through boxes and dump shoes on the ground isn't area of the Italian sense of customer service. The moral: Make fast friends with the sales associates.
For accessories and classy clothing, we put our cash on places like Diesel (which carries jeans, tees, skirts, and shoes for prices a smaller amount than you will pay within the flagship stores back home),[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], and Furla, where we found this season's must-have silver suede bags and citrus-hued clutches for $50.
Back in the Hotel Mediterraneo, our last rest stop before departing for Boston, our friendly concierge laughed out loud as we pushed our oversized bags into the mirrored elevator.
"Yesterday you had trouble finding good shops," he explained. "Today, you have trouble finding space for your packages." When we asked him if he was surprised at our luck, he laughed again.
"Of course not,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]," he said. "Many Americans are coming with this." He leaned in to hold the elevator door for all of us. "And once they see all of your bags, they'll only come more."
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