Travel

Pre-loved Shopping in Lazio & Tuscany, Italy

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As part of our journey this week in Italy, we explored the various regions of Lazio and Tuscany which include Rome and Florence. Not just known for cobblestone streets, historic ruins, monumental buildings and a fabulous food scene, these areas are saturated with quaint alleys full of italian made vintage stores. When I say vintage, I don’t mean just pre-owned designer pieces, I mean full walls and shelves of couture and rare Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Cartier, Prada, MiuMiu and more. It was a huge surprise to see how prestine these bags, silk scarves, shoes and other collectable apparel items are.

 

Our first stop was Second Chance in Central Rome. The Owner, Alessia, is not just charming, sweet and super welcoming, she is so knowledgeable about the background, owners, and care instructions for all of the couture pieces she has in store. My biggest surprise was the Pucci and Hermes selection she had. How rare to see a perfect condition, authentic and one owner Hermes mini for under 4,000 euro! Pro-tip: Of course like many places, you can bargain a bit on prices but it’s most important not to be unreasonable with your offer price! I picked up this fabulous new condition Prada winter coat for 120 euros which is about $150 USD. Such a steal considering the same winter piece is on the market now for over $1500. #hugewin! The store owners and associates will negotiate if they feel you respect the product and the process. Her whole store is about 200 square feet of wall to wall/ceiling to ceiling pieces. And she did, by the way, join us for a few laughs as we asked about life in Rome, love in Rome and food in Rome! #wheninrome

We stopped at a few other gems throughout the city but I would say two more stuck out to me, King Size Vintage and Pifebo Vintage. King Vintage is full of leather leather leather! They carry luxury brands and more high quality made in italy brands. Super cool spot to find leather pieces to fit so much of your wardrobe. Pfieber is in the same district as King but certainly a lot more higher end designer hotspot. The store has a one of a kind Gianni Versace shoulder bag with custom stonework on the handle. TO.DIE.FOR! They carry a bit of Dior, Burberry, and more. You’ll enjoy this spot for the YSL and Chanel accessories. Pro-tip: Try to shop mid-week or on a non-busy time because the owners are more willing to negotiate on pricing if sales are not as active for the day.

Now, the day trip we took to Firenze (Florence) was consumed with shopping on the Ponte Vecchio, a historic bridge in the heart of the city with two full sides of jewelry, accessories and more. We also enjoyed a bit of vintage shopping here! We stopped at a few locations on our “Vintage Crawl”, as I liked to call it. Vintage Epoca Firenze, owned by Maria and her beautiful family. She took me around the store to see some amazing Gucci pieces that we have never seen State-side! These pochettes, furlas and more were exquisite and priced to match the perfect condition they were in! This store was not just a nice stop for great finds, but truly a beautiful experience meeting the family and having the granddaughter teach me a bit of Italiano! Pro-tip: Enjoy meeting the locals and asking about their backgrounds. Often times, they want to tell you and desire to get to know you as well… especially if you frequent Italy but reside in Ohio like your truly.

 

Grateful for the shopping, the people and most of all, the opportunity to share a bit of it with you! Have you ever enjoyed your version of a “Vintage Crawl”? Tell me about it below.

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