The Fashion Lover’s Guide to Milan

Looking for a guide for your next trip to Milan? Fancy a bit of armchair travel to explore the stories behind Italy’s fashion capital?

The Fashion Lover’s Guide gives you both: where to go, what to do and what to see as you explore the people and places behind the history of Milan fashion.

Split into geographical sections along with relevant maps, cultural highlights and suggestions for where to eat and drink, this guide to fashion in Milan places it within the context of Italian fashion history and a city, and brings the stories of its people to life. Why did Milan become Italy’s fashion capital? And what does it offer the fashion lover as a city today?

If you wish to receive a press copy or to organise an online talk at your bookstore, boutique or cultural organisation, please contact press.rachaelmartin@gmail.com

“This eye-catching little book is a fashion accessory in its own right.

Beautifully glossy and slim enough to slip into a handbag, The Fashion Lover’s Guide to Milan is a guide to shopping, eating, and taking in some of the culture of Milan. Rachael Martin, originally from the UK, fell for Italy and an Italian in the late 1990s, made the country her home, and so combines an insider’s knowledge of her local city with a visitor’s delight in all that is special about it.

The book divides Milan into walkable chunks of geographical shopping districts, each with its own atmosphere and fashion specialism, whether that’s luxury end, designer, boutique, vintage, or streetwear. Globally influential brands like Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, and Armani feature but so do individual boutique names like Chris Cerf and concept stores like 10 Corso Como. It is also interesting to note the rise of vintage clothes stores in the city — a sign of a  sustainably fashionable future to come?

Italy and food go together so the guide naturally includes the best local places for the fashion shopper to revive, from the city’s legendary coffee and pastry shops to the restaurants serving up Italian and Milanese traditional fare. And if you have enough of commerce, the book is punctuated by ‘Culture Stops’ showing the city’s historical reverence for beauty through its museums, art, and the cathedral built using pink marble, from the top of which you can glimpse the Alps.

I loved the fact children’s clothes aren’t forgotten and the only tiny wish I would have is for a price guide for the various shops, but the book helpfully provides all the sellers’ websites so if a particular shop catches your eye, it’s an easy matter to check their wares and prices online yourself.

In short this is not only a handy little travel companion for a future holiday or city break, it’s also a delightful book to pore over during these pandemic-restricted times, perhaps sipping Sicilian lemonade and dreaming of travel opportunities to come.”
BookSteady – to see the original review, click here

“With the pandemic still delaying travel plans, travel guides offer a chance to dream and plan for the future. Martin’s city guide to Milandoesn’t disappoint. This beautiful pocket guide expertly covers Milan’s fashion scene and designers (Armani, Prada, Dolce, Gabbana, Cavalli), as well as food, lodging, museums, cultural sights, and nearby getaways. Milan is one of the fashion centers of the world, with legendary Fashion Weeks. Martin covers a wide range of shopping opportunities, from high-end designers to vintage shops, so most travelers will find something for them, no matter the size of their wallet. Ample attention is paid to men’s and women’s fashion, and children’s as well. The guide is laid out by neighborhood, with attention to capturing the unique culture and beauty of each, plus the essentials in each area. And what is travel without great food? Martin covers that too, guiding travelers to a variety of cafés, and places for lunch, aperitivo, and dinner. Brimming with full-color photos, maps, stories, and history, this guide is so much more than just a list of places.  Perfect for fashion lovers, armchair travelers, and those making plans to visit Milan.” 
– Library Journal