Introduction to Milan Milan is home to inspiration for design, textile and talent. Known as the birthplace of countless brands and as a center for creativity and Italian design, Milan is Italy’s city of the future and a hub for business and fashion.  Demographics Milan City had a population of around 1.4 million as of 2017, and according to Istat, an estimated 200,000 foreigners lived in the city in 2011 (latest). Milan is home to Italy’s largest Chinese communities, with around 21,000; the remainder includes people from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, African countries, Latin American states and Eastern Europe.  Top Five Shopping Streets

1. Via Monte Napoleone: Via Monte Napoleone is an essential destination for luxury shopping in Milan, home to all the high ends brands such as Gucci, Prada and Valentino. 
2. Corso Venezia: Corso Venezia carries a variety of Italian fashion and international brands, all alongside palaces and gardens, including popular men’s brands such as Brooksfield, Stone Island and Henry Cotton. 
3. Corso di Porta Ticinese: Corso di Porta Ticinese features unique clothing, music and food, and houses brands such as Levis, Diesel and Vans.
4. Corso Vittorio Emanuele II: This street is located near the Piazza del Duomo city square, which is a shopping hub itself. Corso Vittorio Emmanuele II is home to a wide range of brands such as Zara, H&M, Bershaka – all middle to high-end brands, as well as La Rinascente, one of the city’s largest department stores. 
5. Corso Buenos Aires: The street is filled with over 350 international ready-to-wear brands. 

Famous Retail Events Milan Fashion Week: Milan Fashion Week was founded by the Camera Nazionale della Moda (the National Chamber for Fashion) in 1958. The shows take place in outdoor landmarks and historic areas, as well as regular showrooms. Castello Sforzesco courtyard and Arco della Pace are where most individuals experience the fashion shows. Some of the largest fashion houses and designers are showcased throughout the week, such as Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Prada and Versace.  Top Innovative Retailers [caption id="attachment_89661" align="alignleft" width="360"] Source: 10corsocomo.com[/caption] 10 Corso Como 10 Corso Como is a multifunctional space in the center of Corso Como. The company also has stores in Seoul, New York and Shanghai. 10 Corso Como was created at the beginning of the 1990s by Carla Sozzani. Customers walk in to a garden of plants and tables. The idea is to create a calming and elegant atmosphere. 10 Corso Como is a combination of a high fashion boutique, art gallery, bookshop, and, lastly, a restaurant and bar.  The store also houses an art gallery for exhibitions and installations; a café called 10 Corso Como Café that serves breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner; a bookstore filled with books about art, fashion and photography; and, a hotel called 3 Rooms. The top floor has a roof terrace with sculptures and ceramics by Kris Ruhs. Location: 10 Corso Como, Corso Como, 10, 20154 Milano MI, Italy.   [caption id="attachment_89662" align="alignleft" width="382"] Source: larabesque.net[/caption] L’Arabesque  L’Arabesque was founded by fashion designer Chichi Meroni in 2010. The store started as a space to display her signature line of menswear and womenswear, as well as vintage pieces. However, it soon expanded to a café, bookshop and furniture and design gallery. The boutique area offers tailor-made clothing, as well as shoes, all made in Italy.  The restaurant features velvet chairs and a marble floor, while the menu offers a variety of pastries, lunch and dinner options. Adjacent to the restaurant is a lounge with bookcases where customers are encouraged to grab a book and relax. Location: L’Arabesque, Largo Augusto, 10, 20122 Milano MI, Italy.   [caption id="attachment_89663" align="alignleft" width="376"] Source: serendipity.net[/caption] Serendeepity  Serendeepity is a concept store in the Porta Ticinese area opened in 2009. The concept is to combine three sectors: music, design/art and culture. The music section displays CDs, headphones and accessories. In the design section customers can purchase clothes and unique objects. In the art/culture section, customers can find a wide variety of prints, books and everything art related. Serendeepity displays work of up and coming artists, and the space is often used as a lab for artist collaboration and research. The goal of the store is to act as club where individuals can come and discover new sounds, apparel and art.  Location: Serendipity, Corso di Porta Ticinese, 100, 20123 Milano MI, Italy.   [caption id="attachment_89664" align="alignleft" width="354"] Source: antoniomarras.com[/caption] Nonostante Marras  Designer Antonio Marras is the creator of Nonostante Marras, a concept store that is part store and part secret garden. Customers enter through a residential building into a garden. The products in the store range from unique pieces of apparel, ceramics, flowers, vintage furniture, vintage artworks and art books. Antonio Marras integrated a library and a coffee bar/café into the store. The purpose is to create an experience in which customers can relax and feel transported to a calmer atmosphere. The store resembles an exhibition space, art gallery and meeting place because of the vintage furniture and art work on display.  Location: Nonostante Marras, Via Cola di Rienzo, 8, 20144 Milano MI, Italy.   [caption id="attachment_89665" align="alignleft" width="366"] Source: Accenture.com[/caption] Coop Italian Food Coop is the market leader in Italy’s grocery retail, with shops in over 800 cities and 16 regions. In 2018, Coop Italia introduced ShoppY, an artificial intelligence-based chatbot developed by Accenture and Avanade. ShoppY is a chatbot that suggests product purchases based on past interactions with users, also drawing on data to create new shopping lists, as well as providing news on in-store promotions. The app can also track the in-store location of products and give basic information, such as opening hours.  Location: Coop, Bicocca Village, Via Friedrich Von Hayek, 4, 20126 Milano, MI, Italy.   [caption id="attachment_89666" align="alignleft" width="340"] Source: rinascente.it[/caption] La Rinascente  The 150-year old La Rinascente features brands from around the world, with a collection of high-end designer wares in fashion, accessories, homeware, beauty and food. La Rinascente has nine stores in Italy, including flagships in Rome and Milan. The store has multiple restaurants on the top floor. The flagship store in Milan restyled its men’s department to create a warmer environment by adding brass lights on the floor and adding a shop-in-shop format, allowing consumers to access new designers. Location: La Rinascente, Piazza del Duomo, 20121 Milano MI, Italy.   [caption id="attachment_89667" align="alignleft" width="380"] Source: antonioli.eu[/caption] Antonioli  Antonioli was started by Claudio Antonioli in 1987, but moved to its current location in 2003. A 2009 expansion was styled by Vincenzo De Cotiis, bringing the total size to 4,000 square feet. Everything in the store reflects Claudio’s style, right down to the objects of art. The boutique is a combination of traditional and modern, with the interior using innovative materials to make clothing pieces stand out, and to create an art gallery-like feel. Some of the brands offered in the store include Rick Owens, Raf Simons, Givenchy, Vetements, Balenciaga, Off-White and Valentino.  Location: Antonioli, Via Pasquale Paoli, 1, 20143 Milan MI, Italy.   [caption id="attachment_89668" align="alignleft" width="422"] Source: tearose.it[/caption] Tearose Boutique Tearose Boutique is a hybrid floral, clothing, accessory, fragrance and furniture store. The store started as a floral and interior decoration boutique in 1994 by Alessandra Rovati Vitali, but has since transformed into a hybrid concept store more akin to a multi-sensory experience. The store also features a café that serves light snacks.   Location: Tearose Boutique, Via Croce Rossa, 2, 20121 Milano MI, Italy   [caption id="attachment_89669" align="alignleft" width="199"] Source: cardamomomilano.it[/caption] Cardamomo Cardamomo evolved from LoStudioBianco, a center that specializes in Ayurveda, a traditional form of herbal medicine from India. Cardamomo is a concept store the owners call a “walk-in closet” for beauty. Cardamomo calls itself “Yogic Beauty” because the owners believe that “beauty is interior, exterior and respectful of mother Earth.” The LoStudioBianco side of the store is dedicated to beauty treatments using Ayurveda techniques.  Location: Cardamomo Concept Store, Via Friuli, 26, 20135 Milano MI, Italy.      [caption id="attachment_89670" align="alignleft" width="161"] Source: ovs.it[/caption] OVS  OVS is an Italian value clothing chain that has been working to transform its stores into concept stores. The interior of the Milan store was designed by architect Vincenzo de Cotiis, who created a minimalistic design with a focus on lighting to fill the three-floor, 900 square-foot space. The store partnered with Google to create a unique digital shopping experience: The virtual fittings rooms can show customers how a product looks from all angles. The fitting room also has a button that customers can click to request a sales associate. The store is equipped with touch screens that allow shoppers to search for specific items and check availability.  Location: OVS, Via Dante 11, angolo via Giulini 2, 20123 Milano MI, Italy.       Must-See Street: Corso di Porta Ticinese Corso di Porta Ticinese is a street running from Colonne di San Lorenzo to Piazza XXIV Maggio. The street is full of vintage shops, record stores and well-priced labels, the place to come for streetwear. Consumers will find unique and alternative pieces on Corso di Porta. 

1. IF Bags: The store sells bags that use innovative materials and unique colors, as well as being able to customize the bags in the store. 
2. Dictionary Milano: A clothing store with a good variety of unique pieces for men and women. 
3. Green Tunnel: Green Tunnel sells CBD-based products, such as oils and shower gels.
4. Special Milano: A shoe store with a variety of sneakers, the store also sells clothing and vintage items.
5. Herschel Milano: The store sells suitcases, backpacks and apparel, the interior of the store has a sleek design.