SHOPPING IN FLORENCE

FIVE ADDRESSES THAT CONTEMPORARY MAN CANNOT MISS

By Federico Galli

“When I feel myself depressed, I come back to Florence to watch the Brunelleschi dome: if the man has realized it, so, I can and I have to create, act and live too.” Franco Zeffirelli

Since always Florence and the beauty have a strong connection: here the beauty is everyday.

Symbol of the Renaissance and never quiet city, it is an open-air museum and one of the most popular destinations for tourists all over the world.

Florence is art and culture, food and style, expression of works of great genius in every field of science, letters and technology over the centuries.

Florence is the hometown of poets and artists and it boasts a great tradition and a special bond with fashion: home of Maison as Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo; since 1972, every January and every June it hosts Pitti Uomo, one of the most important fair dedicated to the expression of masculine style: therefore, as a capital of art, Florence also becomes the capital of fashion.

A walk on Ponte Vecchio, a visit to Galleria degli Uffizi, a sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo, an aperitif to the iconic gastronomy Procacci or a dinner at the typical Trattoria dei 13 Gobbi or a day of shopping: live Florence in freedom.

Here there are five addresses for men not to be missed: from the tailored suit to the coolest sneaker.

Eredi Chiarini, Via Porta Rossa, 33/R

The passion for male clothing has been handed down from generation to generation: everything started with grandmother Gennì who opened a fabric shop in 1894, followed by her nephews Marco and Andrea. These latter opened the doors of the first real family clothing store in 1970: an immediate success. Today, after almost 50 years, the Eredi Chiarini boutique, which today involves the fourth generation, is a must-see for lovers of smart casual, of the formal timeless classic and of those who don’t want to renounce to the cornerstones of Italian tailoring: from Kiton to Herno, from Alessandro Gherardi to Jacob Cohen, from The Gigi to PT01.

Sotf, Via de' Tornabuoni, 17/R
The hyper-contemporary reality, born on September 2016 from the collaboration between Tommaso Andorlini, Jacopo Pozzati and Vincenzo Modesti, has become in a short time a real place to be in terms of sneakers. The acronym of Store of the Future represents it perfectly: located in Via de 'Tornabuoni, the artery of Florentine luxury, it is a must for those looking for a cool proposal focused on limited editions like Adidas by Raf Simons, Common Projects, Golden Goose Deluxe Brand, Nike, Adidas Originals, Puma and Filling Pieces. Thanks to the RFID-Radio Frequency Identification technology, the store then offers customers the benefits of digital and the opportunity to touch the product you intend to buy: the latest frontier of current fashion.

Société Anonyme, Via Giovan Battista Niccolini 3/F

A tribute to the art gallery founded in New York in the 1920 by Marcel Duchamp and Peggy Guggenheim who promoted conferences, concerts, publications and exhibitions of modern art. Therefore, any conservative vision has been banished as in the concept store founded in 1999 by Massimiliano Giannelli, located between Via Niccolini and Via della Mattonaia, in the animated Sant'Ambrogio district. In the space, distributed over three areas where womenswear and menswear are democratically integrated, you can choose the latest proposals by Dries Van Noten, Helmut Lang, Ami Paris, Marni, Henrik Vibskov and Maison Kitsuné. This and much more is Société Anonyme.

Guya, Via Calimala 29/R

This store has been founded in Via Por Santa Maria, really closed to Ponte Vecchio, by Anna and Luigi Nigi in 1970. In a few decades it was transformed, thanks also to the daughters Benedetta and Guya, from a store that promoted the avant-gardes mainly Florentine, into a boutique uber-chic. In 1985, they opened the second store in Via Calimala and today Guya is a reference reality, independent and unconventional. A trendsetter, talent scout and promoter of international and luxury streetwear brands such as Maison Margiela, Y/Project, Sacai, Off White, Y3, Comme des Garçons Play and Nicola Indelicato. The best of the international scene in a typically Italian family atmosphere.

Orlandini, Viale Europa 161

Inaugurated in 1970, the Orlandini store offers a mix of products balanced between research and sartorial tradition, guiding men in creating their ideal wardrobe. It is a welcoming space, entirely renovated in March 2018 and located in Viale Europa, Gavinana district, one of the oldest in Florence, built on the left bank of the Arno. It proposes collections of brands such as Aspesi, Lardini, Incotex, CP Company, John Smedley, Roberto Collina, Tricker's and many others.