Fashion, Milan and the Autoroute Blanche

So, here's what you do if you're in Milan, on the weekend of the Milan Fashion week - only you don't have a fat cat bank balance, fashionista wardrobe, or the street cred required to muster up passes to any of the actual mainline events - 

1) Get a room in the city - even if, budget constraints dictate that you're staying so far away from the actual action that the clerks at the reception desk give you a sympathy hug along with your keys.

2) Spend most of your shopping budget on the stock clearance sales going on across street and mid line fashion stores across Milan - you'll be amazed how quickly 15 bucks an item multiplies to half a month's savings.

3) Get into the line in front of Grom's for a gelato - never mind that it's still technically winter, and you're carrying an entire wad of wipes for the snot that'll erupt after. It's Italy, and it's heavenly. Don't forget the almond biscotti alongwith.

4) Browse the shops at Monte Napoleone, try to pretend that you belong inside the Valentino and Dior showrooms. After giving it a respectable few minutes, shamelessly befriend a shop assistant and ask when they go on sale and where the factory outlets are.

 5) Catch coffee at the cafe's tucked away behind the high end boutiques.as you closely scrutinise the well heeled passersby, and the impossible well dressed people walking into the cafe, hoping one of them is Anna Wintour or Grace Coddington.

6) Casually amble down the cobbled streets over to the main Duomo square, all the while making sure to catch a good glimpse inside the various black sedans with waiting chauffeurs parked all over, just in case someone famous walks by. 

7) Amble around the Galleria near the Duomo, and stand stunned in the magnificence of the Cathedral in the night. Close out the evening with dinner at Bagutta, a restaurant with a history - Ingrid Bergman once dined here.

And if you're serious about buying some actual designer stuff, try Foxtown, an outlet mall located an hour and a half drive away from Milan, very near Como, in Mendrisio. You can find the latest spring collection at D&G, Gucci and amazing discounts at the Jil Sander, Ralph Lauren, Replay and Diesel outlets.

The drive adds on to the distance from Geneva, so it was a four and a half hour odd drive back to Geneva from Mendrisio, but the stunning views on the Autoroute Blanche, through the Mont Blanc tunnel was completely worth it. I went nuts with my camera on the drive, check out these pics.