Abercrombie & Fitch in Milan

Short visit to Milan, one of my favourite cities in the World, because of its elegance and charm, the professionalism of its people, the way everything works to perfection and, of course, its SHOPS!

On a tiny square of only four streets long you can find all the boutiques of the mayor fashion designers from Italy, France, England and the US.

Our walk begins on the legendary Via Montenapoleone, all the way to the corner with Via Sant'Andrea, where you'll find Café Cova, a mandatory stop to rest from the shopping spree with a buon cappuccino and one of its unique sweet pasticcinis.

Then, continuing on Via Sant'Andrea, you'll see, one next to the other, Chanel, Hermès, Fendi, Michael Kors, Prada... all of them squeezed in one hundred meters... such a sight for sore eyes!

Make a turn on the famous Via della Spiga (pedestrian street) and you'll find two Dolce & Gabbana stores, two Roberto Cavalli shops, one Gio Moretti and a concept store with one-of-a-kind outfits. They are followed by as many jewelry stores as you can possibly imagine...

It is always a pleasure to come here and walk around these world-famous streets... except that they are empty now: few people passing-by and no-one in the stores!!

What is going on?

I ask this to my friend, Adriana, a true "Milanesa" and a manager at Les Copains, a good clothing label.

She tells me we are facing great changes in our relationship with fashion and women, due to the global recession, no longer feel like spending a lot of money on clothing nor investing on key classical pieces to wear over and over. Everything now is about buying outfits and accessories that make a statement from low-cost retail stores as Zara, H&M and Topshop.

She then takes me to take a look to the new fashion temple in Milano...

Not far from the golden streets of fashion, in the corner of Corso Matteotti and Via San Pietro dell'Orto, behind a huge front gate, rises the new pride of Milano: Abercrombie & Fitch.

Voilá where people were hiding!

Long lines to get inside, as in NYC, and gorgeous guys in their twenty-somethings, wearing unbuttoned plaid shirts (in spite of the cold), to welcome you to the store. And once inside, beautiful girls in the casual sexy look that shapes the spirit of the brand, created in 1892 by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch, two Americans who loved trekking and out-door recreation. The label was modernized a few years ago by Michael Jeffries and it became something of a cult thanks to some few secrets: as I said. beautiful men and women welcoming shoppers, sexy-but-not-tacky outfits, and above all, low prices.

Every store in the world feels the same: extremely-high music, scented air, and an American-sporty look circa 1892 decorating the walls.

It was common to ask for an A&F t-shirt to all those travelling to the States.

Now, Milan has its very own A&F Temple and in 2011 so will Paris.

As I wait in Milan's airport, I see that 1 of 5 fellow travellers carry an A&F bag...