Fidenza Village, a distinctly Italian shopping experience, reflects the highly-evolved fashion sensibility of the nearby city of Milan, just 60 minutes away and arguably the fashion centre of the universe. The Village also reflects the current global trend for spending less. Open seven days a week, there are more than 90 outlet boutiques at Fidenza Village, all selling previous seasons’ collections at price reductions of up to 70%*. This is the shopping street that shows it’s possible to spoil yourself and save money at the same time – “for highly-experienced shopaholics only,” says Instyle Russia. Actress Ambra Angiolini, DJ Claude Challe, and Olympic marathon champion Stefano Baldini all shop here. And travelling from Milan is as simple as boarding the Fidenza Village Chic Outlet Shopping® Express for a comfortable return journey to the Village.
This is a smart investment trip: fashion, gastronomy, spa, sport, opera, a rich and varied region with churches and verdant scenery – all easily accessible from both Milan and Fidenza Village. Milan is the hometown of the vibrant fashion dynasty, the Versace family, and Fidenza Village is home to a smart Versace outlet boutique selling their signature, slinky gowns, sassy accessories and head-turning daywear. If you are a true follower of Donatella, you may wish to stay in Via Gesù’s Four Seasons hotel, which is only doors away from the Versace mansion and remains a very modish hub during the twice yearly, world-renowned fashion weeks
Missoni, another stylish Italian fashion giant, is also represented at Fidenza Village and these woven pieces never date and can take you from the beach to the bar to the ball, and the stretchy fabrics offer some leeway when it comes to sampling the phenomenal food that this region serves up. Fidenza Village itself is home to its own restaurant Barlumeria, serving the local cuisine of Emilia Romagna, and a delicatessen where you can have your choice of an array of Parma hams, Parmigiano cheeses and homemade pastas neatly packaged for travel to take home as gifts (you can even log on to the internet here or anywhere else in the Village with its Wi-Fi). And the Obikà restaurant prepares delicious dishes inspired by Buffalo Mozzarella cheese.
Simonetta is bound to distract even the trickiest of teenagers, while the Frette boutique is known the world over for its fine bed linen, Lanificio Colombo for its elegant cashmere, and Guess for its cute cut. For smart jeans, Trussardi has a boutique here as have Italian Fabio di Nicola for menswear and the classic stylist from Milan Manolo Gemelli. Quiksilver will engage even the sulkiest skater boy with its street smart fashion. Furla leather is understated and high quality.
If all this money saving feels a little too worldly for the comfort of your conscience, lighten it by unwinding in the ‘wellness’ therapeutic and medicinal thermal waters of a nearby Salsomaggiore Terme spa or take a cookery course and learn about, while sampling naturally, the world-renowned local cuisine at nearby Parma’s Academia Barilla. Alternatively, head towards the haunted castles of this historic region. If you dare. The Fortress of Bardi is said to host the Phantom of Morello, the vaporous Fairy Bema floats around the Castle of Montechiarugolo and the ghost of Donna Cenerina, killed in 1573, is said to roam around Rocca Meli Lupi of Soragna.
And then back to Milan itself for aperitivo hour, a wonderful Italian tradition of cocktails and snacks and showing off. Let’s make a toast… to the perfect (but not pricey) outfit, the healthy glow, the culture-laden conversation and the wallet full of money saved at Fidenza Village.
