Fabric Shopping in Italy [Venice, Turin, Florence & Milan; 2016].

[Warning: Photo Heavy]

Since we are honeymooning around Italy, let’s visit more fabric shops :P

Firstly, I want to acknowledge that the Sewing Princess’ list of fabric stores in Italy was immensely useful and has so much information. Thanks a lot! Here’s just my own little experience in visiting some of them.

Notes about communication, payment, fabric origin, price, opening times and tax refund from my previous post on Rome fabric shopping also apply here.

 

VENICE: G.Benevento

• Address: Cannaregio 3991 – 3945, 30122 Venezia, Italy
• Website: http://www.gbenevento.it/

Fabric shops in Venice are few and far between. So happy to have let Google Maps do its work and take us there. About 10 minutes’ walk from the famous Rialto Bridge in the main Island. This store sells lots of Italian silks, tweeds and men’s suiting.

There are 2 shops on the main strip facing each other. One sells dress fabrics and the other upholstery textiles.

 

Fine Italian silks. About 100 euros a metre.

 

Most of the fabrics are behind the counter, so it’s difficult to rummage around.

 

Tweeds (designer and generic) and men’s suiting materials.

 

It’s difficult to find the right print when they are folded and stacked like that, and you only get to see a tiny portion unless you trouble the attendant to take them down and open them up for you. I feel uneasy after looking through 10+…

 

He seems to be thinking “What are YOU looking at?!” hahaha.

 

Italian men wear well-tailored suits all the time, everywhere, and I think it’s a good look! Don’t tend to see it that often in Australia :P

 

I splurged (hey, you only honeymoon once) and got a metre of this D&G silk.

 

That’s the curtain/drapery shop across the street.

 

And a little peek inside.

 

TURIN: Antonietta Tessuti

• Address: Via Pianezza, 44, 10149 Torino, Italy
• Website: http://www.antoniettatessuti.com/

This family-owned business gives an intimate, welcoming vibe. There aren’t many fabric shops in Turin ( I haven’t found anything else), and I bet they know all the dressmakers and home sewists in town!

I’ve posted this on IG – the shop owner, a lovely grandfatherly gentleman, was closing up shop (it was late afternoon) and saw us rushing and taking pics across the road. He posed for the photo and waved for us to go inside! How sweet.

 

It harbours some goodies inside, but also fabrics that are good to make casual, day-to-day clothes with.

 

They gave no sign of displeasure even though it was probably past closing time. They even welcomed photographs and eagerly helped us with fabric selection.

 

I bought this Emilio Pucci stretch cotton in the end.

 

Happy!

 

Their business card and bag.

 

FLORENCE: Casa dei Tessuti

• Address: Via dei Pecori, 20, 50123 Firenze, Italy
• Website: http://www.casadeitessuti.com/

This store is only a few minutes’ walk from the magnificent Duomo. It had served many famous and rich people. I also found a blog post about its 85th celebration in 2014 here. We didn’t get much help from the gentleman – he seemed pre-occupied with the exterior of the shop and who’s walking by. Which is completely fine with us, as I was just browsing and not looking for anything specific.

Lovely window displays.

 

Lots of different types of fabrics. But they don’t have jersey (I asked in English, unless jersey means something else to them?)

 

“Why have wallpaper when you can have a wall of fabrics?” hmmmm.

 

Vintage machines – typewriters? Cashier?

 

The shop is divided into a number of areas, each housing a different type of fabric stacked from floor to ceiling.

 

I didn’t end up getting anything there (lack of funds, lack of time, lack of assistance…)

 

The prices are as premium as their prestigious location.

 

MILAN: Valli Tessuti Milano

• Address: Via Giuseppe Verdi, 2, 20121 Milano, Italy
• Website: http://vallitessuti.com/

This store is even featured in the official tourist magazine. The wall of pure Italian silks is drool-worthy. Couture and designer fabrics are what it’s most famous for. It is readily walkable from the centre of activity around the Cathedral and Galleria area.

At the entrance. Looks so posh.

 

Hmmmmm silks.

 

And another wall of goodies. There are more fabrics at the back and on other levels.

 

I risked having the attendant tell me off for touching, but I couldn’t resist stroking them…

 

Tourist magazine feature.

 

MILAN: New Tess

• Address: Viale Certosa, 23, 20149 Milano, Italy
• Website: http://www.newtess.it/en/

Oh, how I love this store. It’s like a giant studio. Organised, spacious, light and airy. I love it. That wall of colour hit you when you first walk in. I gasped. But on closer inspection they are just solid colours. Then you go to the back and see all those brocades and embroidered goodies.

It is an outlet fabric shop, the textiles are made in the nearby Lake Como area.

 

Walking through the spectrum of colours.

 

So organised and colour co-ordinated.

 

This brings me such joy.

 

It reminds me that I can re-upholster chairs and make old furniture look a thousand times prettier.

 

I want a studio like this. DREAMING!!

 

There is nothing known as “too much table space”.

 

I want open shelves for my fabrics and permanent space for my machines…

 

Textural and rich brocades.

 

The printed silk section isn’t as big as the other stores.

 

The ladies are delightful (though communicating in English was a slight issue. We got by, though).

 

I bought this silk, it looks quite different under various lighting conditions (same piece as the one on the table in the pic above).

 

Including the ones in Rome I previously wrote about, these are all the fabric shops we’ve visited in Italy on our honeymoon! We went to one more location outside Italy, I’ll write about it next time. I’m one happy wife! Thanks again, hubs :*