10 Corso Como

This pioneering concept store transformed Milan's shopping scene by mixing high-end fashion with art, books, and dining in a converted garage space. You'll find carefully curated designer pieces from established and emerging brands, a serious art bookshop, rotating contemporary exhibitions on the third floor, and a gorgeous garden restaurant in the courtyard. It's not just shopping - it's more like wandering through fashion editor Carla Sozzani's personal vision of how retail should work.

The space flows naturally from the ground-floor boutique through different rooms and levels, each with its own personality but cohesive aesthetic. The fashion selection feels personal rather than commercial, with pieces you won't find in department stores alongside cult accessories and design objects. The third-floor gallery genuinely surprises - serious contemporary art that changes every few months, completely free while you browse. The garden cafe in back creates an unexpectedly peaceful retreat from the Corso Como energy outside.

Most visitors rush through the fashion floors and miss the bookshop, which stocks the best art and fashion titles in Milan. The restaurant gets busy at lunch (expect 25-30 EUR for a main course), but it's perfect for aperitivo around 6pm when the garden lighting kicks in. Skip the expensive accessories near the entrance - the real finds are upstairs where the curation gets more adventurous and the crowds thin out.