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A user's guide to fashion in Milan

Tim Lim

On the streets: As if there weren't already enough reasons to do some serious damage to your bank account while in Milan (cut-rate Gucci and Prada, tax-back savings, cute shop assistants), designers and luxury goods houses are opening all sorts of new and improved boutiques. While most are located within the city's 'golden triangle' (Via Montenapoleone, Via Sant'Andrea and Via della Spiga), there are less obvious locations to set up shop.

The hottest street has to be Via Manzoni. Located at one end of Via della Spiga, it is where Giorgio Armani (below), opened his ambitious, American-style megastore in the middle of Fashion Week. The brightly lit, 65,000-square-foot space stocks Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans and the new Armani Casa home line, as well as being home to a Nobu restaurant, a library and a Sony shop. Also opening in the area are boutiques from party-girl dresser Patrizia Pepe and, at the end of the month, Mila Schon. Once considered Siberia in Milanese shopping terms, Corso Como (next to Garibaldi Station), is now attracting some of fashion's more forward-thinking names. Opposite the legendary Corso Como 10 - the shop/restaurant/art gallery established by style guru Carla Sozzani - is a new boutique from Anteprima. Launched after the label's impressive spring/summer fashion show, it is sleek, sexy and full of reflective surfaces. The twist: the mirrors are one-way for added frisson - you can see everyone else when you're in the changing room, but they can't see you.

Back at the old stamping grounds: classic men's shoemaker Church's, an acquisition of Prada chief Patrizio Bertelli, has opened its first shop on Via Sant'Andrea, as has fellow foot specialist Casadei. On Via Montenapoleone are new shops from Florentine favourite, Pucci, and Hogan, where vintage-style totes and sports bags seem to be flying off the shelves. The shop was designed by former Hong Kong-based architect Paolo Giachi, who was instrumental in the glossy makeover of Tod's flagship store on Via della Spiga. The shop joins new locations from Borbonese and Roberto Cavalli on the same street.

At the shows:

Number of official shows during Milan fashion week: 98.

Average length of a fashion show: 15 to 20 minutes.

Average time wasted waiting for a fashion show to begin: about 45 minutes.

Best-styled show: Bottega Veneta, styled by The Face magazine's fashion editor, Katie Grand.

One to watch: Ferragamo, which showed the most surprisingly chic collection of the week. Think butter-soft leather and suede, sexy jersey dresses and stacks of African-inspired bracelets.

The look most likely to make the tabloids: Moschino's paper flamenco dress, made from pages of Hola! magazine - Hello! magazine's Spanish sister.

Hottest 'girl': Brazilian Caroline Ribeiro, pictured in this season's Gucci campaign.

Hottest guy: George Clooney, who caused a riot at the Versus show. Editors of a certain age screamed like schoolgirls at a Backstreet Boys' concert.

Most ripped-off designer: Azzedine Alaia - everywhere.

Celluloid inspiration: Tippi Hedren and Janet Leigh, as seen though the eyes of Alfred Hitchcock, for the '50s-inspired looks at labels such as Prada and Gucci, where Tom Ford even resurrected the cone bra. Flashdance also figured prominently, with big, off-the-shoulder sweaters and bodysuits appearing on various runways.

Biggest backstage diva: Model Gisele Bundchen (right) - she reduced a dresser to tears for incorrectly scuffing the soles of her stilettos at Prada.

Cruellest catwalk moment: sending shapely model Sophie Dahl down the Fendi catwalk without a bra - before Gisele.

Most stupid security staff: the ones at the Dolce & Gabbana show, where four average-sized, Hong Kong fashion editors were detained like common criminals. The offence: snapping pictures, a common practice for journalists. Western editors were spotted having Kodak moments, but they didn't get 12 scary-looking security guards surrounding their seats.

The new erogenous zone: the waist, exposed or cinched by a wide belt.

Spring/summer must-have accessory: a great thong - design houses as diverse as Anteprima and Prada, Fendi and Gucci sent out see-through skirts for spring.

Next season's shoe: stilettos (with socks; right), or '80s-style ankle boots. Wedges are also on the rise.

Musical moments: Kraftwerk at Prada; Aimee Mann's Magnolia soundtrack at Gucci; the Go-Gos and Flying Lizards at Blumarine; a Madonna medley at Dolce & Gabbana; flamenco at Moschino; Serge Gainsbourg, selected by Patrizio Bertelli, at Jil Sander.

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