Milan is one of the best places in the world to shop for shoes, as nobody knows how to lay comfort at your feet better than the Italians. In the finest stores, you’ll find famous designer brands like Santoni and Giannico, handcrafted masterpieces from Belfiore and Manee, as well as artisanal footwear in shops like Moma and Fratelli Rossetti.
Where
On top of that, there are high-end retailers like La Rinascente and Excelsior Milano, as well as street shoes from Supergra, One Block Down, and Spectrum. Casual shoes can also be found in shops like Bata, which even have outlet stores in Milan.
When shopping in Milan, do note that Italian shoes sizes are the same as European (EU) shoe sizes. So, be sure to download a handy conversion chart to your phone before arriving.
Famous Designer Brands
If you’re going on all-in on shoes in Milan, you might as well check out the most famous designer brands whose shoemaking history dates back to before you ever wore your first pair.
Santoni
Their products talk about Italy’s shoe excellence. They sell shoes for men and women that combine tradition and innovations, with a selection of sneakers, ankle boots, high heels, and others.
Giannico
If you’re searching for the artistic kind of shoemaking approach, you could spoil your feet with a pair of Giannico. Under this brand, the Milanese designer, Nicolò Beretta, creates a wide range of sparkly, eye-catching, and elegant footwear for both men and women.
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Handcrafted Shoes
The personal touches that go into handcrafted footwear can be felt in your heart, as well as your feet. If you’re looking for something unique and perfectly you, these master craftsmen are a great place to start.
Belfiore
Belfiore, located near Milan’s center, this shoe handcrafting workshop is owned by Gianalberto Pontiggia. He continues the Pontiggia family tradition, since 1953. Any detail can be customized according to your personal taste and style. They specialize in men’s shoes and produce elegant models: loafers, lace-up. Upon request, you can have even your initials imprinted.
Manee
It is a handmade shoe store right in the heart of Milan, in Brera. They design shoes and boots, with a special love given to each pair and design. They create from men’s boots, sneakers, and formal shoes to women’s shoes, sandals, boots, and sneakers.
Stivaleria Savoia
Being the official shoe artisans of the Savoy Cavalry Regiment, which was stationed in Milan in the 19th, Stivaleria Savoia became one of the men’s shoes elegance landmarks. Their original shop is still open. Any stylish man could enrich his wardrobe with fancy boots, business and derby shoes, or monk straps.
Calzoleria Rivolta
With a rich tradition in the shoemaking industry, Calzoleria Rivolta, located not far from the Milanese town center, offers a wide variety of stylish shoes, ranging from boots and moccasins to sneakers. Women can purchase models from the 1883 Heritage Collection. You can also place your order for a specific original pair, priced accordingly.
Ortigni
In the beginning, in 1930, Ortigni was just a footwear workshop with everything needed to create exquisite pairs of shoes. After just 15 years, Alegro Ortigni and his father, Paulo, opened their shop. Running the business at the 3rd generation, Stefano Ortigni continues his elders’ shoe craftsmanship.
Artisanal Footwear
Traditional or futuristic, but always highly functional are the best traits of artisanal craftsmanship and these stores will have you wowing about their uniqueness, along with their somewhat more affordable prices.
Moma
Due to their mixture of traditional artisanal craftsmanship and futuristic design, Moma has become a respected brand at an international level. In Milan, you can try all their innovative, edgy products that shake up the luxury market. They have a philosophy that blends the story of the artisan behind the collections, the raw materials the research for novelty. They are proud of each pair’s uniqueness, due to small details and imperfections. They provide a wide range of loafer, derby shoes, sneakers, boots, for men and women.
Fratelli Rossetti
It is a shoe store with a huge number of choices both in colors and models. They create models for women and men, such as lace-ups, loafers, slip-on, sneakers, pumps, ankle boots, sandals, flat shoes.
High-End Retailers
Not all great Italian shoes are made in Milan, but you can be sure to find those that aren’t in Milan fashion districts and high-end shopping malls like Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.
La Rinascente
La Rinascente is a famous department store chain that reunites almost all shoe brands from Italy and worldwide. They are dedicated to high-end customers. They present you with an amazingly wide range of products, the best of the best from Italian designers, and others. You can find Adidas, All Star Converse, Armani, Alexander Mcqueen, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Chiara Ferragni, Converse, Christian Dior, Christian Louboutin, Dolce & Gabbana, Giuseppe Di Morabito, Givenchy, Jimmy Choo, Karl Lagerfeld, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Puma, Stuart Weitzman, Superga, Ugg and many more.
Excelsior Milano
Designed as a fashion hub, by the French architect Jean Nouvel, with seven stores to explore, Excelsior Milano is a shoe paradise, for women, men and children. They mostly focus on sports-wear, sneakers, boots, both Italian and international brands.
Street Footwear
Practical, but stylish street shoes are the latest rage in Milan and you’ll find many a Milanese shopping for the latest styles in these stores.
Superga
Way back at the beginning of the 20th century, one of the first Italian modern shoemakers was producing their first pairs. Superga was founded in 1911, and nowadays it opened stores on most continents. Since then, fashion products of Italy regained the reputation they once had almost a millennia ago.
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One Block Down
It is one of the most popular shoe stores in Milan. They are located in a very touristic area, close to Piazza del Duomo and Galeria Vittorio Emanuelle. You can choose from hundreds of pairs: sneakers, running shoes, skaters, baskets. It is a youthful concept store, based on hip-hop and high-tech cultures, and reunites some of the most prestigious brands.
Spectrum Store
It is a street-wear and graffiti-themed shop where you can find your favorite sports brands, altogether. You can find from Addidas to Fila, Kappa, as well as the Italian brands.
Casual Footwear
If you’re looking for something simple, yet elegantly affordable, Bata has a great selection of Italian and International brands.
Bata
Besides their usual collection signed with their own brand, Bata stores include several other Italian and international brands for men, women, and children. They have several shops all over Milan and organize often discount campaigns. Moreover, Milan also has a Bata Outlet store, where you can buy their older collections at even lower prices.