Blockbuster Bargains Come Blocchisti Style
Guiseppe Falzone smiles as he retells the story about the mink-clad countess and her friend, an Italian socialite, who unexpectedly encountered each other in his shop.
“ Ciao ,” says the countess, as her friend, a member of a prominent Milanese jewelry family, entered Falzone’s outlet for discounted European designers’ clothing. “But you know about this place, too?”
“Oh no,” the other says quickly. “Someone only told me about it yesterday.”
Falzone has long known both women as customers in the Milan shop bearing his name. But in this city, renowned for its high fashion, hundreds of its best-dressed women never reveal their favorite sources, even to dear friends. Not surprisingly, few tourists realize that such cut-rate treasures exist.
These modified factory outlets, called blocchisti, sell last season’s haute couture in settings far removed from the refinement of downtown’s chic boutiques, and at a fraction of the salons’ original prices.
No Advertising
Often in basements or inside courtyards, the blocchisti remain unadvertised. They have no signs or window displays, although neighborhood residents can usually point strangers in the right direction.
And despite some customers’ reticence, most newcomers arrive by word of mouth.
“The models come here,” Falzone says, “and some students, but not many tourists. It’s not on their circuit.”
Indeed, after seeing some of Milan’s notable sights, most visitors simply window-shop. Strolling along Via Monte Napoleone during the early evening passagiata, they browse among some of Europe’s most expensive shops.
But the blocchisti are supplied by many of the same Italian designers whose shops line Monte Napoleone: Valentino, Versace, Armani, Ferri, Fendi and Cerrutti. Other Europeans also are represented in force, including Gaultier, Basile, Thierry Mugler and Montana. Lesser-known designers offer even better bargains. And though women’s clothing dominates the selection, some stores also carry men’s lines, especially Valentino, Armani, Versace and Cerrutti.
Demanding Clientele
“Valentino is still everyone’s favorite,” Falzone says. “Yet there are others who are just as good, and less expensive.”
Because Italians tend to demand a lot from their clothing, even “no-name” garments are generally made quite well, and in blocchisti they can cost far less than Americans might pay for synthetic fabrics at home. A simple white linen blouse costs $20, as does a tailored, long-sleeve silk blouse. A pleated and lined wool skirt is $35, an angora vest $12.
Yet work by even the most celebrated designers can be bought at bargain prices. Typical discounts range from 40% to 70% off Italian retail prices. European prices, however, are significantly lower than in the United States to begin with; the same garments may cost double or more after they’re exported to the United States.
At Monitor, which specializes in silk dresses, a previous season’s Valentino silk blazer, skirt and blouse ensemble is $330. That’s about half the price of a similar but current style at the designer’s Milan boutique.
At Il Salvagente, the biggest and best-known of the city’s blocchisti, a hand-stitched summer-weight wool suit by Mila Schon is $110, although the Schon boutique’s original sticker, still attached, priced the outfit at nearly $500. And at Leuce, which mainly carries haute couture, a Mondrani wool skirt is $60 while a butter-soft suede skirt by Versace is $100, minus its label.
Most Labels Removed
Removing such identifying marks is an unofficial agreement that most blocchisti owners abide by.
“Some people tell their friends they buy their clothes on Monte Napoleone,” Falzone says. “If someone ever asks why the label is missing, they say they took it out because it scratched their neck.”
To initiates, some designers’ work can be identified even without its label. But when customer Ruth Nassima wanted to know who designed the yellow linen blouse she was ready to buy, Falzone wouldn’t say. “Oh,” she urged, “you can tell me.” But the 45-year-old former police officer stood fast. “It’s a secret,” he said.
Revealing names can jeopardize a blocchista’s access to merchandise, and few owners risk it. Distributors often also request a year’s delay before surplus stock can be remaindered. For visiting Americans, who rarely see these styles during their first season anyhow, the delay makes little difference when they return home.
But occasionally a boutique customer sees an item she has just bought at full price on sale in a blocchista and returns to the boutique for a refund, said Falzone. The shopkeeper calls the distributor, “and they call me,” he continued. “And then I go and cut the labels out.”
Shop Early--and Often
Because stock is replenished sporadically, it’s best to browse the blocchisti frequently, even weekly. The sometimes chaotic nature of the stores means that the loose assortment can lose its order quickly. It’s good to arrive early, when most of the clothing is still on hangers and the sweaters may still be folded.
But Italians accustomed to the attentive service of small boutiques don’t seem to mind fending for themselves in blocchisti, where service can vary from solicitous to non-existent.
At Monitor, saleswomen may suggest combinations, and even bring to customers items they may not have noticed on the crowded racks. With such small favors, though, can come the pressure to buy.
In contrast, the only advice offered at Il Salvagente is the displayed request to restrict try-ons to three items at a time, because others are always waiting for the narrow, curtained dressing rooms.
Here, clothing is grouped by designer, not size. Customers check their packages in lockers, which are free, and items may be reserved for the day on open shelves beneath the cashier’s desk, where no one touches them.
Never on Sunday
As do most Italian shops, blocchisti close in the early afternoon and reopen around 3:30 p.m. Some, like Leuce and Falzone, open only after lunch. All are closed Sunday, and the majority remain shut Monday morning. The most congested hours are just before lunch and after work.
“On Saturdays it’s so crowded here, you can’t buy, just look,” says Patricia Tonbaco, a clerk at Vestistock, one of the largest blocchisti for men.
Suits by Armani, Cerrutti, Valentino and Basile range from $150 to $250. Men’s clothing is more likely to have the labels intact.
Garments sold in blocchisti are almost always in good condition, but no returns or exchanges are accepted. Wools should be bought carefully--an item marked “pure new wool” may not be. Articles labeled “pure cashmere” occasionally are illegally diluted with less expensive fibers such as angora.
At Falzone’s, hundreds of cashmere sweaters are stacked in two room-length rows of metal filing cabinets. The price of 100,000 lire, or about $65, is among the best in Italy, and cheaper than in many other blocchisti as well.
Because blocchisti serve a local clientele, the clothing is strictly geared to the season. Winter stock arrives in September, and cashmere, alpaca and a range of wools are in plentiful supply against Milan’s damp cold; summer clothing arrives in March. Prices are drastically cut shortly before the August vacation, when the entire city seems to empty. Most blocchisti are closed then, too.
Occasional Discounts
Because blocchisti owners know their prices are low to begin with, they are reluctant to negotiate. But at Leuce, where the women’s wear is more expensive than average, additional discounts can reach 20%. Longtime customers receive preferential treatment, and one-time shoppers may have to settle for less. Elsewhere, a supplemental discount of 5% should be considered acceptable, but it won’t be given to those who don’t ask.
Even well-dressed regulars don’t hesitate to request their sconto, the last-minute reduction that makes every Italian feel like a valued personal friend of the store’s owner. Appearances are shelved as the Fendi wallet is brought forth from the Louis Vuitton handbag. And the good price becomes just a little better.
Some of Milan’s best blocchisti: Il Salvagente, Frateli Bronzetti 16. Open from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. On bus route 60. The best-known of the blocchisti. Stocks designers from Thierry Mugler to Valentino at about 60% off retail. Some men’s clothing. Also bags and shoes. Arrive early for the most organized selection and smallest crowds.
Monitor, Viale Montenero 78. Open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 to 7 p.m. On bus routes 9, 29, 30 and 56. Specializes in silk dresses, at about $100. Also carries silk blouses and more casual wear. Women’s clothing only. Some English spoken.
Modastock, Viale Premuda 2. Walking distance from Monitor. Around the corner and down the driveway from the street address of Viale Premuda. Carries elegant sportswear for men and women. Fine wool turtlenecks, cotton and linen sweaters, and a good selection of polo shirts for men. Otherwise stock is fairly limited.
Leuce, Via Panizzi 6. Afternoons only, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. On bus routes 50 and 54. An excellent selection of fine designer wear for men and women. Carries Valentino, Versace and Armani, among others. Some shoes, sweaters. Prices range from $50 to $300; some negotiation is expected.
Frateli Recchia, Via Forze Armate 11. Metropolitan Red Line to Piazza Giovanni Bandenere. Sweaters for men and women in wool, angora, cashmere and alpaca. Casual clothes. Some linen.
Falzone, Via de Amicis 51. Inside the courtyard, on the second floor. Afternoons only, 3 to 7 p.m. Closed Mondays. On bus routes 96, 97, 50, 54. Wide selection of dresses, women’s suits and blouses. Silk shirts are $40, linen shirts $30. For cashmere, the best prices anywhere at $65 for men’s and women’s sweaters. One common dressing room. Bargain tables.
Unless noted, salespeople speak only Italian. No credit cards are accepted, and cash is preferred to traveler’s checks.
Bus and subway tickets are interchangeable. Buy them at the Metropolitana stations, or at tobacconists’ shops for 700 lire each, about 50 cents. Subway tickets may be used only once, but bus tickets are good for rides within 90 minutes after being stamped.
