Florence Summer Sales & Armani

Well, summer sales in Florence continue through September 8, and it is clear that this pigeon is window shopping at the Armani boutique near Piazza della Repubblica.

He (I assume the bird is male given that the point of attraction is a pair of men's shoes)
shares my taste.

I really can't afford designer clothes but if I could I would choose Armani.

I am the lucky owner of two Armani pillows given as a gift to

journalists when one of his boutiques opened on or close to via Tornabuoni.

I saw Giorgio at the inauguration and remembered feeling worried about his

excessive tan -- his face was beginning to resemble leather.

I love Armani fashion.

I also purchased a pair of gorgeous cream colored linen Emporio Armani pants 

in the Galluzzo market.  As my heart sister, Mary Louise, would say,

"the hand" (I am the daughter of an Italian tailor) reached out and touched

the fabric of items on a rack.  "The hand" felt a find and began to shake. Voilà! 

I became the proud owner of another Armani for only €30!

Back in downtown Florence, after a few minutes, the bird's attention towards the shoes began to wane.  Maybe even the sales prices was too steep, or that he simply realized, being pigeon-toed,
the pair wouldn't fit.

But there still is plenty of sales shopping for visitors and residents alike throughout Florence.

Not nearly as elegant as Armani, but available.

Handy if you are heading to the beach, as I am tomorrow.

But I am not a size 6.

But this is a sales shoe story.  One of my interns purchased a pair of sandals at a shop between

Piazza della Repubblica and Ponte Vecchio.

On the surface, the sandals appeared to be a good buy.

Nice, huh?

But always look beyond the surface.
And regarding sales in Florence, remember to keep your receipt.

Sales time (January-February, July - early September) is probably the only time that the

sales staff or proprietor will allow you to make a return.
Why?
Because sales periods in Italy are regulated by law.

After less than a week of wear, the soles of Natalia's shoes were cracked as the ancient Florentine pavement they are laying on.  Unwearable because they were falling apart, Natalia brought the sandals back to the store, which, in the absence of a sales receipt, refused
to reimburse her money or make an exchange.

Given the fact that the model was still in the window,

I would suggest calling the vigili urbani (the local city police squad) if you find yourself in a similar situation.

"Do you know a cobbler?" Natalia asked me.  I accompanied her to

one located on via Matteo Palmieri, right behind our office on Borgo degli Albizi.

His look of disgust says it all.

What's to be done?

The shoemaker simply made the sign of the cross, as 

an Italian priest would at a funeral.

The shoes were as dead as the time-honored practice of asking for a discount 

("lo sconto") at his repair business, as stated by the notice behind him

("deceduto").

End of story -- almost.

Discounts, at least during sales periods, are still alive and well in

Florence.  You simply need to know where to go.

The pigeon and I do.  Today it's only window shopping at Armani.

Tomorrow, who knows?

                                                 reporting live from Beautiful Florence

                                                                       --Rosanna