Portofino shopping: a small boutique village

READ ME IN Italiano

«The penultimate stage of our trendy tour is in Liguria, and is one of the most beautiful places in Italy… Today we not only introduce you to Portofino but also to the best Portofino shopping. Read on!»

For the heading Shopping Maps (here the last episode) Snap Italy  today wants to tell you more about the amazing Portofino shopping. Portofino is one of the pearls of Italy, famous all over the world for its beautiful landscapes, its traditions and its luxury boutiques. The iconic port that overlooks the crystalline waters of the marine protected area is, moreover, one of the most chic destinations in Italy, frequented by entrepreneurs, royal families and celebrities.

Perhaps not everyone knows it, but Portofino (institutional site) was one of Guy de Maupassant’s favorite places, which even in honor of the Ligurian town wrote an appreciative poem.

AND HERE, SUDDENLY, YOU DISCOVER A HIDDEN INLET, OLIVE AND BROWN. A SMALL VILLAGE, PORTOFINO, WIDENS LIKE A MOON ARCH AROUND THIS CALM BASIN. WE SLOWLY CROSS THE NARROW PASSAGE THAT UNITES THE SEA WITH THIS MAGNIFICENT NATURAL HARBOR, AND WE GO TOWARDS THE AMPHITHEATER OF THE HOUSES, SURROUNDED BY A FOREST OF A MIGHTY AND FRESH GREEN, AND EVERYTHING IS REFLECTED IN THE MIRROR OF CALM WATERS, WHERE SOME FISHING BOATS SEEM TO BE SLEEPING
Guy de Maupassant

A characteristic feature of this wonderful corner of paradise are the narrow and intricate streets, dotted with boutiques, shops and craft workshops. From the great luxury  brands  to the small shops of local artisans, passing through the iconic  souvenir shops, Portofino is the ideal place for an unforgettable shopping experience in full Italian style.

Let’s start immediately with a gem that represents Portofino shopping: Nives, a historic lingerie boutique, famous for its wonderful embroidery. The founder, Nives Baldini Cecchi, began her career in the 50s as a designer at one of the most prestigious laboratories in Florence. In 1962, following her passion for this art, with her creativity and practical experience, she decided to open her own workshop. After a few years spent designing and creating its own line of products, the laboratory grew to become a name among the experts of fine linens and lovers of the quality of materials and the art of hand embroidery, with its innovative lines but at the same time light and harmonious. Today, it is the children who carry on the family tradition: the embroidery techniques adopted are varied, from the frame to the hand embroidery, to the recent introduction of the hand-machine, always using fabrics like linen, cotton, wool and silk.

Along Via Roma, near Molo Umberto I, we find important  Italian and foreign brands: Emilio Pucci, Longchamp, Dior, l’Antica Sartoria di Giacomo Cinque and Brunello Cucinelli, to name a few. Right here, then, there is one of the obligatory shopping stops in Portofino, the Spinnaker shop. The first boutique, whose name is inspired by the jargon of sailing, was opened by Lorenza Betti in Alassio, in 1976, and today Spinnaker is one of the most important multi-brand companies at the national level. Curiosity, imagination, creativity and consolidated experience come together to reinterpret the best the world of luxury offers, through a style that ends up becoming unique. Listed by the Chamber of Fashion among THE BEST SHOPS in Italy, the company owns thirteen stores where it offers men’s and women’s fashion from the best brands. As a highlight of Portofino shopping, you must pay it a visit!

Finally, another historic place to visit is the Mingo Portofino shoe shop, a boutique founded in 1936. According to tradition, the fame of the cobbler who gave life to this activity began to circulate after an important commission, entrusted to him by the Countess Camerana who asked him to reproduce a sandal that she liked a lot. The name of the artisan, who since then specialized in the creation of footwear by hand, began to spread and, in parallel, increased the craft production of the shop with the creation of its first summer rope shoes and then, following the applications in cork, its first “zatteroni” (“rafts”). The production dedicated to men also intensified, especially with the car shoes moccasins, much loved by the Gianni Agnelli (the “Lawyer”) who, when he landed with his boat at the port of Portofino, did not fail to pay a visit to the shopkeeper. Today it is the cobbler’s sons who carry on the boutique, which no longer has its own production, but continues to maintain a high level of footwear and shopping in Portofino.

Finally, another historic place to visit is the Mingo Portofino shoe shop, a boutique founded in 1936. According to tradition, the fame of the cobbler who gave life to this activity began to circulate after an important commission, entrusted to him by the Countess Camerana who asked him to reproduce a sandal that she liked a lot. The name of the artisan, who since then specialized in the creation of footwear by hand, began to spread and, in parallel, increased the craft production of the shop with the creation of its first summer rope shoes and then, following the applications in cork, its first “zatteroni” (“rafts”). The production dedicated to men also intensified, especially with the car shoes moccasins, much loved by the Gianni Agnelli (the “Lawyer”) who, when he landed with his boat at the port of Portofino, did not fail to pay a visit to the shopkeeper. Today it is the cobbler’s sons who carry on the boutique, which no longer has its own production, but continues to maintain a high level of footwear and shopping in Portofino.

We have told you about the highlights of Portofino shopping, now it’s your turn to go see for yourselves!

Raffaella Celentano

READ ME IN Italiano