14 Best Places to Shop in Piazza di Spagna, Rome

Founded in 1945, Brioni is hailed for its impeccably crafted menswear. Italy's best tailors create bespoke suits to exacting standards, measured to the millimeter and completely personalized from a selection of more than 5,000 spectacular fabrics. A single made-to-measure wool suit will take a minimum of 32 hours to make. The brand's prêt-à-porter line is also praised for peerless cutting and stitching. Past and present clients include Clark Gable, Barack Obama, and, of course, James Bond.

A Piazza di Spagna fixture since 1870, this was once the go-to shop for corsets, petticoats, stockings, and bonnets. Today, it's the place to stop for essential basics that are increasingly difficult to find, like fine-quality pajamas, underwear, and handkerchiefs made of wool and pure cashmere.

With a modern aesthetic that screams sex appeal, the Dolce & Gabbana brand has always thrived on excess and is known for its bold, creative designs. The Rome store is fittingly over the top, with marble floors, reproductions of Renaissance frescoes, and gold racks displaying the latest lines for men, women, and children.

Eddy Monetti, which began as a hat shop in Naples more than 130 years ago, is known for classic, upscale men's jackets, sweaters, slacks, and ties made out of wool, cotton, and cashmere. Sophisticated and pricey, the store carries a range of stylish British- and Italian-made pieces.

Elena Mirò is a high-end brand that offers curvy women sophisticated, beautifully feminine clothes in sizes 42 (U.S. size 6, U.K. size 10) and up. There are several locations in Rome, including one on Via Nazionale.

Fendi has been a fixture of the Roman fashion landscape since "Mamma" Fendi first opened shop with her husband in 1925. With an eye for genius, she hired Karl Lagerfeld, whose furs and runway antics made him one of the most influential designers of the 20th century and brought international acclaim to Fendi. More recently, the atelier has gotten new life in the Italian press for its "Fendi for Fountains" campaign, which included funding the restoration of Rome's Trevi Fountain, and for moving its global headquarters to a striking Mussolini-era building known as the "square Colosseum" in the city's EUR neighborhood. The flagship store in Rome is on the ground floor of Palazzo Fendi. Upper floors contain the brand's seven private suites (the first ever Fendi hotel), and the rooftop is home to Zuma, a modern Japanese restaurant with an oh-so-cool bar that has sweeping views across the city.

If you're the type who dares to be different and prefers funky statement clothes and accessories, you'll love the edgy selection here. Look for classy, avant-garde men's and women's styles by A-list designers that include Rick Owens and Yamamoto.

One of the most influential designers of Italian haute couture, Giorgio Armani is world-famous for dazzling evening gowns and iconic, clean-cut suits. The flagship store is the best place to find pieces that range from unique runway-worthy masterpieces to more wearable collections emphasizing casual Italian elegance with just the right touch of eccentricity and sensuality.

Guccio Gucci opened his first leather shop selling luggage in Florence in 1921, and, more than 100 years later, the success of the double-G trademark is unquestionable. Tom Ford joined as creative director in 1994, helping the fashion house move into a new era that refreshed the label's aesthetic with reinterpretations of old-school favorites like horsebit loafers and Jackie Kennedy scarves. Now, Gucci remains a fashion must for virtually every A-list celebrity.

Patrizia Pepe first emerged on the scene in Florence in 1993 with an aesthetic that's both minimalist and bold. Jackets with oversize lapels, playful pleats, mesmerizing mesh, and the occasional feathered poof set the designs apart. Spending time in the shop of this relative newcomer to the Italian fashion scene gives you the opportunity to pick up an item or two before the brand becomes the next fast-tracked craze.

Mario Prada founded the Italian luggage brand in 1913, but it has been his granddaughter, Miuccia, who updated the designs into the timeless investment pieces of today. You'll find the Rome store more service-oriented than the New York City branches—a roomy elevator delivers you to a series of thickly carpeted salons where a flock of discreet assistants will help you pick out dresses, shoes, lingerie, and fashion accessories. The men's store is located at Via Condotti 88/90, while the women's is down the street at 92/95.

Valentino fills most of Piazza di Spagna, where the designer lived for decades in a lovely palazzo next to one of the multiple boutiques showcasing his eponymous designs with a romantic edginess—think studded heels or prêt-à-porter evening gowns worthy of the Oscars. Rock stars and other music lovers can also have their Valentino guitar straps personalized when they buy one at this enormous boutique.

Versace's Rome flagship is a gem of architecture and design, with Byzantine-inspired mosaic floors, futuristic interiors with transparent walls, and merchandise that has a sexy rocker-Gothic-underground vibe. Here you'll find apparel, accessories, and home furnishings in designs every bit as flamboyant as Donatella and Allegra (Gianni's niece).

For more than 110 years, the brand founded by Ermenegildo Zegna has been a powerhouse of men's clothing in terms of both construction and fabric. Indeed, to ensure a high standard of quality, Zegna produces all the wool fabric it uses at its mill in the Italian Alps. Although there are also lines of sportswear, shoes, and accessories, this really is the place to splurge on a formal, tailored suit.