Hello TIGERS!
Finding the right materials in Florence, Italy for projects might be a whole adventure around the city. It takes a lot of curiosity to find the right places to shop for fabrics, trims, buttons, that you might be looking for. The following is a list of stores and markets that will help you through your search!
- Bacci – Located in the central market, in between all the local leather-goods vendors, this store was my go to when it came to buying fabrics for garments. They had such a wide range of fabrics, from linings to linen, from silk to velvet, even wool and Alpaca. Prices are good and there is a student discount.
- Giesse – This fabric store is located in between Florence City Center and Polimoda Design Lab in Scandicci. It is very convenient as a one-stop store, with a variety of supplies including: fabrics, trims, design tools, etc. Towards the back of the store, they have a container with remnants of fabrics with great prices since they are the final pieces.
- Cascine Market – Located in the Cascine Park right along the Arno River is one of the largest markets in the city. You can find anything you may need for your household, but most importantly it is a great place to find trims, ribbons, buttons, zippers, etc. There are also vendors with fabrics and you can find lace in some booths too. The market is also great for thrifting, prices are pretty cheap, and the great thing is that the market is so big there is so much you can find!
- Haberdashery Samba Di Villani Carmela – Located near the Duomo, this tiny store is great for ribbons and any extra embellishments you may want to use in projects. They have some beautiful brooches, appliques, buckles for belts, etc.
These were some of the ones that I went to the most and found great materials in each. There are, however, other stores, it all depends on the quality that you are looking for. There are some stores that have the finest of finest fabrics, it all depends on your budget.
Until next time,
Maria