It is enough to walk through the squares of any great Italian city, or even a small town, to realize that the Italians are forerunners of sophistication and style. Since the 1950s, Italy has rivaled France in terms of European style and sophistication, and now Rome is starting to overtake Milan as the hotbed of avant-garde fashion in Italy.

However, there are people behind the scenes who bring about this change. The great outdoor fashion show “Donna Sotto le Stelle” takes place in the Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna) every year in July, it was established by the “AltaRoma” organization, perhaps the most prominent actor in the establishment from Rome as one of the top contenders on the international fashion scene and each year presents AltaRomAltaModa, a wonderful showcase of haute couture collections from well-established and emerging global designers.

To get your hands on some high fashion like the “Donna Sotto le Stelle” extravagance, you need to head straight to “Via Dei Condotti” near “Piazza Di Spagna”. Here you will find the most avant-garde fashion in classy stores and boutiques that ooze sophistication. Other major shopping streets in the area include Via Frattina, Via della Croce, Via delle Carrozze and Via del Babuino. The pretty Via Margutta, parallel to Via del Babuino, is full of nice art galleries and antique shops, packed with people throughout the day and night. Close to the shopping district you will find some of the most sophisticated Rome hotels and apartments in Rome, the perfect way to enjoy your shopping trip to Rome in style!