TRAVEL + LEISURE / JANUARY 2017 67
GOTEMBA, JAPAN | Gotemba
Premium Outlets
This outlet mall has the added advantage of
striking views of Mt Fuji hanging over it, and with
hundreds of brands both Japanese and
international, there’s enough shopping to take
up an entire day. Some of the more interesting
and hard-to-fi nd (when it comes to typical
outlet mall material) options include Alexander
Wang, Issey Miyake, Maison Margiela, and
Vivienne Westwood. premiumoutlets.com
GETTING THERE There are one or two
direct buses per day each from Tokyo Station,
Shinjuku Station, and Shinagawa Station to the
outlets. It takes 90 minutes to get there, and a
round trip ticket is available for YEN 2,880 and
includes a coupon book and a special gift.
Make sure you book ahead. Alternatively, you
can take the Asagiri Limited Express from
Odakyu Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Gotemba
Station and transfer to the free shuttle bus to
the outlets. The trip takes around 100 minutes
and costs about Yen 2,800.TUSCANY, ITALY | The Mall
Deep in the heart of the rolling hills of Tuscany sits this designer outlet
mall that’s technically an outdoor space that houses individual boutiques
from all the major Italian labels including Gucci, Fendi, Moschino, and
Versace, plus harder-to-find outlets like Tom Ford, Philipp Plein, Lanvin,
and Alexander McQueen. You could easily spend an entire day here
scouring the racks for 30 to 50 per cent off. Most notably, the Fendi outlet
has an amazing selection of limited-edition Baguette bags. The Mall is
also a convenient 30-minute drive from Prada Space, so plan on making a
day of it. And unless you are blessed with an equally passionate-about-
fashion partner, don’t even bother bringing them along. themall.it
GETTING THERE There’s a direct bus that departs from Busitalia Bus station in Florence,
and return tickets cost €13. The bus has free wifi!MONTEVARCHI, ITALY | Prada Space Outlet
This is Prada and sister line Miu Miu’s factory
outlet, about an hour drive or train ride from
Florence, Italy. It’s located in the middle of
nowhere, but it’s defi nitely worth the trip. If you
hit it at the right time (end of season) the huge
space is packed with the season’s runway
samples at a whopping 90 per cent off, as well
as menswear and a ton of one-off accessories
straight off the runway, like hats, scarves, and
gloves for as low as US$40.
Of everything, shoes are possibly your best
bet, with prices as low as US$75, and if you love
outlandish fashion, you’ll be in heaven, since the
outlet houses some of the labels’ wackiest
pieces here—like pink knee-high sequined boots
and a green mohair fur bag, which a friend
bought for about US$75 each. Yes, really.
GETTING THERE The secret is to drive on the
A1, the Autostrada del Sole or ‘Motorway of the
Sun’, the spinal cord of Italy’s road network that
runs from Milan to Naples. Alternatively, you
can take a shopping tour from Florence that
includes Prada Space and The Mall.BICESTER, UNITED KINGDOM |
Bicester Village
Winner of this year’s Best Shopping Destination
in our India’s Best Awards 2016 edition, Bicester
has more than 130 designer boutiques. The
outdoor outlet mall should be your number-one
stop to snag pieces from Britian’s top luxury
labels, among others. Think: Anya Hindmarch
bags, Smythson notebooks, Alexander
McQueen accessories, Rupert Sanderson heels,
All Saints jeans and more. Like it sounds, the
space is set up like a mini village full of discount
shops. Make sure to check the website for extra
deals. bicestervillage.com
GETTING THERE An hour from London, you
can either drive there, or take the train to
Bicester Village station from Maryleborne.
Alternatively, book the Shopping Express bus
that can pick you up from most major hotels
in London. Return tickets cost £28.SERRIS, FRANCE | La Vallee Village
In addition to the usual high-end labels that
other outlets carry, La Vallée Village has
individual boutiques dedicated to discounted
French fashion that you won’t fi nd anywhere
else. Carven, Givenchy, Céline, Kenzo,
Longchamp, Robert Clergie, Repetto, and Yves
Saint Laurent are just a few of the chic options.
lavalleevillage.com
GETTING THERE The village is only a
30-minute drive from Paris, so it’s defi nitely
worth renting a car. But if you’re feeling
uncertain about driving, you can take the
Shopping Express that departs twice a dayCLOCKWISE: MARK HAMILTON/ALAMY; COURTESY OF GOTEMBA PREMIUM OUTLETS; BIGRED/ALAMY from Place des Pyramids, Paris.
TRAVEL + LEISURE / JANUARY 2017 69