Where to Buy Children's Clothing in Florence
Dressing children in Italy has always been taken seriously, and that applies equally to the shops. Florence offers everything from small independent boutiques producing genuinely handmade pieces to well-known Italian brands with long-standing reputations for quality fabrics and careful construction. Knowing where to look - and which areas of the city to head for - saves you a good deal of wandering.
Where the best children’s boutiques are concentrated
The Oltrarno neighbourhood, on the south bank of the Arno, is where most independent children’s clothing shops have their roots. Streets like Via Maggio and Borgo San Jacopo have welcomed small businesses for generations, and several still operate as family-run boutiques where staff know every item on the rail. If you cross Ponte Vecchio and turn right, you can browse on foot with ease.
On the north side of the river, the streets around Via dei Servi and Piazza Santissima Annunziata form a quieter, less touristy shopping zone. Several good multibrand shops for children sit in this area, mixing Italian and European labels with a selective eye.
Via dei Tornabuoni and Via della Vigna Nuova are the luxury axis of Florence. Gucci, Prada, and Emilio Pucci all have children’s lines here. The quality is exceptional but prices reflect the address - expect to pay several hundred euros for a single piece. These streets are worth a window-shop even if you are not buying, if only to see how Italian high fashion approaches children’s design.
Italian labels worth knowing
Several brands with strong reputations are widely stocked across Florence’s shops.
Monnalisa, which was founded near Arezzo and has been sold in Florence for decades, makes children’s clothing between 3 months and 16 years that is distinctly Italian in character - detailed, colourful, and built to last. A top costs around 30 to 40 euros; a coat runs from 90 to 120 euros. The fabrics are consistently good.
Simonetta is one of the oldest names in Italian children’s dressing. Its pieces lean towards the classic - a smocked cotton dress, a formal shirt, a pair of well-cut trousers. A garment from Simonetta sits between 40 and 80 euros. It makes a considered gift if you want something made in Italy with genuine heritage.
Benetton is at the more accessible end of the Italian market. Its Florence branches stock sturdy, cheerful clothing for children of all ages. A complete outfit - top, trousers, and light jacket - comes to roughly 35 to 55 euros. The quality is solid for the price and the sizing is consistent.
For French luxury, Bonpoint has a Florence presence near Via dei Tornabuoni. Prices start at around 80 euros per piece. The tailoring is beautiful, though the investment is considerable.
Specific shops to visit
Mèlange Firenze on Via dei Servi is one of the most carefully curated children’s clothing shops in the city. It stocks a mix of Italian and European artisan brands that you will not find in chain stores, and the atmosphere is genuinely welcoming rather than intimidating. Items range from about 25 to 90 euros. The staff are knowledgeable and patient with children running their hands along the rails.
Raspini Junior, located on Via Roma close to the Duomo, is a dependable all-in-one destination for Italian children’s brands from newborn to 16 years. It has one of the broadest selections in the centre and is easy to combine with a visit to Piazza della Repubblica if you are already in that part of the city.
Luisa Via Roma on Via Roma is primarily known as an adult luxury boutique, but its upper floors include a well-chosen children’s section carrying both Italian and international designer pieces. Worth visiting if you want something genuinely special.
Il Guardaroba on Borgo San Jacopo in the Oltrarno focuses on natural fabrics and Italian-made production. The range runs from newborn to approximately age 8. Organic cotton pieces, simply designed, cost around 50 to 70 euros per outfit. The shop has a calm feel that suits visiting with younger children.
Second-hand and vintage options
Not every family arrives in Florence with a budget for boutique pricing, and the city has a reasonable selection of second-hand and vintage children’s clothing if you know when and where to look.
The Piazza dei Ciompi antiques market, which takes place on the last Sunday of each month, regularly includes stalls with vintage children’s clothing among the general mix of furniture, books, and curios. Pieces are typically priced between 5 and 15 euros. The atmosphere is relaxed and browsable with children in tow.
Diacci Vintage on Via dei Serragli carries occasional children’s pieces alongside its adult selection. Stock turns over frequently, so it is worth a look if you are nearby - and prices rarely climb above 20 euros per item.
Community-run Mercatino dei Bambini events pop up at various locations around Florence. These are informal swaps and sales of second-hand children’s clothes, toys, and equipment. Dates are announced on community notice boards and the Comune di Firenze website.
Practical notes on prices and sizing
Across independent Italian boutiques in the middle of the market, budget roughly 25 to 50 euros per item. T-shirts and leggings come in at 15 to 25 euros; coats and formal pieces sit between 70 and 120 euros. If you are shopping during the summer sales (saldi estivi, which run from early July) or the winter sales (saldi invernali, beginning in early January), discounts of 30 to 50 per cent are standard by law.
Italian children’s sizing tends to run slightly smaller than British or American equivalents. If your child is between sizes, choose the larger. Most independent boutiques are used to advising on this and will measure children if you ask.
When children are present during shopping, the smaller independent shops in the Oltrarno and around Via dei Servi are generally more relaxed than the large flagship stores on Via dei Tornabuoni. Staff in independent boutiques tend to be unhurried and will often talk directly to the child, which helps considerably.
A good base for this kind of family shopping in Florence puts you within easy walking distance of both the main shopping zones and the quieter neighbourhood boutiques. Charlotte is just five minutes from Santa Maria Novella station and well placed for the Oltrarno, making it a practical starting point for a morning’s browsing with children.
