Our compatriots first appeared in a Milan fashion Mecca of luxury and mid-1990s and soon made a revolution in the minds of local merchants. “Purchasing power of these people was stunning! – Says the director of a jewelry store on Via Montenapoleone, – I once at a time to knock out a check for (then went to the expense of the lyre), corresponding to today’s € 350 000. ”

Previously, buyers from Russia, the money simply did not believe, moreover, it seemed, wanted to spend as much as possible and buy the most expensive. So that the local owners of boutiques and fast bearings have to hire Russian-speaking salespeople for communicating with a difficult customer. In this case, the consensus view montenapoleonovskih merchants, particularly refined taste, these buyers are also no different: basically they were interested in big name brands with the (primarily Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli), and most importantly – the things that it was impossible not to notice . Before “The Discreet Charm of the bourgeoisie” was far away.

But over time, and tastes, and habits of Russian regulars Milan fashion quadrilateral formed by the streets of Via Montenapoleone, Via Borgospesso, Via della Spiga and Via Sant’Adrea, gradually changed, and the beginning of the global crisis they have firmly taken the situation there is permanent VIP-persons. “Many have become regular customers, came at the time the next collection to be the first to get the latest news, happy to go to the boutiques, looking not just something expensive and brand, and a stylish, appropriate to their individual style,” – says the president of the Association Via Montenapoleone Guglielmo Mian.

Naturally, these clients were a real barometer of economic well-being and in every way holili, cherished and nurtured. However, the financial crisis has not bypassed this contingent, and many regulars just do not come on a regular shopping. “Of course, the Russian suffered much less than Americans or Europeans – personal shopper says Marina S. – Although some of my regular customers were those who lost more than a week € 50 000, yet they were very wealthy. Yet with their Montenapoleone as the wind blew. People began to think about where the money went. Previously, this just did not happen! ”

Fortunately for local merchants, the Russian crisis did not last so long, and in 2010 returned to the Russian amicably Montenapoleone and the neighborhood: According to the already mentioned association, the number of purchases for the first 9 months, 24% more than their number in 2009. In general, clients from Russia amounted to about 17% of all buyers, but to the 2007 level, according to Guglielmo Mian, far away. However, shock therapy, the crisis has not passed without leaving a trace, and buyers become less wasteful: the average cost of a one-time purchases remained at the level of crisis in 2009, little more than € 1000 (these data were obtained by the Association Via Montenapoleone in research conducted with the participation of companies and Premier Tax Free Global Blue) .

But not only in quantitative terms, manifests the difference between pre-and post-crisis clients. Changed their approach to the selection of brands and individual items. “Earlier it seemed that the Russian are not buying as much for themselves as to show others what they have recently shifted to personal taste – says Mian. – Steel in demand brands that are not too well known to the masses, but give a guarantee of exclusive quality: Pedrazzoni, Bucellati, Lorenzi, Sabbadini and – do not consider a lack of modesty! – My brand Larusmiani. In this lady, of course, more prone to emotional purchases and vending for a fur coat or necklaces are ready without hesitation to lay out more than a dozen of thousands, but men can in search of the right things around is not a store, not yet fully convinced of the correctness of his choice. ”

Pietro Dzangrandi, director of the boutique jewelry brand Rosato, admits: “Several years ago we buyers from Russia just did not look, because our brand is interesting for its design, original shapes and colors and quite democratic prices on. And recently, Russian began to show interest in us! ”

In other words, the crisis has taught regulars Via Montenapoleone in Russia to spend money carefully, and the Milanese businessmen showed that the Russian clients should be treated in new ways: to replace the brand-oriented came to value-oriented buyers, which is not enough to offer the popular brand – they have to convince that the purchased item is beautiful, exclusive, prestigious, and most importantly, qualitative. After all, these days offer truly limitless: from the boutiques of the same brand in Moscow, albeit much more expensive to cheaper suburban outlets, has long cultivated a thrifty fellow, where today’s customers Montenapoleone is not considered shameful to look sometimes.

Author: Pasqualino di Marineo Marquis