Italian Girls Can't Get Enough of These Affordable Brands

Italy has long been associated with craftsmanship—the "Made in Italy" label is a shorthand for exclusivity, and it has a reputation for creating the finest leather goods in the world. Paris might have couture, however, Milan is also the home of luxury fashion, thanks to powerhouse brands, such as Fendi, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Ferragamo, Prada, Valentino, and Versace.

The fashion scene in Italy is certainly luxury-focused—it’s not a country that is known for its affordable fashion, unlike Sweden with the H&M group, Spain with Zara and its many sister brands, and the UK and the British high street. The piazzas might be dominated by the Dolce & Gabbanas of this world, however, some affordable labels deserve spotlighting too. Superga, who created the white canvas shoes beloved by the Princess of Wales, for example, was first founded in a factory in Turin in 1911. Artknit also crafts beautiful knitwear with 100% natural fibres, without the MaxMara price tags. In the '00s, denim brands Miss Sixty and Diesel reached huge commercial success—the former is in the middle of a renaissance to appeal to a Gen Z customer, with marketing tactics such as a collaboration with Mowalola. Read on to see and shop affordable Italian clothing brands you'll probably want to commit to memory for the long run.

1. Superga

Superga was founded in 1911 in Turin, Italy, starting with the production of waterproof rubber boots. In 2025, the brand will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its iconic white canvas tennis pumps, the 2750, a simple shoe that has been worn by the likes of Alexa Chung and the Princess of Wales. The brand markets itself as creating the ‘people’s shoes of Italy.’

2. Artknit Studio

The quality of Artknit is what sets it apart, as each piece is made by a community of makers in small and medium-sized family-run business across the country, with artisan workshops in Modena, Genova, Lecce, and more. Everything is produced at a slower pace following Italian textile traditions and using 100% natural fibres.

3. Reina Olga

Inspired by the tiny bikinis she saw in Rio, Brazil, Guia Cleps decided to launch her own swimwear brand with her sister Isotta. They take inspiration from both Italian and Brazilian summers, as they were inspired by the style they saw on the Amalfi coast, with revealing silhouettes and a lot of animal print. Reina Olga is named after their grandmothers, with production housed in a swimwear and lingerie atelier in Milan.

4. Weekend MaxMara

Weekend MaxMara is the more affordable diffusion-line offering from MaxMara, that still has the same focus on tailored separates, knitwear and elevated design.

5. Comme Si

American shoppers love to invest in small loungewear labels from Europe, and Comme Si has a growing US customer base. It was launched in 2019 in an attempt to elevate the classic trouser stock, with factories based in Northern Italy. Although the ribbed socks remain a hero item for the brand, it has now expanded to create silk loungewear and boxer shorts that are so chic you’ll want to wear them out of the house.

6. Vibi Venezia

Viola and Vera Arrivabene grew up in Venice, wearing the slippers that the gondoliers famously wear (known as Furlane shoes). They decided to modernize the classic slippers and bring them to a global audience. The slippers are all handmade in Italy, using rich, jewel tones and indulgent fabrics, such as satin and velvet.

7. ArchivioB

Sisters Chiara and Benedetta grew up surrounded by knitting, as their family owned a knitwear brand and had generations of knowledge. In 2014 they launched their own label ArchivioB, with a focus on craftsmanship and quality yarns.

8. Solotre

You'll find everything you could need among Solotre's design-led collections, which has a focus on knitwear and tailoring. This is another family-led business, which was founded in 2015 in Padua by the Zanchi family, that has a rich history in the textile industry. Bonus: Each piece looks at least triple its actual price.

9. Miss Sixty

Miss Sixty is a classic Italian brand known for top-quality denim, but its other pieces are just as covetable. It was founded in 1991 and the low-rise jeans became the height of fashion in the ‘90s and ‘00s, worn by the likes of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Unsurprisingly Gen-Z has discovered vintage Miss Sixty, leading to a steady Miss Sixty comeback over the last few years, with a campaign with Bella Hadid in 2021 and a recent collaboration with Mowalola.

10. Calzedonia

Italian girls turn to Calzedonia for all their beachwear and legging needs, which is a giant in retail. Founded in Verona in 1976, it now has thousands of stores globally and is one of six brands within the umbrella group. Turn to Calzedonia for all of your hosiery needs.

11. Marina Rinaldi

Part of the Max Mara group, Marina Rinaldi is a plus-size fashion label that prides itself on craftsmanship and beautiful fabrics. Although it technically falls in the luxury bracket, there are several pieces you can find for under $200.

12. Furla

Italy is known for its luxury handbag production, however Furla is positioned at a more accessible price point. It was founded in 1927 in Bologna, distributing products via wholesale, however in the ‘70s made its first branded handbags. The Sfera bag in particular has a sleek and elegant design that feels so right for now.

13. Diesel

Founded in 1978 in Molvena, Italy, Diesel has become a powerhouse, with denim at the core of its offering still. The runway at the spring/summer 2025 show, for example, was covered in scraps of denim, nodding towards the textile waste crisis—the brand had gone from using three percent recycled or regenerative cotton to over 50 percent per several years, overseen by creative director Glenn Martens.

This post was originally published at an earlier date and has been recently updated.