Review: Richard Ginori 1735

So can you tell us a little about this place?
The Ginori porcelain factory was established just outside Florence in 1735, and it's been producing high-quality handcrafted porcelain ever since. The company's Florence flagship has stood on the same site since 1802, but was famously re-vamped in 2014 when it was acquired by Gucci. Today, it's one of the loveliest stores in the city—nearly 5,400 square feet of exquisite things—and one that's almost too beautiful to enter.

Sounds lovely! What can we find here, or what should we look for?
The collections are laid out in a series of rooms designed to mimic an elegant home: the dining room, the drawing room, the kitchen, and so on. Many designs have changed little over the years; all are priced as single items, and all are available for shipping.

Got it. If money’s no object, what goes in the cart?
Each piece in the Paesaggi, or Landscapes range, a Ginori classic, is painted by hand in the Sesto Fiorentino factory. One dinner plate costs €975 ($1,125).

And … what if we’re on a strict budget?
If you like white on white, you're in luck; a dinner plate from the all-white Vecchio Ginori line (designed in 1740) costs €34 (about $39); a mug with gold trim costs around €70 (about $80).

Excellent. What's the experience of shopping here like?
Ginori is a classic local brand; many Florentine homes have some Ginori pieces gracing their dining tables. Most visitors come to ogle the gorgeous stock rather than to buy, but every now and then you'll see someone reaching for the credit card.

Noted! Any secret tips, or “don’t go home without” purchases?
During the shop's occasional sales, items from the factory in Sesto Fiorentino are sold off at ridiculously low prices.