I don't know how to ask this question without offending those who object to humans wearing animal skins so please just accept my apologies in advance and leave at that.

I would like to purchase a mink coat for my wife for our 20th anniversary. Since we are planning a trip to Italy this spring I wondered if Milan, being the fashion capital of the world, would be a good place to find a quality fur at a better price than here in the states...or would the fashion capital of the world be the last place to find a (relative) bargain? I admit complete ignorance of the subject and welcome the advice of Fodor's fashion divas.

I'm not touching this one with an Hermes scarf.

I have a feeling there may have been a savings BEFORE the advent of the euro. Since then, especially with the bad exchange rate, I doubt there'd be a savings.

For any shopping quest, check the prices at home first so you have an appropriate comparison.

I suspect given the cost of anything like this there may be duty to pay upon return, too, so factor that possibility along with the Dollar-E uro exchange rate when checking prices at home.

I have no thoughts on fur one way or the other but if I were you, I would check prices in New York's fur district. I would guess that Milan is not a place to consider buying a mink coat.

Yes, the unfavorable exchange rate occurred to me as a factor, but I had also read a portion of tax paid at purchase was refunded upon return to the states. I hoped they might balance each other. I will definitely check New York and Canada prices first. Thanks fr the reply.

The tax thing isn't a wash.

Italy charges VAT at 20%, so you get 16.6% of your purchase price refunded.

The US imposes 4% import duty on mink coats: it'd be up to 32% on the t-shirts from Bangladesh you'd buy at Wal-Mart, which says something about the relative importance of t-shirt buyers and mink coat buyers in legislators' priorities

I'm assuming the coat's going to cost over the $1800 that travellers can import at no or reduced duty. That 4% really ought to be calculated on the price before VAT was added.

So knock a seventh off the Milan price for the net price to you.