A well-guarded address that fashionable Roman women share with only their best visiting friends, this shop in the Piazza di Spagna is a shoe fetishist’s fantasy. The shoes and sandals change each season but all are beautifully made with a classic elegance and flair.

A recent addition to the Monti neighborhood, this store offers a variety of European designers. B’s all-black inventory (in winter) includes not only clothes but accessories like jet beads; in the warmer months, the inventory extends to white as well.

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Since 1980, when Cristina Bomba opened her boutique, she has provided a distinctly Italian take on comfortable, expressive clothing. In addition to selling beautiful blouses, dresses, evening wear and accessories like silk purses, there is also an on-site tailor to make custom pieces and do alterations. Bomba also sells Luisa Cevese and Ramich bags, shoes by Repetto and hats from Nafi’ de Luca.

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Sano, a Sicilian-born craftsman, uses old-fashioned tools and techniques to create handmade leather bags with a surreal twist: his traditional-looking men’s satchels have what appears to be a giant bite out of them and purses are playfully crafted in the shape of fish or fortune cookies. Another popular design has red lips planted like a kiss on its front.

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At Dal Co, you can design your own footwear, choose from the shop’s collection or select a design from its archives. Each pair of shoes is custom-made and delivered within weeks. Run by Silvia Dal Co, granddaughter of the founder, the company has catered to women who take pride in their footwear, including style icons like Audrey Hepburn and Mariella Agnelli, for years.

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The Cenci family has been dressing the most fashionable Italians for more than eighty years. The third generation of couturiers runs the business now, which has outposts in Milan and New York, but this is the flagship, where you’ll find the largest selection of their clothes as well as brands like Burberry and Ralph Lauren. Custom pieces can also be ordered.

The two-level shop sells the wares of little-known designers from Italy, Germany and Japan in a lovely space with whitewashed wood floors and brick archways.

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Located in the very authentic area around Via Monserrato and a few steps from the crowded Campo de Fiori and the Piazza Navona, sits this atelier, specializing in jewelry that combines the precious with semi-precious in innovative, exciting and glamorous ways.

Just as Romans have their preferred gelato spots, so do they tend to pick a leathermaker and stick to his wares. True Trussardi families wouldn’t order anywhere else, and neither would Polidori loyalists. Every piece is made to order with the finest hides and hand-stitching.

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Cristina Tardito’s flagship boutique shows her ready-to-wear line, plus accessories like her Boudoir bag and wonderful swimsuits, which are a staple with the Forte dei Marmi crowd.

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This is the top swimsuit shop in the city—a must for anyone in Rome on their way to Capri, Amalfi or anyplace along the Mediterranean where bare glamour is appreciated.

In one of Rome’s oldest neighborhoods is the custom shirtmaker Mimmo Siviglia. For almost half a century, Siviglia has been making bespoke shirts for men and women out of the finest Italian cloth. His small shop has brightly painted yellow walls and shelves lined with bolts of fabric—from pastel-colored Egyptian cotton to twill and flannel. You will have to have two fittings and must order a minimum of a half dozen shirts, but once they have your form down (assuming it stays the same), you can order and he will ship anywhere in the world.

It’s clear from the sexy lingerie sold here that Per Non Dormire, which translates to “not for sleeping,” lives up to its name. By appointment only.

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This eco-concept store is the brainchild of designer Ilaria Venturini Fendi whose Carmina Campus project produces accessories, furniture and design pieces all made from recycled, re-used and re-fashioned materials. The whimsical collection includes laptop sleeves made from airplane seats, purses embellished with mirrors saved from the inside of cars, and bags made with vintage fabrics and non-recyclable fabrics from end-of-line stocks from major Italian fashion houses.

Each piece is crafted by highly trained artisans. The designer has spearheaded projects with the U.N., working on one line in particular with artisans in Africa, but the staff at the Rome store points out that it is also important to note that most of the products are made by Italian craftspeople whose skills are in danger of dying out in light of cheap overseas productions.

Carmina Campus accessories are sold at such design-conscious stores as L’Eclaireur in Paris and Joyce in Hong Kong, but Re(f)use is the only free-standing store entirely dedicated to this wonderful project. It’s one of Rome’s most interesting—and worthwhile—new boutiques.

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Stylish Roman women avoid the big labels and head to Twombly’s atelier for her feminine, one-of-a-kind creations that both flatter and impress. By appointment only; mention your Indagare membership.

With the same kind of cult following as Jacques Fath once had among fashionable travelers to Paris, Sorelle Fontana, near the Spanish Steps, has long catered to aristocratic ladies who know exactly what they like. Many Americans got their first glimpse of the fashion house’s look on Hollywood stars in the movies, including Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday and Ava Gardner in The Barefoot Contessa. The current designer, Marco Coretti, carries on their couture business and has added a ready-to-wear line.

For those who can’t decide whether to shop for home, fashion or art, TAD can satisfy any of those cravings, as well as one for lunch. This self-styled concept store has a bit of everything, from clothing and accessories to plates, vases and fabrics. TAD, which stands for “tendenze e antiche debolezze” (trends and old weaknesses), displays the work of young artists along with its wares. The Zen-ish restaurant in the back is perfect for a late lunch after a day of shopping.

Founded in 1913 by Domenico Caraceni, this bespoke tailor shop is famous for its exquisite suits, shirts and other fitted garments for both men and women, including impeccable cashmere blazers (Gianni Agnelli had his suits made here). Tommy and Guilio Caraceni carry on their family’s commitment to the highest quality. A word of warning: there are other Caraceni shops, including one in Milan, but this is the only place to get a true Caraceni item. Appointments are necessary; be sure to mention Indagare for special attention.

Part of an urban redevelopment project in the EUR district (a half-hour taxi ride from the city center), this massive concept store mixes luxury brands (Lanvin, Jil Sander, Yamamoto) with up-and-coming labels. There are also some upscale food outlets.