Something for the weekend

While the rest of us bemoan the shorter days, for fashionistas, the end of the summer means lots of fabulous new clothes. Autumn is all about luxurious knits and coats like blankets and, unsurprisingly, for label junkies these cost a fortune. But before you rush out to Harvey Nichols, there's a far cheaper way to fill your wardrobe.

A travel company is offering a weekend in Tuscany and a tour of the region's best factory outlet shops, where Italy's top designers sell old lines for a fraction of the original prices. At £589, the trip is pricey, but the idea is that the bargains make it pay for itself - and you stay two nights in a five-star hotel, get chauffeurdriven and hang out in Florence.

On the first morning, my chauffeur, Heliana (or should that be chauffeuse?), picked me up in a Mercedes and took me to The Mall, a "street" of a dozen shops, including Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Valentino and Bottega Veneta, in an industrial estate set in the Tuscan countryside.

In Gucci, Japanese tourists crowded around canvas monogrammed bags. They may not be this season's style, but when they are £80, as opposed to £300 last year on Bond Street, who cares? Inside the air-conditioned shops - all neutral carpets, blond wood and frosted-glass cabinets - it's easy to forget you're in an industrial estate.

Most of the prices are half the original, which still makes them expensive, but there are bargains to be had, too. In Yves Saint Laurent, last summer's vertiginous platform shoes were £22 (originally £230). The belted white coat that Cate Blanchett was spotted in last autumn was £424 (reduced from £1,320), while smart black jackets are an astounding £50 (although none had matching trousers). The trick is to buy classics that won't date. Giorgio Armani had a gorgeous white trouser suit for £180, but after stroking it wistfully, and leaving grubby fingerprints, I realised it wasn't a good idea.

There was a better selection of men's suits - beautifully cut, single-breasted in black or charcoal for £296, compared to the usual £1,500. A young British couple had flown out to buy outfits for a wedding. "I came here last year and spent more than £1,000 on bags, jackets, shoes and a coat, but then hardly bought anything else for the rest of the year," said Catherine Whiting, a marketing manager from Putney, as her fiancé Simon tried on a sharp black suit. "I definitely saved over £2,500. As soon as I get home, I'm going to start saving up for my next trip - it's addictive."

I know what she means. When I go into Bottega Veneta and buy a pair of brown and pink leather high heels for £28, jittering at the till with excitement, I'm hooked.

At the Dolce & Gabbana outlet, a five-minute drive away, the prices were higher and it was all a bit Posh Spice (corset tops, £210). At nearby Fendi, guilt set in. A beautiful cream leather bag was £260, but I thought of my measly monthly charity contribution and reluctantly left it on the shelf.

The Prada outlet, a 45-minute drive away, is one of the most popular, and also sells the diffusion line Miu Miu, as well as ranges by Helmut Lang and Jil Sander. Even with the discount, Prada was still beyond my price range and several items proved my theory that recognisable "fashion" pieces are not a good buy. Prada's lip-print skirt, from the spring/summer 2000 collection, looked dated and at £400 was not exactly a bargain.

The famous nylon Prada bags cost from £200, leather ones were around £380. There is a large menswear section, with Helmut Lang trousers from £70 and Prada shirts from £100. At the till, a couple of American women had a dozen leather handbags stacked up. "I'm buying them for friends," one said defensively when I stared at the tower. I wondered how much they'd make when they sold them on. I bought a chocolate-brown suit for £140, a black leather bag for £56 (both Miu Miu) and a Prada cherryred leather personal organiser for a heart-fluttering £40, congratulating myself on my grown-up purchases.

This is gluttonous shopping and it pays to be prepared. Leave room in your suitcase, or take extra bags, to get everything home. Find out your European shoe and clothing sizes, and take a calculator to convert from euros and to work out any additional discounts. Look around first and, if you can risk someone else snapping them up, jot down where you saw those possible-haves. That I forgot to go back for an Yves Saint Laurent cashmere raspberry sweater is already one of my life's regrets.

The Italian Journeys weekend is from £589, including two nights at five-star Villa La Massa, flights, and a six-hour chauffeur-driven shopping trip (020 7373 8058).