Luxury Brands

Here in the wheat belt it's not uncommon for drivers to pull off the road to admire picturesque abandoned barns. Venice exudes much of the same crumbling charm. Rather than raccoons and opossums, however, many of the decadently dilapidated buildings of Venice house retailers like Hermes, Gucci and Prada. The Bridge of Sighs is wrapped in a Bvlgri billboard. A giant Lacoste ad denigrates Piazza San Marco. It may be the prettiest city I've ever encountered, but I have no intention of ever returning to Venice.