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The Big Apple is one of the best shopping destinations in the world, rivaled perhaps only by London, Paris, and Tokyo. Its compact size, convenient subway system, and plentiful cabs (or Uber or Lyft rides) make it easy to navigate with plenty of bags in tow. But what it really comes down to is the staggering number and variety of stores. If you can't find it in New York, it probably doesn't exist.
If you like elegant flagships and money is no object, head to Midtown, where you'll find international megabrands like Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, and Gucci, as well as famed department stores Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys. Nearby Madison Avenue has couture from Carolina Herrera and Vera Wang, and 5th Avenue is lined with famous jewelry stores such as Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Harry Winston. This is also the neighborhood to indulge in bespoke goods, such as handmade shoes from John Lobb. If you like designer pieces but can't afford them, don't despair—there are plenty of upscale consignment shops around the city where you can find last season's Chanel suit or a vintage YSL jacket.
The small, independent shops that once lined SoHo have largely been displaced by the likes of J.Crew and UNIQLO, but if you want to hit the chains, this is a great place to do it, because the neighborhood also provides high-quality people-watching and superb lunches. Poke around on the side streets and in nearby NoLIta for outposts of smaller local and foreign designers and, if you're craving some of old SoHo's artistic spirit, don't discount the street vendors' stalls, which sell handmade jewelry and simple cotton dresses.
The East Village and Lower East Side are hotbeds of creativity and quirky coolness, with little boutiques selling everything from retro furniture to industrial-inspired jewelry. They're tucked among bars and old tenement buildings. The Meatpacking District is another great shopping destination to find chic designer stores like Diane von Furstenberg and rag & bone along with independently owned boutiques. And if you jaunt over to Brooklyn, you'll discover that some of the city's hippest designers are hanging out at boutiques just across the East River.
Many New Yorkers swear by this French–Italian brand's coats to keep them warm but stylish throughout the winter or on the ski slopes. The knee-length puffer is a firm favorite, but there are all sorts of jackets and accessories spread over the store's several levels, along with pieces created in collaboration with designers like Giambattista Valli and KITH.
Established in 1947, vibrant Morrell & Company takes its grape products very seriously, with an epic array of bottles from around the world, carefully cataloged by varietal, country, region, year, and winery. You also can browse spirits from around the world, available at prices from $10 to more than $100,000. Though the wine bar here closed in 2020, this shop remains one of Manhattan's top outposts for oenophiles.
If you're into simple, chic, and cheap style, Muji has you covered: the name of this popular Japanese import translates to "no brand," and indeed, you don't find logos plastered on the housewares or clothes. Instead, the hallmark is streamlined, minimalist design. The whole range of goods, from milky porcelain teapots to wooden toys, is invariably user-friendly.
This well-edited museum gift shop stocks high-quality crafts like beautiful handmade tableware, unusual jewelry, and rugs, and unique items connected to temporary or ongoing exhibits. It's a great place to stock up on gifts.
Satisfy your curiosity about New York City's past, present, or future with the terrific selection of books, cards, toys, and posters. Some of the eclectic items for sale are salt-and-pepper shakers and holiday ornaments in the form of famous skyscrapers, jewelry and cufflinks made with subway memorabilia, and T-shirts and socks emblazoned with the NYC subway map.
Like the museum, the in-house bookstore and design shop focus on German, Austrian, and Central European art, especially original designs from Vienna in the 1900s. Printed works include books in German, along with exhibition catalogs, biographies, and architecture and design titles. Everything from children's toys to jewelry, fashion accessories, and home decor is available here. Some items, such as reproductions, are quite pricey, yet there are affordable finds as well, such as postcards and some prints from each collection.
Stylists to the stars, TV costumers, and the deep-pocketed descend on this boutique to browse racks of prime vintage clothing. Everything is high-end, so don't expect any bargains. Take your pick from Yves Saint Laurent, Madame Grès, and Thierry Mugler items. There's a good selection of handbags and stilettos, too.
The massive collection within this fine antique gallery is continuously changing. Originally established back in 1939 to furnish Broadway shows, today the business displays antique, vintage and contemporary furniture, lighting fixtures, and more. Items on display date as far back as the 17th century and represent a wide range of design styles and periods. Find reproductions by such notable artists as Karl Springer, Gary Dipasquale, and jewelry designer Robert Lee Morris.
This is the first boutique from Nigel Curtiss, who got his start at Comme des Garçons and Yves Saint Laurent. The handsome shop sells men's and women's wear, including Curtiss's polo shirts, popular with superstar athletes, as well as silk pajamas, jeans, and off-the-rack suits. There's an in-store coffee bar for those who shop 'til they drop.
This Israeli-born designer worked for Ralph Lauren and Nautica before launching her own women's fashion label in 2003. Nili Lotan is known for her knitwear, drapey coats, and love of solid colors, all designed to be timeless and luxurious. Her line has expanded more recently to include jeans, handbags, and menswear.
It may sounds generic, but No. 6 is anything but. This longtime neighborhood boutique specializes European fashion trends, as well as vintage couture from Europe. Designer Karin Bereson creates versatile silk dresses, pants, jumpsuits, swimwear, and blouses. But the shop is well-known for shoes, particularly clogs and clog boots, which you can choose from various styles and materials.
Just south of Central Park is NYC's shiny Nordstrom, opened in 2019, with a unique wave-form glass facade that lets passersby peek into (and out of) its bright-and-shiny retail wonderland. The 320,000-square-foot department store occupies a full seven floors plus a mezzanine-level "beauty haven," all at the base of one of America's tallest residential buildings. The flagship offers the refined sartorial wares you'd expect from Nordies, plus children's clothing, fragrances, handbags, shoes, accessories, and more. The inventory is curated for New Yorkers with special launches and exclusives available only here, along with designer pop-ups—though it's almost entirely for women. (You'll have to cross Broadway to browse the Men's Store.) Sales can be excellent. Several cafés and the Shoe Bar (for cocktails) are within the store, as are contemporary full-service restaurants including Wolf and Bistro Verde.
A fashion fixture since the 1980s, Norma Kamali has a thoroughly modern, though still '80s-influenced, line. Her luminously white NYC flagship store carries graphic bathing suits, Grecian-style draped dresses, and her signature poofy "sleeping-bag coats."
With an assortment of New York--specific merchandise inspired by New-York Historical Society's vast collections and landmark exhibitions as well as themes of American history, this museum gift shop offers exceptional gifts and souvenirs. You'll find all the expected beautiful museum-store fare as well as unique finds like a Keith Haring chess set, a New York City Map blanket inspired by a vintage 1916 map of the city, and ceramic Pets and the City mugs inspired by Brooklyn-based Julia Rothman's recent exhibition of the same name.
Part spa, part natural beauty boutique, this airy little shop has high standards for sourcing its products. From Biossance face creams to Rahua shampoo, only the highest-quality—nontoxic, ethical, organic, all-natural—products make it onto the shelves. If you want to try any spa treatments, including facials, massage, and energy healing to support sleep, brain health, and more, be sure to book in advance.
This was the first store to sell Broadway merchandise outside of a theater. Today, souvenir posters, T-shirts, and knickknacks memorializing past and present Broadway hits still reign at this small Theater District shop next to the Booth Theatre.
Come here for the ladylike but bold runway designs of this upper-crust favorite. Skirts swing, ruffles billow, embroidery brightens up tweed, and even a tennis dress looks like something you could go dancing in.
This stylish mini chain has outposts around the city, but the Upper East Side location has the biggest selection of curated women's clothing from on-trend designers such as Rachel Comey and Band of Outsiders, as well as its own line. If you want that nonchalant-chic look, like an oversize velvet jacket thrown over skinny jeans, this is your place.
This cozy boutique, whose name means “simple” in Hebrew, specializes in simple and beautiful clothing along with understated jewelry, bags, and candles. You'll find limited editions and small selections of excellently made pieces and New York brands including NYMåNE, BG, and Auntie Oti.
Originally a bookshop, Pageant first opened its doors in 1946 and eventually shifted its focus to antique prints. Today, there are over 10,000 to browse here. There's something for every interest: prints of cuts of meat, antique charts of various insect species, and vintage illustrative prints of New York City—everything from West Village street scenes to Grand Central at rush hour in the 1920s.
Fans love Paul Smith for his classic-with-a-twist clothes, and this vast, minimalist flagship is a temple to his design ethos and inspirations. Embroidered vests; brightly striped socks, scarves, and shirts; and tongue-in-cheek cuff links are all signature Paul Smith looks, along with classic suits and outerwear for men and women.
Creating high-quality jewelry in a sustainable way, this sleek shop sells customizable gold and silver objects with handpicked stones, from rings to necklaces to bracelets, and much more.
In the late 1800s, pickle sellers were a dime a dozen—or to be more exact, a penny a cucumber, which went up to around a nickel by the early 1900s: it was cheap snack, and there were pickle vendors selling their wares from pushcarts and giant barrels all over the Lower East Side. It's said that at one point there were 200 pickle sellers on Essex Street alone, but these days there's only one left: The Pickle Guys.
This small shop is a fixture in the neighborhood, showcasing impeccably curated racks of second-hand designer togs and accessories from the likes of Prada, Comme des Garçons, and more. The owners source their pieces from auctions and private dealers around the world.
This design-forward boutique of home furnishings is the showroom of the wood, ceramic, and metal makers of a multidisciplinary design studio around the corner, led by artist Natalie Shook. The collection rotates seasonally with unique furniture, clocks, kitchenware, and more.
Nestled in a historic section of Harlem on Malcolm X Blvd., this adorable green shop carries rare and unusual indoor plants (like philodendron Florida beauty) and plant-centric gifts. Pop in to admire the colorful array of planters, terrariums, candles, cutesy jewelry, and air plants, while soaking in the soothing atmosphere. Everything is reasonably priced, and the staff is knowledgeable on helping shoppers choose from pet-friendly plants to plants for beginners.
