Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
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.
This ultramodern, multilevel flagship space, designed by Rem Koolhaas, is both showpiece and showcase. It's worth wandering in to check out the oft-changing artistic display in the central open staircase, even if the luxurious clothes and accessories for men and women are out of your price range. The store stretches from Broadway to Mercer Street, with entrances at both ends.
Beloved New York designer Rachel Comey creates cool jumpsuits, slouchy sweatshirts, wide-leg pants, and chunky mules that are highly sought after by the downtown fashion crowd. Her skylit, loftlike boutique is an oasis from the SoHo fray, where helpful staff will help you find the best style.
You don't have to be in the market for a plush sofa or a chandelier to appreciate a stroll through the massive, six-story, 90,000-square-foot space of RH (Restoration Hardware), with sections that include those for babies and teens, a soaring central atrium, and a glass elevator to whisk you to the leafy rooftop terrace. There, a restaurant serves elevated comfort food such as crisp Caesar salads, juicy rib-eye steaks, and spicy lobster rolls. And who knows? You might just end up leaving with a cool vintage-looking lamp, too.
Inhale the aromas of spices and coffee beans as you enter this trading post that's been a neighborhood institution since 1948. They're not just purveyors of nuts, cheeses, olives, and other Middle Eastern grocery items, but also have a gourmet deli of prepared foods. Hot saj (unlevened flatbread) sandwiches are made to order, filled with curried chickpeas, falafels, za'atar (Middle Eastern spice blend) chicken, or harissa (hot chili pepper paste) salmon, along with your choice of veggies.
This 660,000-square-foot-flagship store remains a high-fashion force and continually revamps its modish offerings with contemporary designer lines, such as Proenza Schouler and Victoria Beckham, and legacy brands including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel. The Vault, with a 1920s-inspired grandiose bank interior, offers fine jewelry and luxury watches and has Hōseki, a six-seat, modern omakase counter spearheaded by Michelin-star chef Daniel Kim. The second-level beauty department stocks an incredible array of products, from classic to edgy. The department store also has a designer sneaker shop, and Barneys at Sax, featuring fashion-forward designers.
A heavy, iron-barred door leads to a hushed, scented inner sanctum of beauty products. At this U.S. outpost of the 600-year-old Florentine company, shoppers can browse intriguingly archaic perfumes, colognes, creams, and soaps such as rose rice powder, prepared according to both traditional and modern recipes. Everything is packaged in bottles and jars with antique-style apothecary labels. If you prefer to perfume your home rather than your body, there are candles and sachets as well.
Proudly headquartered in Detroit, this World War II–era shoe polish brand has been relaunched as a company that builds handcrafted watches, bicycles, leather goods, journals, and pet accessories. Shinola's dashing TriBeCa flagship store also offers engraving, monogramming, and watch repair.
Prowl the shelves at this well-stocked museum shop for intriguing urban trinkets and ornaments, like sculptural tableware, housewares by Alessi and Stelton, Braun watches, and art supplies by Karst. Visitors will find an impressive selection of art and design books, children's toys, and other very giftable items. Museum tickets are not required for store entry.
Although Smythson still sells stationery fit for a queen—check out the royal warrant from England's HRH—it is also a place to scoop up on-trend handbags, iPad cases, and wallets. The hues range from sedate brown and black to eye-popping tangerine. The softbound leather diaries, old-fashioned agendas and address books, and travel accessories make ideal gifts, including for yourself.
Parquet flooring and art deco display cases give this multilevel store an understated but chic atmosphere that perfectly matches the clothing aesthetic. The women's wear collection, done mostly in gauzy, muted colors, is on the top floor, while menswear, sportswear, Adidas by Stella McCartney, and adorable children's clothes are on the lower level. In keeping with McCartney's vegetarianism, fur and leather are verboten.
Opened in 1927 and still run by the same family, this vast book emporium—home to 2 million volumes, or "18 Miles of Books"—is a symbol of a bygone era, a mecca for serious bibliophiles, and a local institution. The stock includes new and secondhand books, foreign-language titles, and thousands of collector's items—some of which are found in the third-floor rare-book room. The basement has discounted, sometimes barely touched review copies of new books organized by author. If you're looking for souvenirs, there's lots of New York–centric literature as well as T-shirts and totes. Check the store's events calendar for live readings.
This could be called “the perfect fit shop,” since old-fashioned personal attention and experience ensure just that, for bras, bathing suits, lingerie, shapewear, loungewear, and sleepwear. Now operated by the fourth generation of the founder (the original store opened in 1888), it stocks basic and luxury lingerie brands. There’s also a selection of mastectomy undergarments. Staff members are trained in the art of professional bra fitting.
The celebrity designer's dreamy wedding dresses are sophisticated without being over-the-top. Choose from A-line and princess styles, as well as slinky sheaths. If money is no object, bespoke gowns are available. An appointment is essential and the consultants make the process of trying bridal couture as enjoyable as it should be.
Professional stylists and celebrities head here to dig up pristine vintage items like Levi's and Azzedine Alaïa dresses, as well as Hermès scarves and Chanel jewelry. The vintage rock tees (think Black Sabbath, Mötley Crüe) are great finds but can set you back eye-watering amounts of money.
When it comes to authentic New York food, it's hard to beat this local-favorite specialty food emporium. Best known for its smoked fish counter, not limited to lox (smoked salmon), sliced to order, Zabar's also features one of the largest selections of domestic and imported cheeses and salamis in town, bakery items including cheesecake, ground-to-order coffees, and prepared foods like soups and stuffed cabbage the way Grandma made them. And that's only the ground floor. Upstairs are housewares, from espresso makers to fondue pots to serving dishes. Head next door, to the Zabar's Cafe, to score a cup of gourmet coffee and a bagel and lox with cream cheese.
\nThis three-story shop claims to be a pharmacy, and while you can fill a prescription here, it’s primarily a fragrance, bath, and beauty shop, with top brands including Roger & Gallet, Bulgari, JF Lazartigue, Rene Furterer, Phyto, Mason Pearson, Rigaud, Seda France, and Crislu. The selection of items is dazzling; there's even a large space dedicated to hair accessories, such as clips and headbands. There’s also a selection of kids’ toys that runs the gamut from umbrellas to bicycles, jewelry, hosiery, travel accessories, and more, displayed appealingly in a store that's lasted, and stayed current, for nearly 75 years.
The walls of this large denim shop, which doubles as a factory where you can watch jeans being made, are lined with an assortment of more than 600 varieties of selvage denim. For the ultimate experience, have a bespoke pair made and choose the fabric, buttons, and even the lining material. Everything is hand-cut and sewn by the in-house seamstresses. There are ready-made jeans, too (you can get the hems tailored on the spot).
Cult-favorite Japanese denim brand 45rpm's New York outpost might be pricey, but fans love the label for its attention to detail, like hand-dyed denim woven on antique looms. The T-shirts are particularly stylish, the nondenim women's wear is ethereal and cozy, and the men's shirts and blazers are elegantly tailored.
Whether you're hunting for super-skinny, high-waisted, or boot-cut jeans in a dark or distressed finish, this temple to denim has it all. The jeans for men and women are long-standing favorites, but be warned: although they'll make your derriere look good, they don't come cheap. You'll also find stylish and sexy dresses here, plus sweaters and jackets for men and women.
This hip French boutique for men and women sells deceptively simple but elegant clothes in an equally understated setting. Choose from sharply cut gabardine and corduroy suits or dark denim jeans and jackets. For women, best bets include classically styled dresses, striped sweaters, and skinny jeans.
This brand is known for its casual, preppy clothes for men, women, and kids—but brace yourself for the thumping club music and dim lighting.
A haven for music lovers, Academy is known for its vast and ever-changing inventory of new and used vinyl and CDs in every genre you can think of. The stock includes collector's items as well as movies and stereo equipment. Check the bargain bins for treasures.
Even if you don't speak French, this wonderfully hidden bilingual bookstore dedicated exclusively to books in French and English is a true gem, situated inside a landmarked Italian Renaissance–style mansion, built in 1906, that's also home to the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Underneath a soothing, star-covered, zodiac-inspired ceiling in the style of a Renaissance-era fresco, Francophile visitors can explore more than 14,000 classic and contemporary titles from 30 French-speaking countries.
Vogue darling Alexander Wang's flagship boutique is as unfussy and cool as his clothes, with artistic displays amid the racks of perfectly slouchy tank tops, sheath dresses, or edgy ankle boots.
