From haute couture to bargain bins, big-name brands to exclusive artisan designers, New York boasts some of the finest shopping opportunities on the planet. No matter your taste or budget, there’s a shop here with just what you’re looking for. These are just a few of the greatest finds in fashion, home decor, beauty, and more — plus a few “only in New York” spots you won’t want to miss.
Clothing
Century 21: 1972 Broadway (and 6 more NYC-area locations)
Louboutins at 40% off? Givenchy bags from $400? Flirty sundresses for $17? For a dizzying combination of highbrow and bargain finds all under one roof, this sprawling department store fills the bill. Men’s, women’s, and kids’ departments outfit the whole family, while the constantly-changing inventory varies from sublime to ridiculous (a recent visit yielded a chambray bodysuit-maxi skirt combo that had to be seen to be believed).
Dover Street Market: 160 Lexington Avenue
This towering, multi-level retailer, developed by Rei Kawakubo and her husband, Comme des Garçons president Adrian Joffe, stocks the best in up-to-the-minute RTW and street fashion. Its seven floors boast CDG’s signature bold looks, plus collections by designers like Jil Sander, Thom Browne, and Eckhaus Latta. If shopping makes you hungry (doesn’t it always?), grab a light lunch or sweet snack at in-house café Rose Bakery. Try the assortment of five seasonal veggie preparations if you want to feel both decadent and virtuous.
Primark: 5100 Kings Plaza, Brooklyn
This outpost of the UK giga-retailer offers cute, trendy fast fashion for everyone from babies to career-minded adults, often at startlingly low prices. That teal cropped sweater might unravel a bit after the first few washes, but at $12, who cares? (And some of the pieces are surprisingly durable. Full disclosure: my favorite bra ever was an $8 Primark find.) Grab a cart — you’ll need it for the mountain of bargains you’re sure to find — and start hunting.
INA Chelsea: 207 W 18th Street
For high-end finds without the stratospheric price tag, savvy shoppers turn to consignment stores like INA. Organized and merchandised like a traditional boutique, it’s packed with nearly-new men’s and women’s clothing, accessories, and shoes. Inventory is constantly changing, but expect to find one-off treasures like a Miu Miu dress for $250 or a Dior cashmere coat for $995.
Woodbury Common Premium Outlets: 498 Red Apple Ct., Central Valley
Not your typical grim suburban outlet mall, Woodbury Common boasts more than 240 stores: it’s the world’s largest collection of designer outlets. Fifth Avenue fashionistas make the hour-long trek north of the city to snap up bargains on big names like UGG, Prada, and Arc’teryx. No car? No problem. Eight daily bus trips via Gray Line depart from Port Authority and transport you to Central Valley in cushy comfort.
Shoes and Accessories
Jeffrey: 449 West 14th Street
This tightly edited destination store features men’s and women’s clothing from Saint Laurent, Marques’Almeida, and other big names. But where it really shines is in its seasonal shoe and accessory offerings. From go-anywhere Prada slingbacks to Gucci Flashtrek sneakers with crystal-studded straps reminiscent of the Infinity Gauntlet, this is a must-visit destination for any footwear aficionado.
Coclico: 275 Mott Street
At the opposite end of the spectrum from fast fashion, you’ll find Coclico’s work: Sustainable materials, shoes hand-crafted in a small, family-run factory in Spain, silhouettes that will remain fresh and appealing when the latest fads have run their course. “Clean designs in a neutral palette” is the brand’s philosophy, and its understated but super-wearable shoes are proof of concept.
Beauty
New London Pharmacy: 246 8th Avenue
Since 1960, this apothecary has offered health and beauty products of every sort. Today, it’s a mecca for skincare and makeup lovers, offering a wide range hard-to-find brands like Strâtia and Ligne St. Barth, plus wellness items from Grether’s Throat Pastilles to botanical insect repellents. (And if you left your prescription at home or need a refill for your inhaler, you’re in luck — they have a regular pharmacy counter too.)
oo35mm: 81 Mott Street Frnt 2
K-beauty and J-beauty lovers rejoice! From toners to primers, exfoliators to cleansing oils, seemingly every conceivable lotion or potion for youthful, beautiful skin is crammed into this unassuming Chinatown storefront. (Plus: sheet masks. Hundreds and hundreds of sheet masks.) I’m in love with the Holy Snails line of handcrafted skincare, with its cute, cheeky packaging and unusual ingredient lineup. Don’t miss the startling variety of jade rollers and other mineral implements to improve the look and feel of your skin.
Home Décor
John Derian Company: 6, 8, and 10 East 2nd Street
Spread across three stores (plus additional locations on Christopher Street and in Provincetown, Massachusetts), this must-see destination is crammed with highly covetable furniture, textiles, and home decor items of every stripe. The company was built around founder Derian’s unique decoupage items, and that eclectic, color-soaked style persists today. If an ottoman upholstered in a vintage kilim rug ($3700 and up) is too much for your budget, maybe a set of colorful and nearly indestructible plates will suit… or an elegantly shaped white vase with a floral design in relief… or a leather pouf hand-dyed and hand-stitched in Morocco…
The Future Perfect: 55 Great Jones Street
Bold and daring modern pieces by the world’s foremost modern designers make up The Future Perfect’s distinctive product line. Rotating exhibitions spotlight particular styles, names,or types of pieces — the current exhibition on “The Chair” reexamines the form and function of this ubiquitous object through the work of dozens of designers, with examples from the thoroughly functional to the purely decorative. Want to see the store’s signature style in action? Make reservations to tour nearby Casa Perfect, a five-story townhouse furnished and decorated with purchasable pieces.
Jung Lee NY: 25 W 29th Street
Renowned event producer Jung Lee brings her passion for design to this artfully curated collection of designer housewares. From table linens to throw pillows, serveware to scented soaps, the store is packed with giftable treasures in a warm contemporary aesthetic. The spiky lines of the Astrid napkin ring, reminiscent of a sea urchin, caught my eye, as did the deliberately asymmetric, wabi-sabi lines of the Bowl No. 7 collection.
