VIP LIFESTYLE
City &
Sho
Bazaar’s guide to the best European shopping breaks in the capitals of style and the cheap, chic buys to pick up along the way By Alexandra Shakespeare s far as I’m concerned, the secret to a fabulous European city break fits a formula from which there must be no deviation. One must stay in a luxe design hotel, enjoy several fine restaurants, partake in a little leisurely sightseeing and a cultural dousing, before completing the weekend of sophistication with a spot of five-star shopping. After this a little spa recovery will naturally be in order. It is tried and tested 100
holiday winner. Think of some of the most popular European cities: Rome, Paris, London, Barcelona, Milan... Not only do they each boast some of the world’s most interesting historical monuments, buildings and public gardens, but you’ll also find in them some of the best design hotels and shopping hotspots in the world. And let’s not kid ourselves: it’s the shops we’re really interested in. Just think: Dior, Chanel, Celine and YSL et al are all to be found along Paris’s Avenue Montaigne, while Lacroix even has a hotel, the Hotel de
Petit, near the Pompidou area. In London, meanwhile, you can shop your way from Ladbroke Grove for unique vintage bargains right through to Bond Street for the best of the big brands, while staying at Anouska Hempel’s exclusive Blakes in Kensington. In Rome wander from the Ferragamo Boutique hotel to the designer stores on Via Condotti and the Spanish Steps. In cool Dublin, from John Rocha-designed hotel The Morrison, it’s easy to idle away the day wandering the shops and galleries from the cultural quarter Temple Bar to Grafton
JEFFREY WESTBROOK/STUDIO D. MODEL: KATE DAVIDSON. SKIRT, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO. RING, LUCIA ODESCALCHI. SANDALS, BALENCIAGA BY NICOLAS GHESQUIERE. SUITCASE, LOUIS VUITTON. IN SUITCASE: SWIMSUIT, GOTTEX. CARDIGANS, J.CREW. SEE WHERE TO BUY FOR DETAILS
DUMMY SLUG
Street. Tip: leave your husband at home. Talking of which, sans men, it’s a lot of fun during the summer months to hop from city to city on a shopping mission (the Eurostar and the boom in Europe’s budget airlines make it so easy and inexpensive). What’s more I’ve discovered a whole new shopping destination, located in nine of the coolest European cities, that simply must be added to your shopping hotlist. Imagine this: all your favourite brands under one roof but – and this is the best bit – all at up to 70 per cent less than the retail price. Known as Chic Outlet Shopping Villages (chicoutletshopping.com), it’s the latest in destination shopping. In each of the cities you can pick up classic investment pieces from the previous few seasons and often by designers most relevant to the
location – a Burberry Mac in London, a black Givenchy suit in Paris, a white Antonio Miró shirt in Barcelona – all of which will provide the perfect base for your more trend-heavy seasonal purchases. Just be sure to pack lightly and take plenty of empty carryalls with you (I found Louis Vuitton’s packable retro red-andwhite carryall particularly useful).
London
If you’re visiting London this summer, it’s well worth a day trip to the nearby historical city of Oxford (just an hour away down the M40) for a little sightseeing. The ancient stairways of the universities have housed literary geniuses and famous faces from
Alexander Fleming to Hugh Grant, and it’s wonderful to soak up the remnants of their lives there. Nearby in Woodstock is the beautiful baroque-era Blenheim Palace, a world heritage site and the birthplace of Britain’s war-time Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. On your way there, be sure to seek out Bicester Village (you don’t want to waste all your shopping energy pounding Oxford’s pavements). For more high-end accessories you’ll find Anya Hindmarch, Tod’s, Mulberry, Wolford and Jimmy Choo, as well as women’s and menswear lines from Burberry, Diesel, Loro Piana, plus catwalk regulars Nicole Farhi, Paul Smith and Temperley London. Favourites from the British high-street include LK Bennett, Karen Millen, Jigsaw, Reiss, 101
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Paris
Surely the shopping breaks phenomenon originated in the city of Paris, non? The grand dame of fashion, Paris wouldn’t be Paris without its hierarchy of powerful designers. From prêt-a-porter stars Givenchy and Christian Lacroix to bargain basement champions Tati and every level in between, Paris rules when it comes to chic style. The pavements of Avenue Montaigne and Rue St Honoré are pounded hard by die-hard fashion fans all year round. But if you’re on a city hop from London, take the Eurostar right to the doorstep of Parisian shopping mecca La Vallée. For all things Parisian, you’ll find capsule designer collections from Lacroix, Givenchy, Cacharel and a great selection of basic
separates from Agnès B and Comptoir des Cotonniers, as well as chic shoes from Charles Jourdan and lingerie by Chantelle. Prices are tempting, a typical reduction being, for example, a Salvatore Ferragamo cardigan down from €2,090 (Dhs10,600) to €626 (Dhs3,170). Worth knowing, too, for shopaholic mums: conveniently close to La Valle is Disneyland, and its Pierre & Vacances Aparthotel that, thanks to its proximity to the Eurostar, many a UAE resident has been known to use as a base for European travel during the summer months. From there you can also head out for some wonderful day trips into the French countryside. Just an hour away is the beautiful stately home and garden Château de Ferrière in Seine-etMarne. Owned by the affluent Rothschilds, who enjoyed French banking success for generations, the opulent castle was built in 1855 as an extravagant dwelling for the Baron de Rothschild. Today, what remains is a portion of the elegant antique furniture, copies of the notable works of art that once hung on its stately banquet rooms and a pictorial history of the high-society happenings that once took place – many of the world’s fashion and film elite enjoyed glam soirées there, from Audrey Hepburn to Elizabeth Taylor: great inspiration for cocktail dress shopping! If staying in central Paris, the Hôtel Bel Ami in Saint Germain des Prés is a little minimalist design gem, walkable from the Louvre and the Champs-Elysées, and surrounded by the don’t-miss stores of the Rue St-Honoré, including the much-loved boutique Colette. Take tea and sample exquisite handmade macaroons at the longstanding Ladurée cafe on the ChampsElysées and dinner at the Pompidou’s ever-popular rooftop restaurant Georges – great views of Paris and its chic style set (oh, and there’s food too, but that’s incidental).
JEFFREY WESTBROOK/STUDIO D
Whistles and Monsoon. Forget cast-offs or factory outlet defects: there are some real quality bargains to be found. A typical reduction would be something along the lines of £686 (Dhs5,181) reduced to £240 (Dhs1,810) for a Temperley London dress, or an Anya Hindmarch bag from £450 (Dhs3,400) to £315 (Dhs2,380). They’re just asking to be be bought! Already the worst-kept shopping secret in the UK, it’s not unusual to find many a fashion editor and celebrity (both Elizabeth Hurley and Yasmin le Bon, for example) wandering in and out of Bicester Village’s boutiques, of which there are around 100 – just enough to satisfy your shopping appetite, but not so many you can’t whizz round comfortably in a few hours. Talking of appetite, while you’re in the vicinity, book ahead for an utterly sublime lunch or supper at the nearby Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons, Tote and leather R a y m o n d suitcase, Bottega Blanc’s famous Veneta. Case with two-Michelinbelts, GlobeTrotter. Canvas star eatery. Also case, T. Anthony a beautiful 32bedroom hotel, housed in an ivy-clad cottage that dates back to 1225, it nestles in the beautiful Great Milton countryside of Oxfordshire. If you prefer to eat and sleep in the capital, designer Anouska Hempel’s West London hotel Blakes provides a great and quintessentially British base in one of the most stylish parts of town. From there you can head to the King’s Road or Covent Garden for more shopping options and endless quality dining experiences. Blakes’ own restaurant is haute cuisine at its best, but we also love the L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon (Robuchon is a chef who has held six Michelin stars simultaneously in a selection of three-star restaurants), right next to Monmouth Street’s famous boutique Koh Samui (more shopping opportunities, albeit full price) as well as the fashionista’s favourite celebrity eatery, The Ivy.
VIP LIFESTYLE
LONDON: COURTESY RALPH LAUREN, COURTESY TEMPERLEY LONDON, COURTESY CHIC OUTLET SHOPPING, COURTESY ANYA HINDMARCH. PARIS: IMAGES-OF-FRANCE/ALAMY/PHOTOLIBRARY, COURTESY CHRISTIAN DIOR, SIPA PRESS/REX FEATURES, BIASION STUDIO/WIREIMAGE.COM, FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/GETTY IMAGES. BARCELONA: COURTESY CHIC OUTLET SHOPPING, COURTESY LOEWE, COURTESY ARMAND BASI, JON SANTA CRUZ/REX FEATURES
Barcelona
In fashion terms perhaps Custo Barcelona and Armand Basi sum up Gaudí’s city best: vibrant, quirky, passionate – everything style-setters in this unique city tend towards. It seems fitting then that celebrity shoppers there include comedienne Ruby Wax. The Gaudí architecture in Barcelona is a sensation in itself. The notable architect’s curious organic curves (meant to represent nature) are scattered all over the city. And you don’t even have to veer off the shopping path to see examples of Gaudí’s work: all along Plaça Catalunya through to Passeig de Gràcia and Avenue Diagonal, international designer stores nestle next to various Gaudí buildings. Armani rubs shoulders with Zara and Versace with Massimo Dutti. One step closer to shopping heaven is La Roca Village, just 45 minutes from the city centre. A fun, colourful environment scattered with water features and mosiacs, it stocks typically Spanish fashion for men and women, including Armand Basi, Antonio Miró and Adolfo Dominguez boutiques. For international brands, as at all the villages, you’ll find a good mix including MaxMara, Armani and Versace. If you visit before the end of August, you’ll enjoy reductions of up to 80 per cent off. A successful spending spree and a good meal outside in the warm Spanish sun at one of La Roca’s great eateries (head to La Vinoteca Torres for divine wine and cheese) completes a rather satisfying and none-toohectic day out. Nevertheless, after a relaxing drive through the countryside close to La Roca, it’s worth staying away at Gran Hotel Balneario Blancafort. With a thermal spa to heal your shopped-out bodies, it’s a hidden oasis just north of the city – as is the El Racó de Can Fabes restaurant, just half an hour away from the hotel, where chef Santi Santamaría has three Michelin stars. If you are staying in the heart of the shopping district, book in at the Six Senses Spa at Hotel Arts, which has stunning views of Barcelona’s beach. Stay at funky Hotel Prestige, which is walking distance from some great nightlife. Before heading to the club at Hotel Omm, OmmSession, take modern tapas at The Moo restaurant. In fact, that’s the only problem with Barcelona: it’s such a gastronomic delight, you may not be able to squeeze into your new buys. ■
LONDON For Chic Outlet Shopping head to nearby Bicester Village in Oxford (+44 1869 323 200, bicestervillage. com). Housing more than 100 boutiques, it’s open seven days a week all year: Monday to Friday, 10am-7.30pm, Saturday 9.30am7.30pm, Sunday 10am-6pm. Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons +44 1844 278 881, manoir.com Blenheim Palace +44 1993 811 091, blenheimpalace.com Blakes Hotel +44 207 370 6701, blakeshotels.com L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon +44 207 010 8600 Eurostar eurostar.co.uk
Bicester Village
Polo Ralph Lauren
Temperley London
Bag by Anya Hindmarch
PARIS For Chic Outlet Shopping head to La Vallee Village (lavalleevillage. com; +33 1 60 42 35 00). Open weekdays 11am to 8.30pm and weekends 10am to 11pm. Hotel Bel Ami +33 1 01 42 61 53 53, hotel-bel-ami.com. Ladurée +331 42 60 21 79,
Christian Dior
laduree.fr. Restaurant Georges +331 44 78 47 99, centrepompidou.fr Château de Ferrière +331 64 66 31 25, chateauferrieres.com Disneyland Paris disneylandparis.co.uk
Christian Dior boutique
Salvatore Ferragamo
Pink in Paris Cacharel
BARCELONA For Chic Outlet Shopping head to La Roca (larocavillage.com). Open Monday to Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday 11am-7pm. Hotel Prestige +34 93 272 41 80, prestigehotels.com. The Moo at Hotel Omm, +39 445 40 00, hotelomm.es Gaudí, Barcelona
Armand Basi
Loewe
Hotel Prestige, Barcelona
Gran Hotel Balneario Blancafort, +34 93 860 56 00, balnearioblancafort.com Racó de Can Fabes +34 938 672 851, canfabes.com 103