3 S T R E E T S

NEW YORK, PARIS AND LONDON ARE THE HOLY TRINITY OF SHOPPING, BUT THE OBVIOUS DESTINATIONS WITHIN THOSE CITIES, FIFTH AVENUE, CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES OR OXFORD STREET, CAN FEEL WELL-TRODDEN AND OVERCROWDED. HERE ARE THREE ROADS LESS TRAVELLED, JUST OFF THE BEATEN TRACK THAT MIGHT MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE TO YOUR NEXT SHOPPING TRIP…

1. GREENE STREET, SOHO NEW YORK

FOR THE DISCERNING SHOPPER, SOHO IS NEW YORK’S TRUE HEART AND GREENE STREET IS THE HEART OF SOHO. COBBLED IN BELGIAN BLOCKS, AND FLANKED BY THE AREA’S ICONIC CAST-IRON FEDERAL-STYLE BUILDINGS, GREENE STREET IS NOT ONLY PICTURESQUE, BUT ALSO AN OFT-OVERLOOKED HUB OF HIGH-END BOUTIQUES.

Stella McCartney, Anne Fontaine and Ralph Lauren all feature here, whilst stores like Camper, Fjällräven and Purl wool shop offer colourful alternatives. Of particular note, is the sizable Louis Vuitton, at 116, which is worth visiting as much for its Peter Marino-designed refurbishment as its world exclusive luggage and other products. With wood-sculpted shelves and exposed columns, hand-painted by Shuji Mukai, the space here evokes more of an art gallery experience, than an ordinary shop. In a similar fashion, the Apple Store, SoHo, is a destination unto itself with a clear-glass staircase reminiscent of the Louvre. As you walk along the street, be sure to look up at the neoclassical and baroque facades, but also down, because embedded in the sidewalk in front of the SoHo building is an art installation stretching 87 feet depicting the city’s subway map in stainless steel. There’s plenty on this street alone to fill a day of exploring, but should you want to venture further afield, Greene Street cuts right down the centre of SoHo and so offers easy access to the rest of this shopping Shangri-La. Washington Square Park, for example, is just a block away and here street-performers, chess players, NYU students mingle with local New Yorkers, making it a perfect place for a spot of people watching.

2. RUE SAINT-HONORÉ, 1ST ARRONDISSEMENT PARIS

PARIS IS THE FASHION CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AND THE RUE DE RIVOLI, ONE OF PARIS’ MOST FAMOUS SHOPPING STREETS MIGHT BE YOUR FIRST PORT OF CALL, BUT JUST BESIDE IT IS THE UBER-EXCLUSIVE SHOPPING HAVEN OF THE RUE DU FAUBOURG SAINT HONORÉ AND ITS EXTENSION, THE RUE SAINT HONORÉ.

Local fashion bloggers have made this two kilometres’ long thoroughfare their go-to destination, owing to its central location only moments from the Louvre and the Jardin des Tuileries. It’s here many of the Paris Fashion Week’s most notable catwalks are held and the first half this temple to couture, the Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, contains the major fashion houses including Hermes, Prada and Versace, whilst the other half, the Rue Saint Honoré, specialises in smaller, niche boutiques. Of the must-see stores Comptoir des Cotonniers offers easy-wear chic womenswear, whilst a chinaware shop called Astier de Villatte, is a cosy gem and the original Parisian BoHo shop, Cotelac, still has high quality fashion for reasonable prices. This street is also as steeped in history as it is in fashion and, as you shop, you will pass the birthplace of Moliére, the burial place of King Philip II and the former home of the Abbé Sieyés, who was one of the architects of the French Revolution. As for refreshment, look no further than Le Ruc for a traditional Parisian brasserie clothed in warm, velvet reds and a relaxed atmosphere. This restaurant overlooks the Comédie Française and, should you drop in after a performance, you may find the actors joining you for the exceptional cuisine.

3. LAMB’S CONDUIT ST, BLOOMSBURY LONDON

A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME, LONDON OFFERS SERIOUS SHOPPERS THE TOP NAMES OF REGENT ST, OXFORD ST AND BOND ST, BUT THE AUTHENTIC LONDON SHOPPING EXPERIENCE LIES IN THE SMALLER COTTAGE SHOPS AND ANTIQUE STORES SPILLING OUT ONTO THE CITY’S WINDING ALLEYS.

The oddly named Lamb’s Conduit Street in Bloomsbury is one such tucked-away treasure. This little street is unlikely to fill a day’s shopping, but this true London jewel is crammed with the charm that the big streets are missing. Upon entering the pedestrianised area, you’ll find galleries, luxury clothes stores and two Victorian pubs, The Lamb and The Perseverance, but the real joy of this space is the scarcity of high street chains; a battle hard-won after local businesses fought to keep the Conduit independent. This street feels as unchanged as when Charles Dickens was a local (the museum in his name is nearby) and on the subject of novels, Persephone Books is a must-visit. This unique publishing house champions women authors of both forgotten classics and new writing. For a good wine, there’s no better than Albion Wine Shippers, which offers a wide collection of fine wines and gins from around the world, but if you’re looking for a new look, Folk is a minimalist store with luxurious, own-label casualwear for men and women. The highlight however is Pentreath & Hall, on Rugby Street, which is a tiny interiors shop co-owned and run by ‘royal’ architect Ben Pentreath. Whilst only small, the stock is always varied, always interesting and always well worth a peek inside.