Ah shopping, who hasn’t dreamt of walking down exclusive shopping districts with bags hanging from both of their arms channeling their inner Blair Waldorf? Cause I surely have. So I started wondering, where do the rich and famous get their luxury items from? And the answer is, in the most famous shopping districts around the world. Let’s see which ones they are!
I gathered a list of the ten main shopping streets, where both old and new money get their designer items and newest gadgets from, while the rest of us.. well, we can always window shop! Haha. Almost all of these places are located in the US and Europe, with the exception of one in Asia (Tokyo, to be more specific). This doesn’t mean they are the only ones in the world, though. Actually, this infographic shows the countries with the most exclusive shopping streets, and you can see countries like Canada, Brazil, Austria or China that didn’t make it to my list but they still have some pretty famous shopping streets.
Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris
Not only a touristic attraction but also the cathedral of fashion, ‘les Champs’, as the locals call it, is filled with both fashion and history. Brands such as Guerlain saw their beginnings in this street, and Louis Vuitton has its flagship store. A crazy variety of shops includes jewelry classics like Cartier, to fashion classics like Lacoste but still having affordable ready-to-wear brands such as Gap and Zara.
Fifth Avenue, New York City, United States
If you took the Blair Waldorf shopping dream literally, then it has to take place on her hometown New York, and most specifically at the worldly famous Fifth Avenue. Rank amongst the most expensive streets in the world, the avenue is packed with giant department stores, exclusive designer boutiques, the iconic Tiffany & Co. store from Breakfast at Tiffany’s and currently some suburban mall favorites like the Disney Store, Abercrombie & Fitch and H&M. Every store’s window display is almost like a work of art, but during the Christmas season particularly, the whole Avenue becomes magic.
Bond Street, London, England
During my time in London, I’d walk around Bond Street daydreaming of window displays and exclusive stores in this place. Extending from Picadilly to Oxford Street, and having the qually posh Sloane Street only a mile away, this major shopping street in the West End of London has been a fashionable shopping street since the 18th century. Luxury is the real queen in this side of London, as it holds one of the most expensive strips of real estate in the world. Not to mention it’s one of the top three Europe’s busiest boulevard and home to the most expensive shops in the continent.
Rodeo Drive, Los Angeles, United States
Celebrity hub for red carpet shopping for a good reason, Rodeo Drive brings together the big names such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Burberry and more. Don’t be surprised if you find Kim Kardashian shopping or any of the Hollywood or Beverly Hills rich and famous among the beautiful streets of Rodeo Drive.
Bahnhofstrasse, Zürich, Switzerland
Bahnhofstrasse is Zürich’s main downtown street and one of the world’s most expensive and exclusive shopping avenues. In 2011, a study named the it the most expensive street for retail property in Europe, and the third most expensive worldwide. The avenue is lined with trees and filled with fashion designer boutiques such as Prada, Hermès and Dior as well as their world famous Swiss watches and jewelry brands.
Avenue Montaigne, Paris, France
Naturally, the fashion capital of the world was going to appear twice in this list. The gorgeous Avenue Montaigne is sophisticated from its very own architecture, offering views of French buildings at its best while also serving as the home of luxury stores like Dior, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Valentino and more.
Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
With the Asian economy constantly growing, we see two faces of the same coin. On one hand, traditional shopping streets like Ginza in Japan, and on the other, the biggest online store players like Dresslily, SheIn or Zaful in China. Ginza is not only a street but a whole district recognized as one of the most luxurious in the entire world. In these eight blocks you’ll find numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses.
Via Monte Napoleone, Milan, Italy
Back in Europe, it’s only natural that one of the four fashion capitals of the world has its own exclusive shopping district. Via Monte Napoleone is the heart of Milan Fashion Week, as well as the street where Italian icons of leather craftsmanship and shoemaking cohabit with international fashion houses and jewelry shops.
P.C Hooftstraat, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Expensive brands like Cartier, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Hermès, Hugo Boss have landed in this pedestrian-friendly shopping street through the years, making it of the most pleasant (and expensive) shopping experiences in the world if you got the money to afford it. If not, it’s still a safe and entertaining spot to walk around and window shop.
Strøget, Copenhagen, Denmark
Keeping with the pleasant pedestrian shopping experiences, Strøget in Copenhagen rivals P.C Hoofstraat as they’re both beautiful touristic attractions, however this one of the urban wonders of the world, as Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping area. It features a wealth of shops, from budget-friendly chains to some of the world’s most expensive brands like Prada, Max Mara, Louis Vuitton, Mulberry, Hermès and Hugo Boss.
Calle Serrano, Madrid
Found in Madrid’s wealthiest neighborhood, Barrio de Salamanca, it is one of Spain’s most expensive streets. It’s a synonym of fashion, luxury, gastronomy and art. Top Spanish brands like Adolfo Dominguez, Agatha Ruiza De La Prada and Loewe have their flagship stores here, (Loewe actually has two!), and they blend with classic household names like Manolo Blahnik, Saint Laurent, Chopard, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo and more.
xoxo
Deb
