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Department stores
Barney’s New York
The top designers are represented at this bastion of New York style. At Christmas time, Barney’s has the most provocative windows in town. Its co-op branches carry young designers, as well as secondary lines from heavies like Marc Jacobs and Theory. Every February and August, the Chelsea co-op hosts the Barney’s Warehouse Sale, when prices are slashed by 50 to 80 per cent.
Barney’s New York, 660 Madison Avenue, at 61st St (1-212 826 8900/www.barneys.com) Subway: N, R, W to Fifth Avenue-59th St; 4, 5, 6 to 59th St. Open Mon-Fri 10am-8pm; Sat 10am-7pm; Sun 11am-6pm.

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BEST FOR LUXURY LABELS
Bergdorf Goodman
If Barney’s aims for a young, trendy crowd, then Bergdorf’s is dedicated to an elegant, understated clientele that has plenty of disposable income. Luxury clothes, accessories and even stationery are found here, along with an over-the-top beauty floor. Handily, the famed men’s store happens to be just across the street (745 Fifth Avenue).
Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Avenue, at 57th St (1-212 753 7300/www.bergdorfgoodman.com) Subway: E, V to Fifth Avenue-53rd St; N, R, W to Fifth Avenue-59th St. Open Mon-Fri 10am-8pm; Sat 10am-7pm; Sun 12noon-6pm.

Bloomingdale’s
Bloomies is a gigantic, glitzy department store that sells everything from handbags and cosmetics to furniture and designer duds. Brace yourself for the crowds – this store ranks among the city’s most popular tourist attractions, right up there with the Empire State Building. Be sure to check out the cool new sister branch in Soho.
Bloomingdale’s, 1,000 Third Avenue, at 59th St (1-212 705 2000/www.bloomingdales.com) Subway: N, R, W to Lexington Avenue-59th St; 4, 5, 6 to 59th St. Open Mon-Fri 10am-8.30pm; Sat 10am-7pm; Sun 11am-7pm.

Henri Bendel's townhouse chic

Henri Bendel
Bendel’s lavish quarters resemble an opulent townhouse. Naturally, there are elevators – no one expects you to walk, this is Fifth Avenue – but it’s nicer to saunter up the elegant, winding staircase. Prices are comparable to those of other upscale stores, but the merchandise somehow seems more desirable here – we guess it must be those darling brown-striped shopping bags.
Henri Bendel, 712 Fifth Avenue, at 56th St (1-212 247 1100/www.henribendel.com) Subway: E, V to Fifth Avenue-53rd St; N, R, W to Fifth Avenue-59th St. Open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm; Sun 12noon-7pm.

Macy’s
Behold the real miracle on 34th Street. Macy’s has everything a shopper could ever want: designer labels and lower-priced knock-offs, a pet supply shop, a restaurant and gourmet food shops in the ‘Cellar’ (the homeware section), a Metropolitan Museum of Art gift shop and – would you believe it? – a McDonald’s on the kids’ floor.
Macy’s, 151 W 34th St, between Broadway & Seventh Avenue (1-212 695 4400/www.macys.com) Subway: B, D, F, N, Q, R, V, W to 34th St-Herald Square; 1, 2, 3 to 34th St-Penn Station. Open Mon-Sat 10am-9pm; Sun 11am-8pm.

Saks Fifth Avenue
Although Saks maintains a presence in 24 states, the Fifth Avenue location is the original, established in 1924 by New York retailers Horace Saks and Bernard Gimbel. The store features all the big names in women’s fashion, from Armani to Yves Saint Laurent, plus an excellent menswear department and a children’s section. There are also fine household linens, La Prairie skincare and attentive customer service. New management is exploring the possibility of a major overhaul; at the time of writing, Frank Gehry’s name had made the rumour mill as the architect to take things to the next level.
611 Fifth Avenue, at 50th St (1-212 753 4000/www.saksfifthavenue.com) Subway: E, V to Fifth Avenue-53rd St. Open Mon-Wed, Fri, Sat 10am-7pm; Thur 10am-8pm; Sun 12noon-6pm.