The best shops in the Meatpacking District

This is designer Stacey Bendet’s third location for her whimsical womenswear line (the others are on the Upper East Side and in Midtown West), and the 2,000-square-foot boutique packs the same high-energy punch of the other locales, with quirky retro influences and graphic-print furniture. Since starting the collection in 2002 with a line of pants, Bendet has expanded the label to include ladylike separates.

This Meatpacking District boutique is named after owner Kilian Hennessy (he’s also a descendant of the creator of the top-shelf cognac brand). And much like the ingredients in a great cocktail, all of the fragrances here are totally intoxicating. Apple Brandy (a unique accord of apple liqueur and woods, $235) is a top-seller—it’s inspired by the Big Apple. Ask the staff for a free sample and take it for a test drive.

In 2000, sisters Elizabeth and Irene Pamela Doyle opened a showroom for their curated archive of luxury vintage jewelry. And now they operate one of the most popular jewelry stores in the neighborhood. The stock ranges from their own eponymous collection ($145–$11,500), including navigation-themed baubles such as cuffs embellished with 18-karat gold stars and diamond-adorned compass pendants. You’ll also find original, unaltered retro pieces for both sexes.

Though Diane von Furstenberg was made famous for the eternally hip wrap-dress (she sold five million of ’em in the ’70s), her line has branched out to include well-cut blouses, work pants and fine jewelry collaborations with H. Stern. You'll still find a host of gorgeous prints on the same incredibly flattering signature dress, too.

The 875-square-foot flagship of the European loungewear brand's first store is decorated with local artisans' goods, such as modern chandeliers designed by Lindsey Adelman and a custom bench from Face Design. Among the label’s signature sleepwear basics, ladies will find cotton chemises ($145), tulle-and-lace bras ($75) and silk-and-wool teddies ($275) and jumpsuits ($375). Dudes who prioritize comfort over flash will love basic silk-and-cashmere long-sleeved tees ($280) with matching pants ($265).

No longer an eponymous venture—the designer sold out a few years back—Helmut Lang's Meatpacking District outpost nevertheless continues his minimalist stance on modern clothing. Black, white and cool neutrals emphasize simplicity structures from the latest collections at this line's equally spare store.

This Left Coast designer collaborated with chipper home-design star Jonathan Adler on her first NYC outpost. The result? A 2,500-square-foot space, which evokes 1970s Big Sur–style with white terra-cotta tiles, chairs modeled after coral and a giant wooden tree sculpture. The decor provides a fitting backdrop for Turk’s vibrantly hued, vintage-inspired garb for ladies. A small collection of menswear, which features an assortment of supersoft cashmere sweaters, ensures that the Y-chromosome set won’t be left out in the cold.

Ohio native and FIT grad Phillip Salem founded this upscale boutique featuring more than 70 emerging and already-established brands, including Robert Geller and Timo Weiland. The modern threads for both genders ($50–$1,250) are displayed atop quartz slab tables and hung on blackened steel bars. Twenty-five thousand brown paper bags arch from the floor all the way up to the ceiling, making this otherwise brick-and-concrete space a feast for the eyes.

New Zealand–born designer Rebecca Taylor brings her feminine, flirty women’s label to the Meatpacking District with the opening of her second Manhattan store (there are others in Nolita and the Upper East Side). Each month, she handpicks her favorite movies and books, as well as home accents like candles and pillows, to sell in the Parisian-inspired shop, which is decorated with ornate moldings and a tin ceiling. In addition to wardrobe musts, such as floral-print jumpers, tulip-print ballet dresses, scalloped leather jackets and python messenger bags, the boutique offers sterling-silver dolphin necklace and bracelet charms created by Taylor and her jewelry-making sister, Tory.

The sixth location of this edgy brand was once a meat factory, and it retains much of that industrial vibe with unfinished concrete floors, brick walls and an original Dave’s Quality Veal sign. Sip a latte ($4) from the in-store Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee while shopping for ladies’ textured tank dresses ($450), leather leggings ($1,100) and military-style moto jackets ($795). Top picks for men include striped shorts ($175–$275), chambray jeans ($220) and cotton button-up shirts ($220).

This Parisian rock & roll–inspired label sets up its NYC flagship in the Meatpacking District to hawk its eponymous line of delicate cashmere pieces, customized studded knitwear and hip-hugging denim.