Hot deals, designer heels, facial peels – in New York, you better shop around. Many claim they come to New York for the museums and culture, to which we say ‘Hah!’ They’re really here for the shopping (especially now that the sales tax on shoes and clothing applies only to items costing more than $110). It helps to think like a New Yorker, whether you want to rifle through flea markets or try on $3,000 gowns on Madison Avenue.

As Soho and Nolita’s storefronts fill up, trendy designers are going farther afield – in only a year’s time, 14th Street west of Ninth Avenue has gone from Meatpacker Row to Boutique Central. Dean & Deluca (560 Broadway at Prince Street, NY 10012, +12122266800, www.deandeluca.com) is grocery-store-cum-show-palace while Moss (146 Greene Street at Houston Street, +12122047100) has beautifully selected modern design. Head to dosa (107 Thompson Street, NY 10012, +12124311733) for exquisitely made, quasi-Asian women’s clothing and to Sigerson Morrison (28 Prince Street, between Elizabeth and Mott Streets, NY 10012, +12122193893) for shoe-and-bag heaven.

The meatpacking district is the place to go for newish and groovy boutiques, including Jeffrey (449 W 14th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, +12122061272) (see Top 5), Stella McCartney (429 W 14th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, NY 10014, +12122551556), Alexander McQueen (417 14th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, NY 10014, +12126451797) and Breukelen (68 Gansevoort Street, +12126452216). The visually challenged won’t want to miss the brilliant eyewear at Selima Optique (59 Wooster Street at Broome Street, NY 10012, +12123439490, www.selimaoptique.com) while excellent underthings can be had at La Corset (80 Thompson Street between Broome and Spring Streets, +12123344936) and great make-up at Sephora (555 Broadway, between Prince and Spring Streets, NY 10012, +12126251309, www.sephora.com).

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