Let Travel + Leisure take you on a retail journey through Europe’s most shoppable cities — Paris, Milan, Madrid, Stockholm, Berlin, and London — where centuries-old traditions meet cutting-edge designs.

Paris

Paris is a shopper’s paradise, and a pilgrimage to the global fashion flagships on Avenue Montaigne may well be in order. But some stores are exclusive to the French capital. Unearthing those is a specialty of Le Coup de Foudre, a concierge agency started by Clément Le Coz and Justina Socas (below), a stylish husband-and-wife team who know all the places where the French go to shop. “When you live in Paris, you are lucky enough to have fashion and design events every week,” Le Coz says. Here are some of their favorite stores.

Plat du Jour

Marie Antoinette would feel at home in Au Bain Marie, a china shop founded in 1977 and devoted to French porcelain, decorative tin-glazed plates (above), and earthenware. The gallery is stacked high with all manner of dinnerware — plates, platters, bowls, and crystal glasses. “Last time I visited, I spotted a whole tea set from the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc,” Socas says. “I picked up the beautiful silver chocolatière.” 

Perfect White Shirt 

For him, it’s the equestrian-inspired Cavalier. For her, it’s the pleated Magnifique. Both are made by Bourrienne Paris X, a Parisian brand founded in 2017 that draws on 19th-century details for its elevated collection of crisp white shirts. “Bourrienne makes obsolete, old-fashioned looks cool again,” Le Coz says. 

Happy Feet 

Le Coz has a shoe closet full of loafers, but the pair he pulls out most often is by Jacques Solovière, a Parisian brand that makes ultra-light loafers, derbies, and slippers with a modern touch. “It is the perfect balance between gorgeous detailing and practical silhouettes,” he says. Solovière’s classic styles are available for men and women. 

Antique Boutique

Fifty years ago, Didier Ludot opened a resale boutique that specializes in couture. His small shop in the Palais-Royal grew to become a beloved fashion institution, serving as a style archive for designers, a red-carpet closet for celebrities, and a research library for fashion students and museum curators. “Ludot is the number one reference for luxury vintage,” Le Coz says.

Quiet Luxury

If the effortlessly chic women you see strolling the Left Bank seem to be wearing a uniform, chances are they’re draped in pieces by Molli, a centuries-old knitwear maison that was reborn in 2014 as a contemporary label. “I wear them on a daily basis: to go out with clients, at home, or at the park with my daughter,” Socas says. “It’s a very Parisian outfit.”

Haute Hosiery 

If God is in the details, the most revealing part of a wardrobe may be your socks. That’s why Le Coz worships Mes Chaussettes Rouges, a 12-year-old boutique that sells hosiery by Gammarelli (the official tailor to the pope), among others. “When you start to love socks, you look for quality and timeless elegance,” Le Coz says. Each order is wrapped in a red pouch and perfumed with Guerlain’s Habit Rouge.

Milan

Can’t make it to Milan for its annual furniture fair? Not to worry. J. J. Martin, founder of the wildly colorful design brand La Double J, is an obsessive collector of all things Milanese. After moving to Italy’s style capital from California, she opened her store three years ago in the city’s “Golden Triangle” of shopping, just northeast of the Duomo. There she sells her fabulously patterned frocks, Venetian glassware, and porcelain plates from Verona. Whether you’re looking for a cute desk lamp or a keepsake vase, Martin can tell you where to find it.

Dimore

“You can’t go to Milan without seeing the latest at the Dimore gallery. They sell a wonderful mix of highly collectible mid-century pieces, as well as new designs they produce themselves in Italy. It’s very sophisticated and hyper-cool — a mecca for advanced design buffs.”

Naviglio In

“This is a tiny lighting shop along the canal that’s totally unassuming from the outside, and like Aladdin’s cave on the inside. It’s crammed floor-to-ceiling with everything from 18th-century sconces to cool mid-century lamps.” 

Vicolo Via Mameli

“This charming home-goods shop is run by the cutest couple ever — Nicola Pozzi and his American partner, Ryan Weimer. All the items are thoughtfully curated: hand-​dipped candles, antique baskets, lamps, jewel-toned velvet pillows, throws. It’s a super intimate store that feels like you’re stepping into someone’s cottage in the hills of Piedmont.”

Osanna Visconti

“Osanna Visconti makes these incredible furnishings and objects from natural bronze, all entirely by hand using the ancient, lost-wax casting technique. I’m obsessed with her candelabras and bowls.”

Raimondo Garau

“Raimondo Garau is my secret weapon in Milan. The store is very hit-or-miss, but if you talk to him about what you need, he’s got the best eye and his prices are lower than you’ll find elsewhere. He’s helped me find so many things for my apartment.”

Nilufar Gallery e Depot

“This iconic spot has two locations. The one in Centrale is an exhibition space, with the most exquisitely sourced, rare mid-century gems (with prices to match). The one in Brera is more like a shoppable gallery. Both are worth a visit, if for no other reason than to ogle.”

Galleria Luisa Delle Piane

“Luisa is truly one of the grande dames of Italian design. Her store showcases art, design, and jewelry. If you’re lucky, you can catch a peek of her in one of her classic nineties Comme des Garçons outfits. She’s unbelievably chic.”

Isola

Rossana Orlandi, a doyenne of Milanese design, is always on the lookout for new talents and concepts. Her current initiatives include RoGuiltless Plastic, which challenges designers to give new life to plastic waste. Lately, the 80-year-old gallerist has set her sights on Isola, a neighborhood just north of the city center that has attracted design workshops, thrift stores, and art studios.

Her recommendations include Algranti Lab, which creates pieces from recycled materials; Lampo, a former rail yard used for exhibits, music, and food festivals; Angelo della Pergola 1, an experimental studio; and SPBH Space, a ceramics-focused “laboratory and community center.” “Isola is where so many things are happening at the moment, from design to food and fashion,” Orlandi says.

Madrid

Madrid’s food scene is booming with gourmet food halls, third-wave coffee shops, natural wine bars, and an influx of global cuisine. Clara Diez, the founder of the chic cheese boutique Formaje, finds herself continually amazed by the ambition of young chefs who are lifting the city’s gastronomic standards. She also cherishes the traditional markets and mesones (taverns). “The combination of new and historic creates a really vibrant atmosphere.” Diez says. Here, her guide to a perfect foodie day in the Spanish capital.

10 a.m. — Cortado Time 

Acid Shop is a playful addition to Madrid’s barista scene. Its third café, in an old gemstone shop in the lively Chueca district, is Instagram-ready and coffee-obsessed. “I wouldn’t go somewhere where the coffee is bad, even if the space was beautiful,” Diez says. While waiting for your hand-brewed flat white and croissant, shop for specialty beans from La Cabra, mugs by local ceramists, and cool store merch, including T-shirts.

11 a.m.  — Fancy Feast

Madrid’s historic food markets are being gradually modernized into epicurean food courts. “In the best cases they retain their historic charm,” Diez says. Mercado de San Antón, also in Chueca, has pioneered this transformation. The once-dingy market was revamped in 2021 with a bright atrium, terrace, and top-quality shops. There’s a fishmonger, a wine store, a florist, and a delicatessen on the first floor; upstairs you’ll find a dozen food stalls, including La Taberna de La Ancha, an outpost of a 100-year-old restaurant known for its tortilla with squid ink.

1 p.m. — Made in Spain

Pez Casa is Diez’s go-to for handmade tableware and other home goods. “It’s like entering a well-designed living room,” Diez says. Peruse handwoven linens, cashmere blankets, candles,
and ceramics by the Spain-based workshop Laonpottery. For more housewares by local artisans, including handwoven esparto baskets and blown-glass vases, Diez recommends Cocol, in the neighborhood of La Latina.

2 p.m. — Sweet Tooth 

Opened in 1914, La Duquesita is one of the city’s oldest pastelerías. Chocolates, sold in a signature turquoise box with red lettering, make for a sweet souvenir. The store is also famous for its flaky croissants and scrumptious pastries. 

3 p.m. — Gourmet Garage

Follow the locals to Mercado de la Paz, one of the city’s oldest food markets, in the upscale Salamanca district. “Everyone who lives nearby goes there for their daily shopping,” Diez says. While travelers can’t bring fresh produce or meats through U.S. customs, the market does sell wine, condiments, and other packaged goods. It also offers a delicious slice of everyday Madrid, with places to sample empanadas and other savory bites. 

4 p.m. — Pantry Delights

Around the corner is Mantequerías Bravo, the city’s most handsome gourmet store. Founded in 1931, the venerable grocer is packed floor to ceiling with Spanish goodies, including tins of Cantabrian anchovies from Don Bocarte, jars of roasted artichokes by Agnoni, and fragrant boxes of saffron from La Mancha. “It is an obligatory stop,” Diez says. 

6 p.m. — Table Manners

For gorgeous table linens, rugs, and cushions made with natural fibers and dyes, head to Ábbatte, a store near Retiro Park run by a mother-daughter team. The textiles are handwoven in a former monastery in Segovia, about 60 miles north of the city. Enthusiasts can sign up for workshops. “It is a small temple dedicated to calm,” Diez says.

Stockholm

Stockholm, a city infatuated with both fitness and fashion, is a hotbed of athleisure wear. Clothing brands are blending Swedish style with rugged sports apparel to create new looks for working out, running, cycling, and even surfing. “We have an excellent music and tech scene, and nature is so accessible, so brands are tying these worlds together and innovating,” says Jennie Rosén, CEO of the Swedish Fashion Council, a design incubator. Here are her picks for looking sharp while staying fit.

Surfing

The chilly waters of the Baltic Sea may not seem like an obvious place to surf, but the Stockholm Archipelago has a few choice spots to ride a wave, including Torö, about 45 miles south of the Swedish capital. A young surf culture has given rise to the Stockholm Surfboard Club, a fashion company founded by former Acne Studios designers. Its pieces are sold at many boutiques, including Nitty Gritty and JUS. “This is the brand to watch,” Rosén says. “It mixes art and surfing fashion, and makes very durable swimsuits.” 

Hiking

The pine forests in and around Stockholm can be explored along numerous hiking trails, all free and open to visitors thanks to allemansrätten, the Swedish right of public access, which is protected by law. A respect for nature also informs Houdini, a sportswear label that embraces sustainability — not just in its use of fabrics but also in how products are sold. The brand’s stylish yet technical hiking gear can be bought new or secondhand, rented, or repaired at its Stockholm flagship. “They are at the forefront of different business models,” Rosén says. 

Trail Running

Trail running is a huge pastime among sporty Swedes, and having the right fit goes a long way. “I personally love to run so I am a big fan of Unna,” Rosén says. She likes the running label’s playful, feel-good design, including a flower-print T-shirt that reads slow motion is better than no motion. Unna also has an active “Smiles Club” on the popular running and cycling app Strava. Its products
are sold online and at the NK department store in Stockholm. 

Mountaineering

The greater Stockholm area is an urban rock climber’s playground, with granite crags everywhere — including Kanalklippan, a blasted rock face along the Danvik canal in the city center. While these crags are not the most challenging climbs, their proximity to the city is unique, which explains how outfitters like Klättermusen have flourished. “It produces some of the world’s most refined mountaineering equipment,” Rosén says. “It also makes fantastic backpacks.” Klättermusen goods are sold in stores throughout Stockholm, including NK and Naturkompaniet. 

Skiing

Snow never seems that far away in Sweden, and by October, parts of the country may be a winter wonderland. Whether it’s cross-country skiing at Hellasgården (a park near Stockholm) or downhill skiing at Hammarbybacken (a slope in the city center), Swedes don’t fool around when it comes to gearing up. Haglöfs, an outdoor-clothing company, has been keeping them warm since 1914, making all kinds of winter wear, including jackets, boots, and backpacks. “It’s a brand well rooted in a Swede’s everyday wardrobe,” Rosén says. The flagship store is in the center of town. 

Berlin

The German capital is known for futuristic, avant-garde fashion, but it is also home to some of Europe’s best vintage stores. Just ask Maryam Keyhani, an artist and hatmaker who grew up in Iran and Toronto and has lived in Berlin for 10 years. Keyhani’s namesake shop in the Prenzlauer Berg district is popular with club kids and grande dames alike. She shares the space with So Last Season, a by-appointment fashion archive. “Being cool in Berlin is about making your own style,” she says. “Not buying it from a mainstream brand.” Read on for her most cherished spots for thrifting.

Aura Berlin 

This boutique specializes in handmade silk kimonos from the 1920s to the 80s, all sourced from small-town vendors and auctions in Japan. “This is a really special place, filled with racks and racks of gorgeous kimonos,” Keyhani says. 

Garments Vintage 

With two young children, Keyhani may have moved past her clubbing days, but she still dresses like she’s heading to Berghain, the infamous Berlin nightclub. She stops at this store to pick up statement pieces, like a pair of Chanel gloves or a headdress made from peacock feathers.

Final Layer

This gallery-like boutique specializes in highly coveted secondhand pieces from the 1980s and 90s, like a Romeo Gigli bubble tube top from the 1990s and a T-shirt from Def Leppard’s 1981 European tour. “Who doesn’t love the 80s and 90s?” she says. “I worry about things like, ‘Who will be the next Grace Jones?’ ” 

Mimi

To visualize this store, imagine a huge walk-in closet of a Weimar-era movie star, filled with flapper dresses, zoot suits, and old mirrors. “This place is amazing for antique textiles and historical costumes.” 

Arkonaplatz Flohmarkt

Held on a quaint square every Sunday, this flea market specializes in vintage clothing and design, including East Germany‒era sunglasses and mid-century ceramic lamps. “Fun for the whole family, because there is a playground in the middle.” 

London

Savile Row is a place defined by heritage, but that’s not to say that the men’s suiting mecca doesn’t evolve. New tailors are upending sartorial traditions and pushing the boundaries of bespoke menswear. Leading this shift is Rav Matharu, a former soccer player who started clothsurgeon, a brand that blends streetwear with bespoke tailoring. Think made-to-measure bomber jackets, tracksuits stitched from Italian leather, and fishing vests made from houndstooth wool. 

Matharu opened his store at 40 Savile Row in 2022 and brought a younger, more diverse clientele to the area. “Streetwear still has some stigma among traditional Savile Row customers,” Matharu says. “But for us, there’s no real limitation on what you can create. It’s about elevating an individual’s personal style.”

Neighbors have embraced him. “When you’re walking down the Row, you’re constantly bumping into people, saying hello and catching up,” he says. He fondly recalls a conversation with Edward Sexton, whose original store opened in 1969 and was frequented by the Beatles, David Bowie, and Elton John. “He was really happy to see us doing something different on the Row,” Matharu says. “He talked about his early days, working with the likes of Mick Jagger and unapologetically changing what a British suit looks like.”

Matharu regards Sexton as the Row’s original rebel — not just for disrupting men’s fashion with sharp silhouettes and vivid colors but also for installing windows that allowed passersby to peer inside (before that, storefronts were cloaked in heavy curtains). Sexton died in 2023, but the Edward Sexton store remains at No. 35, with new collections still dropping. 

Innovation continues up and down the Row, Matharu says. A few doors away at No. 32 is the Deck, the street’s first and only female-run tailoring house exclusively for women. Founded in 2019 by Daisy Knatchbull, a fashion executive turned designer, the bright shop specializes in elegant jackets, tailored trousers, and bridal suits.

Next door at No. 31 is Holland & Sherry, a revered cloth supplier established in 1836. Along with Scabal at No. 12 and Dormeuil and Loro Piana (on nearby Sackville and New Bond Streets, respectively), they provide the textiles for clothsurgeon and other tailors. “They are some of the best fabric suppliers in the world, so to have them on your doorstep is special,” Matharu says. “We take clients over to their showrooms, so they can touch and feel the cloth and really get the full experience.” 

Continuing north, at No. 20 is Marcel Rodrigues, the first bespoke hatter on the Row, which opened in 2023. Rodrigues handcrafts all types of chapeaus, including fedoras and cowboy hats. Matharu has collaborated with Rodrigues on several pieces, including a rabbit-fur-felt docker hat for the retired soccer player Ian Wright. 

Matharu also recommends taking a quick detour to Adret, at 15c Clifford Street, which makes relaxed, drapey leisure wear for men, including linen polo shirts and cashmere jerseys. “Adret is very different from the rest of the Row,” he says. “The aesthetic is loose. They really nailed that effortless style.” Also on Clifford Street, at No. 17, is Anderson & Sheppard Haberdashery, which was established in 1906 and specializes in knitwear, hats, and other men’s accessories. Matharu may soon pay them a visit. “I exhausted the gray neckerchief I wear.” 

Back on the Row, the final stop is Drakes, at No. 9, “a modern British take on Ivy Style,” he says. Known for its relaxed chore coats and rugged chambray shirts, Drakes began in East London in 1977 and opened its Savile Row flagship in 2019. 

For Matharu, being on Savile Row has not only raised clothsurgeon’s profile but also sharpened its vision. “We’ve been able to tell the story a little bit more clearly since opening,” he says.

A version of this story first appeared in the July 2024 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline “Style Capitals“