For those who prefer to transit the globe seated in a Gulfstream all to themselves rather than sharing a 747 with hundreds of fellow travelers; privacy, exclusivity and service are at the top of the list.
So it comes as no surprise that when the private-jet-set want to shop around the world, Diana Zuluaga, Co-Founder of JET D’OR, a Private Jet Charter Company, is the one they go to. A luxury travel expert, her clients are ultra high-net-worth individuals from around the world. Diana takes us on a tour of Europe’s favourite shopping destinations.
London
1. Liberty London: A London shopping institution opened in 1875, Liberty celebrates traditional values while also offering modern design through five floors filled with accessories, furniture, beauty clothing, and all sorts of luxury items.
Address: Regent Street, London, W1B 5AH
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 10am – 8pm; Sunday 12 – 6pm
2. Dover Street Market: Designed by Comme des Garcon’s Rei Kawakubo, it’s shops are filled with a wide variety of designer labels from all over the world.
Address: 18-22 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4DG
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 11am – 7pm; Sunday 12pm – 6pm
3. Fortnum & Mason sells everything related to fine food, wine, tea, glamorous luggage, clothing and furnishing items, and has been the grocery for the Royalty for 150 years. It’s also a great spot for a very British afternoon tea
Address: 181 Piccadilly, London, W1A 1ER
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 10am – 9pm; Sunday 11.30am* – 6pm
*11.30am – 12 noon for browsing only
4. Harrods: The classic destination. With over 20 restaurants, a long tiring shopping spree can be paused by a quick delicious lunch break in any one its restaurants or in the Food Hall itself. Top pick is the Pizzeria and Canti Prosecco Bar where the Chef sings some classic opera every 20 minutes!
Address: 87-135 Brompton Road, London, SW1X 7XL
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 10am – 9pm ; Sunday 11.30am* – 6pm
*11.30am – 12 noon for browsing only
5. King’s Road: A shopaholic’s heaven, King’s Road is home to some of the trendiest international designer shops, boutiques, and local labels. If you take a browse on Saturday, you can also enjoy the Duke of York Square Farmer’s Market, one of London’s best with oysters, champagne, local producers and full of locals.
Address: King’s Road, Chelsea, SW3
6. The Village at Westfield London: This giant luxury estate is home to over 40 famous brands making it one of the largest fashion centers in London. They also have an excellent Personal Styling ‘Fashion Lounge’, available for half or full days, and available in different languages.
Address: Ariel Way London, Shepherds Bush, W12 7SL
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 10am – 10pm; Sunday 12pm – 6pm
7 . Selfridges. The premier chain of department stores, Selfridges has been voted ‘Best Department Store in the World’ three years running. The selections in fashion are excellent as well as the creativity of instore entertainments and experiences throughout the year.
Address: 400 Oxford Street, London. W1A 1AB
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 9.30am – 9pm: Sunday 11.30am – 6pm*
*11.30 – 12.00 is browsing time only
8. Harvey Nichols: In business since 1831, this high-fashion retailer caters to London’s and the world’s super rich. The Knightsbridge branch is its flagship, now with outlets all around the world. Visit the Fifth Floor restaurant for a glass of champagne and post shopping relaxation.
Address: Knightsbridge, 109 – 125 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7RJ
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 10am – 8pm; Sunday 11:30am – 6pm*
*Browsing from 11.30am – 12pm
9. Other wonderful shopping stops: The Royal Exchange and Fenwick on Bond Street.
Paris
1. Rue St Honoré with its sophisticated extension, Rue Faubourg St Honoré, is one of the most upmarket shopping streets of Paris, all part of one long street. Dedicated almost exclusively to luxury fashion design houses, like Hermès, Lanvin, Gucci and YSL; it offers an immense concentration of chic and couture along its streets.
2. Colette is a lifestyle concept and cult store which sells everything from clothing to high-tech gadgets, furniture to jewelry. Visit the water bar on the lower level for the full experience.
Address: 213 Rue Saint Honoré, 75001 Paris
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 11am – 7pm
3. Avenue Montaigne: The only street to rival Rue Faubourg St Honoré in terms of prominence and prestige, considered the Grande Dame of Parisian streets is the Avenue Montaigne. The luxurious Hôtel Plaza Athénée is also located on this street.
4. Avenue des Champs-Elysees: Walking down Champs-Elysées is a must-see in Paris, in itself, but the highlight on this famed street is a visit to the flagship Louis Vuitton store (101 Avenue des Champs-Élysées).
5. Boulevard Saint Michel and Rue de Rennes are Parisian treasures offering a more relaxed shopping experience of local and unique brands. Boulevard Saint Michel is also renowned for its bookshops – one of the largest being Gilbert Joseph, and shoppers can enjoy a break in the beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg. Rue de Rennes is a mix of quirky boutiques and large international chains, making a shopper’s paradise.
6. Galeries Lafayette features luxury prêt-à-porter and accessories and nine avant-garde designers, as well as a vast shoe department featuring some 150 brands. It is famous for its century-old stained-glass dome, arching over the stellar Beauty department. Walk next door to Printemps, and you’ll get one of the best views of Paris from the rooftop café of this Parisian department store, side by side with the best luxury brands, from Chanel to Dior, to YSL or Hermès.
Address: 40 boulevard Haussmann 9e Paris
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 9.30am to 8.00pm (Thursday evenings until 8.30pm)
6. Worth the visit: French brands and world-reknown designers in Paris that are worth the visit include Franck et Fils, Acne Rive Gauche, Azzedine Alaia, Chanel, Cartier, Fendi, Lanvin, Viktor & Rolf, Emilio Pucci, Givenchy, Chloe, Guerlain, Christian Lacroix and Alex Mabille.
Zurich
A5829K Beyer jeweler at Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland
1. Bahnhofstrasse: The happiest shopping kilometre in Switzerland and one of the world’s most exclusive shopping streets, with international stores like Tiffany, Bulgari as well as Armani, Prada and Dior. This street is also home to individual flagship stores of the Breguet, Cartier, Omega, Piaget, IWC and Mont Blanc brands. Be sure to take a look at Fidelio, Maison Gassman and Bongénie Grieder – first class shopping destinations.
2. Zürich-West & Aussersihl: Excellent neighbourhoods to walk around for creative and often local Zurich brands, a cool and modern Zurich shopping experience.
3. Bucherer carries the largest selection of Rolex watch models in the world, as well as famous Swiss brands including Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Chopard, Girard-Perregaux, Roger Dubuis and TAG Heuer.
Address: Bahnhofstrasse 50, 8001
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 9.30am – 7pm; Sunday 9am – 5pm
4. Maurice de Mauriac Zurich: The first Swiss watch producer to brand itself ‘made in Zurich’, this is the place to go for the original Swiss Made watch. Beyer Chronometrie is the oldest watch shop in Switzerland.
Maurice de Mauriac address: Tödistrasse 48, 8002 Zurich
Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 9am – 6pm; Saturday 11am – 2pm
Beyer Chronometrie address: Bahnhofstrasse 31, 8001
Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 9.30am – 6.30pm; Saturday 9.30am – 4pm
5. The Fabric Frontline: The widest range of luxurious silk fabrics, scarves, foulards, ties and pocket squares. Their customers include Vivienne Westwood, Nina Ricci, and Oliver Thevskens, so you’ll be in good company.
Address: Ankerstrasse 118, 8004
Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday: 10am – 12.30pm/ 2pm – 6.30pm; Saturday 10am – 4pm
6. Swiss Inspirations offers a diverse range of outstanding products, from jewerly to bags, chocolate to beauty, all designed and produced in Switzerland.
Address: Niederdorfstrasse 90, 8001
Opening hours: Monday – Friday 10am – 6.30pm; Saturday 10am – 5pm
7. Chocolate lovers: The Vollenweider Chocolatier Confiseur is one of Switzerland’s most traditional chocolate-makers offering macaroons, truffes, small chocolate candies and much more. Läderach Choco-Atelier is where you the consummate art of the Swiss chocolatier and its making.
The Vollenweider Chocolatier Confiseur address: Theaterstrasse 1 8001
Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 8am – 7pm; Saturday 8am – 5pm
Läderach Chico-Atelier address: Bahnhofstrasse 106, 8001
Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 9am – 8pm; Saturday 9am – 6pm
Milan
1. Via Montenapoleone, part of Quadrilatero d’Oro (Milan’s golden quadrilateral) is the Italian luxury shopping dream and Milan’s most fashionable street with world-renown stores like Alberta Ferreti, Bottega Veneta, Dolce and Gabbana, Etro, Fedu, Fratelli Rossetti, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Loro Piana, Miu Miu, Prada, Valentino, Roberto Cavalli, Salvatore Ferragamo and Versace and so much more.
2. Corso Veneziais part of the city’s upscale Quadrilatero della moda shopping district, along with Via Montenapoloene, Via della Spiga, Via Sant’Andrea and Via Mazoni. It is one of Milan’s most exclusive and elegant streets with a great collection of Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo and Neo-classical palaces, parks and gardens. For shopping, you’ll find Armani, Burberry, Dolce and Gabanna, Missoni, Prada and Vivienne Westwood.
3. Corso di Porta Ticinese, an alternative to the designer labels of the Via Montenapoleone, specialises in offbeat fashion brands and is a great destination for denim. Corso di Porta Ticinese is ligned with vintage shops and local brands. The perfect place for a vintage Prada or Dolce and Gabbana hunt.
4. Corso Buenos Aires is reputed to be Europe’s longest shopping street and is comparable to London’s Oxford Street or Paris’ Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Located in the North East of Milan, it offers over 350 shops from around the world and a few local brands.
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