Holt Renfrew, Toronto
Originally founded as a hat shop in Quebec City in 1837 by Irishman William Samuel Henderson, the company officially became Holt Renfrew & Co. Ltd. in 1908.
Holt Renfrew, Toronto
The holiday windows at Holt Renfrew. The theme? “Let There Be: Wonder, Joy, Magic, Love, Sharing, Beauty, and Warmth.”
Bergdorf Goodman, New York
Window displays at Bergdorf Goodman in New York.
Bergdorf Goodman, New York
The Kelly Wearstler-designed Bergdorf Goodman cafe.
Fortnum & Mason, London
The famed Fortnum & Mason clock on Piccadilly, with its colorful bell ringers, may look historic, but it was only installed in 1965.
Fortnum & Mason, London
The main staircase and candelabra holder in Fortnum & Mason.
Fortnum & Mason, London
The Christmas decoration corner at Fortnum & Mason.
Galeries Lafayette, Paris
Galeries Lafayette, which offers high fashion for men and women plus vast home and food departments, is a series of interconnected stores branching out from the main building.
Galeries Lafayette, Paris
Seeing the amazing domed ceiling at Galeries Lafayette is worth the trip there.
Harrods, London
Las Vegas glitz meets Egypt by way of Knightsbridge at Harrods.
Harrods, London
A glorious food hall complete with everything from Krispy Kreme doughnuts to pastel-hued Ladurée macaroons.
KaDeWe, Berlin
KaDeWe offers something for everyone—from fashion and beauty to consumer electronics.
KaDeWe, Berlin
Often arriving by bicycle (there are more than 200 guarded bike slots at the store), chic Berliners zip over to the Luxury Boulevard accessories department on the ground floor with its glittering outposts from heavy-hitting brands such as Chanel, Dior, Fendi,and Prada.
KaDeWe, Berlin
In 1943, KaDeWe in Berlin was largely destroyed when an American airplane crashed into its atrium. On July 3, 1950, 180,000 Berliners celebrated the reopening of the store’s first two floors, and the store became a beacon of hope for Berlin.
La Rinascente, Milan
The basement-level, slick Design Supermarket at La Rinascente features a gorgeous assortment of unique, artful home items—from cooking utensils and cookbooks to furnishings.
La Rinascente, Milan
The top floor houses the Degustazione Food Market and Maio restaurant, where the terrace offers stunning vistas of the Duomo.
La Rinascente, Milan
Plus, there is a Conran Shop and a gorgeous display of luggage, all beautifully edited and presented.
Liberty of London, London
Founded by Arthur Liberty in 1875 (watch for images of Mr. and Mrs. Liberty adorning chic pillows in the home furnishings department), this mock Tudor building just off bustling Regent Street has always been at the cutting edge.
Printemps, Paris
Printemps is famous for collaborating with artists on their visual merchandising. Designers such as Paul Smith and Karl Lagerfeld, for instance, were each given a window of the store and invited to install décor that captured their personal world.
Printemps, Paris
The Yves Saint Laurent and Dries van Noten boutiques on the International Designers’ Floor (2nd floor of the women’s store).
Printemps, Paris
Take in the views of Paris from Déli-cieux, a minimalist glass café perched on the roof.
Printemps, Paris
Brasserie Printemps (6th floor of the women’s store) was founded in 1865. The name of the store was inspired by the play Au Printemps by Leopold Laluye. The store’s fabled glass dome was created in 1923 (it was removed at the beginning of World War II and not re-installed until 1973).
Saks Fifth Avenue, New York
The just-revamped, 50,000-square-foot Designer Shop at Saks is home to 23 designer shops and individual brands, including the likes of Isaac Mizrahi.
Saks Fifth Avenue, New York
Window displays on 5th Avenue.
Selfridges, London
Hipsters, glitterati and High Street shoppers mix and mingle in the landmark building of Selfridges that defines contemporary and cutting-edge mixed with high-energy excitement.
Selfridges, London
The Wonder Room offers gorgeous, one-off products. Be sure to watch for pop-up boutiques, such as the “God Save the Cream” ice-cream shop.
Selfridges, London
In 2007, Hermès created two exclusive Birkin bags in Selfridges’ signature yellow. And to celebrate its 100th anniversary, Selfridges had numerous brands—including Absolut, Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo, and BlackBerry—craft products in their signature canary yellow.
Takashimaya, Tokyo
During Takashimaya’s opening ritual each morning, employees bow to the first customers of the day. Luxe international brands add sparkle to this vibrant, innovative retailer that prides itself on its top-notch attention to service and detail.
Takashimaya, Tokyo
Gloved elevator operators whisk shoppers up the eight floors of shopping and dining.
Takashimaya, Tokyo
The kimono and traditional goods departments.