Top shopping spots around the world

DUBAI DUBAI Mall Children will love the ice-skating rink, the cinema, the rides at Sega Republic, or the massive aquarium. The fashion stores are organised by districts and there’s plenty of gawking to be done at high-end stores, all set under beautiful atriums. Take a ride to see the sunset from the top of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, or sip coffee with the veiled ladies at Fauchon Cafe. thedubaimall.com. HONG KONG Horizon Plaza You have to get a taxi and give the driver clear instructions to find this unprepossessing building in Hong Kong island’s Ap Lei Chau residential district, but it’s worth the effort. The building is crammed with outlets, high and low-end, from the warehouses of top local retailers Joyce and Lane Crawford, to little shops full of ex-factory fashion items from the Chinese mainland. Bonus: the Prada outlet is just around the corner. discoverhongkong.com. PARIS Galeries Lafayette It’s probably the most spectacular department store in the world, with its enormous stained glass cupola and 10 storeys of galleries circling a bustling first floor. In fact, Galeries Lafayette is more than a shop – it’s a Belle Epoque landmark and a tourist attraction in itself, with a dedicated tax-free shopping office. galerieslafayette.com. ISTANBUL Grand Bazaar With 61 streets and more than 3000 shops visited by up to 400,000 shoppers a day, it sounds daunting. In reality, the 15th-century bazaar is tremendous fun, with fewer hawkers and hassle than you may expect. Take it slowly, as the locals do, and stop frequently for tea (which is often offered by vendors when you sit down to do a deal). grandbazaaristanbul.org. LONDON The Denim Studio, Selfridges This 24,000 square metre ode to everything denim stocks 60 brands from basic Levi’s to Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney. Find your perfect style with the help of one of 50 denim ‘‘experts’’ and then have your jeans altered to fit by the on-site tailor. A personalised shopping service is free with no minimum spend but appointments are essential. selfridges.com. TOKYO Tokyu Hands If you enjoy a visit to Bunnings, you’ll be knocked out by this multi-storey store devoted to things you do by hand – crafts, hobbies, home maintenance, hardware, stationery – as well as health and beauty products, travel accessories and souvenirs. The branch connected to Takashimaya Department store in Shinjuku is immense and you’ll find things you didn’t even know you were looking for. tokyu-hands.co.jp. MILAN 10 Corso Como High-fashion shopping doesn’t get better than this store/bookshop/ gallery and cafe in a converted garage. A radical ‘‘concept shop’’ when it opened in 1991, it showcases the very best of international fashion design, edited down to the most covetable pieces. There’s an outlet at 3 via Tazzoli if you have an eye for a bargain. 10corsocomo.com. SHANGHAI Dongmen Lu Fabric Market Shanghai tailors have the reputation of being even better than those in Hong Kong, given the history of White Russian seamstresses arriving in the city after the Russian Revolution of 1917. This unprepossessing four-level fabric market is the place to go for bespoke clothing – anything from wool and velvet coats to copies of Chanel suits. You can have something made to size from a selection of styles or have good copies made of your favourite pieces. Choose your own fabric, negotiate a price (it’s very cheap) and return in two days for the finished item. 168 Dongmen Lu, Huangpu District. smartshanghai.com. NEW YORK Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, Central Valley, New York Outlet shopping has long been the favourite activity of bargain hunters and these days outlets are sprouting up everywhere. Woodbury Common, one hour north of New York City, is one of the best known, boasting a huge range of American and international brands in women’s and men’s apparel, children’s clothing and toys, homewares, luggage, cosmetics and accessories. A Gray Line bus service will take you from Manhattan. premiumoutlets.com. BEIJING Panjiayuan Flea Market Anyone who enjoys garage sales and bric-a-brac will be over the moon at this fabulous market, also known as the ‘‘dirt’’ market, in central Beijing. Although it’s also open on weekdays, on weekends vendors come from all over the countryside with personal items to sell. There are antiques shops around the perimeter, but it’s the stuff laid out on sheets on the ground you’ll want to investigate – ancient china teacups, genuine Communist memorabilia, family photo albums and so on. Go early (it’s open at 4.30am on weekends) and bargain hard. South East Third East Ring Rd, Chaoyang District. thechinaguide.com. NEW YORK Century 21 If you go early and avoid weekends, you’ll miss the crowds at this mecca of discount designer goods opposite the new Freedom Tower in downtown Manhattan. Known for its fantastic prices on overstocks of designer bed linen, sunglasses, bags, lingerie and menswear as well as women’s designer brands and an enormous shoe department, this is probably the best discount store on the planet. c21stores.com. HONG KONG Lane Crawford This fashionista favourite might be the most enticing department store anywhere if you’re in the market for high-end designer duds. More than 800 brands covering womenswear, menswear, accessories and lifestyle are gathered here, which makes it the largest collection in greater China. What’s best about Lane Crawford’s flagship store in the IPC building in Central is the brilliant merchandising of collections, which are laid out in gallery-like spaces. lanecrawford.com. MARRAKESH The souk This is hands-down the most dazzling, sensual shopping experience in the world – especially if you’re looking for something handmade. Inside the fortified walls of the old city, hundreds of lanes offer a breathtaking array of boutiques, artisan workshops and herboristes selling spices and medicinal herbs. Sixty per cent of the city’s working population is an artisan and the standard of manufacture of lamps, leather goods, clothing, carpets and pottery is exceptionally high. There’s junk here, too, but good stuff is fantastic value. It’s a little daunting but the best way to navigate is simply to plunge in. visitmorocco.com.