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From iconic retail experiences to the stoop made famous by Sex and the City, these are the New York fashion attractions that define the city’s sophisticated and avant-garde sense of style.

Inclusivity is in vogue when it comes to the New York fashion scene. There are plenty of all-access fashion experiences that anyone can tap into, no velvet rope or influencer status required – after all, New York is one of the world’s fashion capitals. All you need is the right intel on where to go to hone your style IQ. Beyond shopping, labels and trends, this guide offers a tour of the must-visit NYC spots for those who consider themselves fashion lovers.

Tiffany and Co.

Shop

Tyffany and Co. store front in NYC on the 5th Avenue.
© Benoit Daoust / Shutterstock
“Nothing bad can ever happen at Tiffany’s,” coos Audrey Hepburn as the quintessential New York party girl and fashion maven Holly Golightly in the 1961 film adapted from Truman Capote’s novella, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Splurge on high-end fine jewelry and objets d’art that are updated seasonally. Contemporary jewelry and accessories can be snagged for $250 and under, while home goods, including fine china and sterling silver pieces, are priced under $100. Whether you’re searching for a stocking stuffer or a Christmas-morning scene-stealer, the shop’s iconic Fifth Avenue location has an Audrey-approved fit for you. And now, with the 2017 opening of The Blue Box Cafe on the fourth floor of the flagship store, you can literally have breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Dover Street Market

Market, Shop

Hunter x Isamaya Ffrench Event, Dover Street Market, New York, USA
© Vladimir Weinstein/BFA/REX/Shutterstock
This multi-level concept mall features designers like Gucci, Balenciaga, Supreme, Maison Margiela and Comme des Garçons, as well as emerging designers who present innovative designs at the intersection of art and fashion. Collections are always changing, so be sure to check the floor guide for exclusive product drops. The brainchild of Rei Kawakubo, Dover Street is an international concept mall with locations in the most fashionable cities.

Carrie Bradshaw’s stoop

Building

Tourists taking photos outside the famous 66 Perry Street, Brownstone in Greenwich Village, Manhattan where Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) lived in the series.
© New York City / Alamy Stock Photo
Sex and the City fans line up daily to see the famous stoop where fictional sex columnist and New York fashionista Carrie Bradshaw smoked many a cigarette while always managing to pull a look. Although Bradshaw’s apartment is supposed to be on the Upper East Side (within walking distance of Barneys), the brick-and-mortar stoop is in the West Village – in the same neighborhood that Sarah Jessica Parker calls home.

The Museum at FIT

Museum, Memorial

Pink_18
Courtesy of the Museum at FIT
Dubbed New York’s most fashionable museum, and helmed by fashion historian Dr Valerie Steele, the Museum at FIT boasts several high-profile rotating exhibitions as well as a permanent collection and archives. Located on the campus of New York’s elite fashion school, the Fashion Institute of Technology, the Museum at FIT allows photography, and entrance is free.

M and J Trimming

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M&J Trimming on 6th avenue in Manhattan, a well known outlet of all sorts of trimmings (buttons, ribbons, crystals etc.).
© DW labs Incorporated / Shutterstock

Located in New York’s famed Garment District, where designers source fabrics and trimmings, M&J Trimming is a DIY crafter’s dream. Find everything from silk flowers to iron-on patches and fur pom-poms at industry prices. Buttons, trimmings and zippers as well as crafting tools like glue guns and sewing machines are also available for purchase. Be on the lookout for your favorite New York designer on the hunt for next season’s must-have embellishment.

Mood Fabrics

Shop

Interior of Mood Fabrics, a textile store on 37th Street in the Garment District made famous by the TV show Project Runway.
EQ Roy / Shutterstock

With three floors of designer fabrics to shop, the Mood Fabrics boutique provides one of New York’s most extensive selections of silks, lace, brocades, wool, velvet, jersey, trimmings, home decor and more. Find designer closeouts as well as on-trend seasonal selections shopped by the creatives behind some of New York’s premier labels. Featured on Project Runway, the store, located in the heart of the Garment District, is often crazy busy. Drop by mid-week for a respite from the crowds.

East Broadway Mall

Shopping Mall

Located in the heart of Chinatown, the East Broadway Mall houses mom-and-pop vendors selling everything from home decor to fishnet slippers and Chinese cosmetics. You’ll also find tons of eateries offering Szechuan- and Cantonese-style dishes. From this spot, explore Chinatown’s alleys where you can score silk qipao, embroidered kimonos and pajama sets, as well as silk coin purses, fans, hair combs and Chinese make-up and skincare products.

Five Points Tattoo

Beauty Salon

Formerly known as Love Hate Social Club, Five Points NYC is a New York-style tattoo parlor where you can hang out and explore how far you’re willing to go when it comes to adorning the body. Staff artists are accomplished in a variety of styles and techniques including Japanese, flash and fine lines. Walk-ins are encouraged seven days a week.

Le Bain

Bar, Nightclub, Pub Grub

Atop the Standard Hotel in the bustling Meatpacking District you will find Le Bain, which, true to its name, has a Jacuzzi as well as rooftop views. Sip on fabulous cocktails and snack on bites from a small-plate menu. Since this is a favorite spot for the fashion set, dress to impress and take the gold-plated elevators all the way to the top. Expect a line and an expensive cover charge on the weekend.

About the author

Jill is a New York native who holds a BA in Literature from Barnard College, and an MFA in writing from Columbia University. She is the author of the novel Beautiful Garbage (She Writes Press, 2013) about the downtown Manhattan art and fashion scene in the 1980s. A former staff writer for The Huffington Post and Bustle, Jill comes to Culture Trip after working with Refinery 29, Vice, Salon, Paste Style, Los Angeles Times, Nylon, Shopify, Autre, and producing content for emerging fashion labels. She teaches classes about fashion and culture at Barnard College and The Fashion Institute of Technology. Her prized possessions are her Gucci fanny pack, vintage rocker t-shirts, and her grandmother's collection of costume jewelry. She's always on the lookout for a gem-encrusted turban.

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