The ultimate destination for the home has humble roots that go back to 1897 when Sam Weinrib started a business selling used carpets out of a cart on the Lower East Side. What a difference a century (or so) can make: today, the seven-story store on the stretch of Broadway formerly known as “Ladies Mile” is an enchanting souk, with lavish antique chandeliers hanging from exposed pipes and fur throws draped across beds. On the ground floor, an artfully curated collection of jewelry and accessories is sprinkled in for good measure. Take a shopping break at one of star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s two attached restaurants—ABC Kitchen and ABC Cocina—which have as much panache as the store itself.

Find pristine vintage for men and women at Amarcord, which has locations in both Soho and Williamsburg. The store’s expat owners keep it well stocked with regular treasure-hunting trips to their homeland of Italy. Expect to find notable designers in the mix (Missoni, Salvatore Ferragamo) as well as other European labels that fit the spot’s eclectic, colorful aesthetic. A plentiful selection of leather bags and shoes rounds out the mix.

Set on the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, the Vanderbilt mansion was once considered the most impressive house in the United States, with its enormous ballrooms and crenellated towers. Today, the site is home to what is possibly the most remarkable department store in the nation. The eight floors are arranged like a series of small boutiques, selling the best of everything, from haute wedding gowns to personalized stationery to a veritable shoe spectacle. BG Restaurant—designed by hotel impresario Kelly Wearstler—is the ultimate perch for the very stylish ladies who lunch, with views overlooking Central Park. The basement level is a beauty Mecca, complete with a small gem of a day spa.

Founded in 1838, this old-school pharmacy full of hard-to-locate beauty discoveries has been frequented by everyone from Mark Twain to Sarah Jessica Parker. The shop itself is like a piece of history: check out the chandeliers, which were once powered by gas, and the old-fashion wooden cases. And while some things have changed—the soda fountain is no more—the apothecary continues to sell cult products like its rose salve. Complete with vintage-style packaging, the heavenly smelling miracle cream transforms both dry skin and chapped lips.

This tiny and much-loved boutique, located in the heart of thriving Williamsburg, offers a meticulously curated collection of jewelry, accessories, home goods and beauty products. Amid a girly, white-walled décor, find dainty pieces from little-known local designers, non-traditional engagement rings and fantastic gifts (whimsical stationary, Rodin oils and plenty more).

Started in San Francisco in the early 1990s, de Vera is a beautifully curated arts and antiques shop that almost defies definition. Owner Federico de Vera has an exquisite eye, roaming the globe and collecting the offbeat and the obscure—religious relics, Baroque pearl necklaces, Japanese lacquer and oil paintings of barons and hipsters. A visit here is like taking a walk through the behind-the-scenes stacks of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

After setting the London fashion scene on fire with the multi-brand concept store Dover Street Market, Comme des Garçons designer and trailblazer Rei Kawakubo has taken her show on the road to New York. In an unlikely Flatiron District building, installation artists have turned a seven-story space into a veritable museum, complete with a sound experience. (The store will close on a regular basis to completely transform itself.) All the big names are there—Vuitton, Saint Laurent—and in the fourth-floor Energy Showroom, there are up-and-coming designers such as Phoebe English, who crafts clothing from macramé, tulle, even hair. And as if that weren’t enough, there’s also an outpost of Rose Bakery, the beloved Paris café.

New York native Fiona Druckenmiller (the sister of Indagare’s founder, Melissa Biggs Bradley) has long had a passion for collecting art, objets d’art and jewelry. In her boutique, F.D., Druckenmiller shares her expertise with stylish shoppers, by carrying an exceptional range of jewels, fine art, glass and sculpture. In a salon-like setting, she displays her carefully assembled private jewelry collection, which includes choice pieces like Cartier Tutti-Frutti bracelets, a rare Patek Philippe World Watch and a pair of bracelets created for Emperor Haile Selassie alongside historic pieces by Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, David Webb, René Boivin and Lacloche Frères and pieces by some of the most exciting contemporary jewelry designers like Taffin, Hemmerle and Viren Bhagat.

Other treasures include tables by Claude Lalanne and the white leather dining room chairs that Syrie Maugham chose for Mona Williams’ Palm Beach residence. Druckenmiller believes that fashionable women today are seeking unusual objects and that they care passionately about the provenance and heritage of what the pieces buy, so the store is also equipped with electronic albums that detail the history and origin of the designs. And while some pieces have seven-figure price tags, Druckenmiller also wants F.D. to feature an interesting mix of items she herself loves, so you will also find products in the $100 range, including limited-edition books and beautiful glassware.

This Upper East Side treasure trove brought uptown girls some seriously cool style when it came along in 2012. The concept store mixes costume jewelry and finds from around the globe with boundary-pushing designers like Alexander McQueen and Preen. Twentysomething owner Claire Distenfeld took inspiration from some of the world’s top concept shops, including Colette in Paris and Milan’s 10 Corso Como.

A New York bastion of vintage jewels, including rare pieces from the royal court of the nineteenth century. Delve into its trove of decadent Art Deco baubles from such firms as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Mauboussin, and Belperron.

To serious fashion lovers, Jeffrey’s is not just a mini department store, but also a massive, expertly curated walk-in closet. The Meatpacking District stalwart opened in 1999 under the keen eye of former Barneys shoe buyer Jeffrey Kalinsky, and thanks to his sophisticated eye, the airy space is now the number-one stop for all things high fashion. The ready-to-wear fashions hail from the likes of Altuzarra and Roland Mouret, which stand alongside the impressive menswear section. The shoe collection is a highlight.

A fixture in fashion magazines and on famous wrists and necklines, Karen Karch’s handmade jewelry is bold and refined. Drawing on influences as diverse as Native American artwork (she grew up in Texas and has a home in New Mexico) and Victorian, gothic and art-deco styles, she favors rich colors (think Australian rubies and champagne and cognac diamonds), raw textures (like hammered and rough-hewn metals) and striking shapes. Her three signatures – a faceted heart, a rose and a “lucky horn” can be found throughout the collection, as rings and pendants, in rose and platinum gold, and laden with a variety of gemstones. Although all of Karch’s designs are distinctive, those interested in couture services can collaborate with her to create one-of-a kind designs, like an engagement ring adorned with black diamonds.

In a neighborhood overrun with vintage and thrift stores, Swedish owner Malin Landaeus’s eponymous shop has become a go-to for editorial shoots and designer research. Go for the exquisite collection of antique and vintage womenswear, and stay for the friendly vibe and vegan baked goods (served every Sunday). In addition to racks of decades-old duds, find hand-dyed silk clothing and Erica Weiner jewelry.

Mish Tworkowski designs rarefied earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and brooches that are sui generis. Be sure to check out his whimsical Chinoiserie pagoda brooches.

This shop carries exotic jewelry and gifts galore, as well as a range of whimsical, affordable baubles.

Housed in a former funeral parlor (thus, the name), Resurrection is where designer vintage comes back to life. This isn’t your grandmother’s closet—unless your grandmother had a wardrobe of Chanel and YSL. Designers such as Marc Jacobs seek out this shop in the highly fashionable Nolita neighborhood for inspiration, while celebrity stylists use it as their secret source; yes, that was Rihanna, rocking looks from Resurrection.

Pick up precious treasures at Scosha, where the designs include delicate charms, semiprecious stones and bright beaded and string bracelets.

A shoe wax that was popular in the early 1900s (and which also coined a certain phrase) has been brought back to life in the form of an all-American brand: Shinola. This Detroit-based company became an overnight sensation, with its well-crafted watches, bicycles, and leather goods, not to mention some of the smartest looking pencils we’ve ever seen and a line of simple notebooks made by Michigan artisans. The TriBeCa flagship store is like a museum of great design, complete with baristas serving up perfect cups of coffee.

This edgy design shop originally cut its teeth in Williamsburg, serving up statement-making pieces, including avant-garde lighting (a chandelier that looks like twigs) and decorative objects (a folding candle holder), plus art books, jewelry, even piggy banks for kids. Now design junkies have a reason to make a reverse commute, thanks to its new home just off Manhattan’s Bowery. Looking for a wedding gift that your Wallpaper Magazine-loving friends will never forget? You’ll find it here.