Seven ways to shop smarter while on holiday

Shopping trips abroad can yield designer bargains, objets d’art for your home or a bad case of buyer’s remorse. Rachel Marie Walsh outlines seven ways to shop smarter

1. START SMALL: You don’t go abroad to eat McDonald’s, so why shop at international high street stores while on holiday? Some department stores are tourist attractions but stock can usually be purchased online. For truly unique purchases, start with small stores. New York’s West Village and Cheung Sha Wan Road, Hong Kong, are full of tiny, diverse retailers. Lingerie boutiques are excellent on the continent. Janina in Barcelona and Sabbia Rosa in Paris are two of the best.

Concept boutiques like 10 Corso Como, Milan, Simple, Prague, and Andreas Murkudis, Berlin, offer interesting blends of art, music, books and fashion at a range of price points. Boutique staff is generally very knowledgeable about where you can shop for your style elsewhere. A Wallpaper* City Guide App for iPhone/iPad, €3.99, can also be relied upon for lists of cool, lesser-known stores.