A store called the Banana Republic was opened in San Francisco in 1978 by Mel and Patricia Ziegler. Both the Zieglers worked for the San Franciso Chronicle, Mel was a writer and Patricia an illustrator.
Banana Republic specialized in casual Safari styles and Army Surplus clothing. Many of the utilitarian items had sturdy zips and snaps and were double-stitched and reinforced. The store sold desert army hats, sheepskin vests, shorts and other items of travel clothing to armchair travelers. The garments were designed by the Zieglers for people to wear when mountain hiking or rafting. Source

Simply elegant. Barbara Bui, combines the simplicity of good design sense with the elegance of her native Paris and catapulted into the hottest fashion markets of the world. Manhattan, Milan, Rodeo Dr, Frand, Italy, Monaco, Lebanon and Russia, just stroll down Prince in Greenwich Village and save the price of jet fuel by shopping in America. White is her basic color palate with ebony incorporated for drama. She excels at adding the jeweled colors of the season. Her Spring Summer 2012 collections radiate with this year’s sunburst yellow and ripe tangerine. Cooling with a bit of fresh live green, Bui designs to enhance a woman’s beauty by making the deceptive simple elegance a canvass for a woman’s natural grace. In fact, if Grace Kelly were alive today, she would be all over Barbara Bui’s clean and flowing garb, especially the gorgeous gowns that fall to the floor in perfect symmetry. Gowns, suits, tops , skirts, pants, knitwear, casual, formal, bags to make you whimper and shoes to incite passion, browse through all her accessories and shop wisely. Once you wear a Barbara Bui original, New York City shopping will have a whole new meaning for you.

Benetton Group S.p.A. (NYSE: BNG) is a global upmarket clothing brand, based in Treviso, Italy. The name comes from four members of the Benetton family who founded the company in 1965. Benetton Group is listed on the Borsa Italiana, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. Its core business is clothing with the casual line marketed as the "United Colors of Benetton", a fashion-oriented "Sisley" division, "Playlife" leisurewear, and "Killer Loop" streetwear brands. Their products include womenswear, menswear, childrenswear and underwear and they have recently expanded into toiletries, perfumes, exclusive watches and items for the home such as kitchen accessories and baby products. Source

Ungaro retired and sold the label to internet entrepreneur Asim Abdullah in 2005. After the sale, the label was languished with a revolving door of designers, the last of which, Esteban Cortazar, who was appointed in 2007, was fired two years later after his refusal to work with actress Lindsay Lohan. Subsequently, Lohan was appointed Artistic Director, working with new head designer Estrella Archs, who was hired hastily to replace Cortazar.[3] The introduction of Lohan, which was meant to give the label publicity, was received with shock and dismay in Paris Fashion Week 2009.[3] In 2010, during Paris Fashion Week, Lindsay Lohan announced that she was no longer working for or with Ungaro, and that she could not comment on the matter because of legal issues. Source

A high-end high street clothing retailer with more than 69 stores in North America. It is owned by Polo Ralph Lauren. An international men’s and women’s lifestyle brand with a distinctly urban casual point of view, best defined as a play of opposites: mining vintage with new, hard with soft and eclecticism with minimalism. Each season, Club Monaco offers customers must have fashion and key pieces that together are the foundation of a modern wardrobe.

The company, originally known in Italy as ("Prada Brothers"), was founded in 1913 by Mario Prada in Milan. In 1978, Mario's granddaughter Miuccia Prada inherited what was still a leather goods business from her mother, and led the company's expansion into couture.
In addition to the original Prada line, the company introduced the Kelsie Jones Miu Miu collection, a lower-priced line aimed at a younger audience, in 1992. The Miu Miu line, which shares Miuccia Prada's nickname, emphasizes earthy colors and a less haute couture look, evoking an overall more bohemian style. It was followed by the Prada Sport 'Linea Rossa' collection, which featured tennis shoes. The Prada line produces high-end ready-to-wear clothes and accessories for men and women in addition to a range of children's clothes, fragrances and cosmetic products and home products, whilst the Prada Sport and Miu Miu lines produce clothes and accessories for men and women, including handbags, shoes, wallets, and sunglasses.
Prada currently has 14 locations in the U.S., 6 in New York, as well as boutiques in Bal Harbour, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Chicago, Honolulu, Waikiki, and Las Vegas. A boutique in the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Boston is being planned.
Prada has three flagship "epicenter" stores as well that are much larger and carry more merchandise than regular boutiques. These are located in New York, Beverly Hills, and Tokyo. Source

When shopping for the finest New York City clothing and fashions, one has to take the time to visit one of Manhattan’s most unique and culturally significant apparel stores; Fendi. Originally founded in Rome in 1925, Fendi has undergone a change from a regional fur and leather shop to one of the most sought after clothing and accessories stores in the world. Headlined by creative director Karl Lagerfeld, Fendi has branched into many different forms of fashion and personal wellbeing products, including an extensive line of perfumes and fragrances considered to be illustrious and delectable. While visiting this Manhattan fashion store, make sure you ogle the world famous Fendi baguette, which has been considered one of the finest made handbags throughout the world and is the staple for which Fendi has been founded. With celebrities such as Rihanna, Solange and Kerry Washington wearing this fab label, it is no wonder Fendi’s popularity has continued to grow, attracting thousands of fashion shoppers worldwide. Without a shadow of a doubt, Fendi’s Manhattan clothing emporium is one of the greatest fashion attractions in the world today and is worth every moment and dollar you spend.

Returning after a season's maternity leave, Phoebe sent out a collection with crisp new shapes, proportions and vigour. A line dresses and stiffer couture fabrics were used with flares from the shoulder, and swinging skirts with models on great chunky platform shoes. Sixties ruffled skirts (so popular this season) were intricately worked in crunchy embroidery, organza applique and frills. Lots of new accessories like handbags were seen this season. Source

The founder of Zara Amancio Ortega opened first Zara store in 1975. The first Zara store was located on a central street in A Coruña. Upon the success of Zara format, the firm started to expand and opened further stores.
Its first store featured low-priced lookalike products of popular, higher-end clothing fashions. The store proved to be a success, and Ortega started opening more Zara stores in Spain. By the early 1980s, Ortega had begun formulating a new type of design and distribution model. The clothing industry followed design and production processes that required long lead times, often up to six months, between the initial design of a garment and its delivery to retailers. This model effectively limited manufacturers and distributors to just two or three collections per year. Predicting consumer tastes ahead of time presented inherent difficulties, and producers and distributors faced the constant risk of becoming saddled with unsold inventory. Source

Founded by Donald and Doris Fisher as a small San Francisco based clothing store with just a handful of employees, Gap has turned into one of the world’s most recognizable and prestigious clothing store brands. A visit to New York City’s Gap is like a visit to Starbucks – just say when. With its Manhattan clothing store, The Gap has solidified itself as a staple of the New York fashion scene and offers a vast selection of must-have uptown apparel . Along with the Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta are all labels available through Gap retailers and covers all ages and styles of fashion, clothing and accessories. Celebrity endorsements from Whoopi Goldberg, Spike Lee and Lorraine Bracco, to name a few, have brought The Gap to the masses and has forever made it part of Americana. Even today, Gap continues its dominance of the fashion industry as it continues to be recognized as the US’s largest specialty apparel retailer and keeps its hand on the pulse of the fashion world. For awesome gifts, family friendly atmospheres and an overall great shopping experience make Manhattan’s Gap one of the stores you visit in the New York fashion scene.

Paul Stuart offers Made to Measure custom clothing with precision tailoring and an exclusive collection of uniquely styled suits, sport jackets, overcoats and shirts, all with our extensive selection of fine European fabrics.

Incredibly well staffed with some of the friendliest, most enthusiastic, and helpful people you've ever had the pleasure working with. This place is an absolute pleasure to visit, and amazingly well stocked, too! If you're doggedly searching for that one special piece, but can't seem to sniff it out at any other locations, you'll be delighted to know that this store has nearly every fashion American Eagle currently has in stock! You could lose yourself for hours in Manhattan just by just taking a leisurely browse. Everything is so beautifully arranged, so you won't have worry to about your eyes tiring of pleasant sights. If you find yourself overwhelmed by the vast selection of clothes in the Woman's section, any of the cheerful employees would be more than happy to help you pick out the perfect outfit, no matter the occasion. Whether it is the perfect top to compliment your figure, or a beautiful dress to wear to a party, they'll help. If you ever happen to be in NYC, do yourself a huge favor and stop by here. You will always find just what you're looking for in Spring and Summer 2012.

As the country's oldest clothing retailer, Brooks Brothers is proud to uphold the same traditions and values for nearly two centuries.
In 1818, Henry Sands Brooks founded Brooks Brothers, the first ready-to-wear fashion emporium in America. Since then, we are proud to have become an institution that has shaped the American style of dress through fashion innovation, fine quality, personal service, and exceptional value in our products.

The Armani signature label is the most expensive Armani label and is available in its 75 worldwide boutiques. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org

Hennes & Mauritz AB (operating as H&M), is a Swedish clothing company, known for its fast fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children. H&M has more than 1,700 stores in 33 different countries and employ over 73,000 people.
H&M's first store abroad was opened in England. Then from 1964 onwards, H&M embarked upon a major expansion programme many further stores in Europe, including the UK, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and Germany. In the 1990s, the first stores opened in Finland, France, Belgium, Austria and the Netherlands. H&M has continued to expand its business and today H&M has an extensive network throughout much of Europe.

Fashion on the Avenue of The Americas is best viewed the Old Navy way, a New York City clothing store that expresses the true value of the United States. With its Flagship in Manhattan and over 1000 stores nationwide, Old Navy focuses on the price minded fashion family while promoting a more wholesome and pure fashion clothing line with innovative differences. The Tech Vest, Flip Flops, and the Performance Fleece are all specialty items marketed by Old Navy giving them an advantage in unique fashion shopping that is also practical. In addition to clothing, Old Navy also sells a variety of accessories such as shoes, handbags, toys, hats, and sunglasses, along with a line of clothing and toys for dogs which puts it on a whole new level of shopping from many of its contemporaries. As a subsidiary of Gap Inc, Old Navy continues to strive for the principles that placed the parent company on the map with fantastic fashion, impeccable service and a knack for happy customers. Old Navy is a Manhattan clothing store rich in culture and should definitely be a part of any shopper’s itinerary when they are in the city.

All that is youthful, sexy, vibrant, full of life and beautiful in draping cloth on men and women, young and old, is exuberantly displayed at this Manhattan shrine to the genius fashion designers, Dolce & Gabbana. JLo loves them, soccer gods model their clothing and movie directors feature their distinctive collections. All because they are really good at what they do. Deceptively simple and outrageously alive, these two Italian fashion designers have transformed quality clothing into an art. What use is designer fashion if you have nowhere to wear it? Favored by celebrities, dignitaries and the man/woman on the street, D&G give a spark of life and creativity to the streets of New York City. Their Spring Summer 2012 collection is extraordinary in fabric, line, and color, embracing the family with fashions for men, women and children, with D&G Junior. Sign up for Swide, their fashion magazine and download their app on your Iphone for everything D&G. You are sure to see some of the world’s most beautiful actresses and sports heroes in their Manhattan boutique. It is worth your while to browse through the beautiful people of the world and their clothes when shopping in New York City.

For nearly 50 years SYMS has been committed to giving Educated Consumers® real bargains on real designer clothes. SYMS is the Off-Price representative of over 200 authentic designer and brand names. Names You Must Know® in clothing and shoes, for men, women, and children. Offering an impressive selection of styles and sizes.

Shopping at Manhattan’s Hugo Boss clothing store is one opportunity you cannot miss. Experience the very best in Manhattan fashions and German luxury ware at this premier New York City location. Specializing in both high-end and casual men and women’s clothing, Hugo Boss maintains a level of excellence and dedication from years of experience. The fashion design collection has created a variety of in-house brands to better suit their individual customer needs., including Boss Black a line of classic clothing, Boss Orange, denim based casual wear, Boss Selection, higher priced clothing aimed at a more mature market, Boss Green, which offers a golf-style active wear collection, and finally Hugo, a more European and contemporary fashion line. The fashions at Hugo Boss are not just limited to clothing, however, as their marketing and licensing agreements have opened up a vast selection of merchandise, including agreements with Samsung for cell phones, C.W.F. Children Worldwide Fashion SAS for a creative children's clothing line, Procter & Gamble Prestige for designer fragrances and skincare, Movado for watches, and Safilo to manufacture sunglasses and eyewear. With incredible selections, phenomenal quality and a history of satisfaction, Manhattan’s Hugo Boss is one of the top spots to shop in New York City.

Modern sportswear, career clothes that work, for women sizes 14 and up.

Looking for Far Rockaway clothing and accessories? Then ride, drive or run right over to Forever 21. Nestled in the heart of Queens, Forever 21 is more than just another NYC clothing store; it is a New York City shopping fashion culture experience. Heralded by many fashion conscious and trend setting shoppers, Forever 21 has taken the philosophy of looking great for less and realized it to its full potential. This Queens clothing fashion store has grown quickly, featuring new and exciting in-store environments that offer a constant flow of fun that makes normally mundane shopping a truly delightful experience. Designer of several brands, including Forever 21, Heritage 1981, Love 21 Contemporary, and 21 Mens, this Far Rockaway clothier has something for everybody and sells it at the best possible pricing. Forever 21 has become a marvel in the fashion world, providing shoppers with an unprecedented selection of today's fashions that is forever changing and always in style. So if you are looking for a good Queens clothing store and are eager to experience something new in fashion, chart your course to Forever 21. You and your wallet will be well pleased.

Christian Dior, an influential French fashion designer. He was born in Granville, Manche, Normandy, France. Dior flagship boutiques are found in Paris, London, Milan, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Las Vegas, and San Francisco.

Almost everyone wants stylish clothing, and even more people want stylish decor in their homes. What if you could shop for both in the same place? Roberto Cavalli in Manhattan allows you to do just that. While you're searching through their extensive clothing collection, you can also be looking at new linens for your bedroom. Their designer clothing line is really eye-catching, dynamic and extremely fashionable. Their 'Iconic Leopard' line is great for those who enjoy the daring animal print, or maybe check out their unique swim suit collection, which is jubilant for Summer 2012. They have a very new style, full of beautiful golds and bright greens that easily complement each other in a way that is pleasing to the eyes. Once you have done shopping for clothing, take a look at the interior design selections. Great quality towels and bed sets that are designed with spacious and beautiful of homes in mind. Your living space has never looked more in mode. Roberto Cavalli is easily one of the better high end stores this side of Manhattan. You will positively adore the quality and quantity of the selections, and fall in love with this designer boutique.

agnès b. is a keen observer of life from which she draws inspiration as the sole designer for her collections for women, men, children, sport b., and Voyage, as well as a cosmetics line. She has often taken inspiration for her collections from everyday life, believing that the clothes are 'less important' than the person wearing them, and she has created a trademark style that is modern and pure, elegant but not conventional, and that has seduced people all around the world.

Welcome to Mr. Throwback, voted Best Nostalgic Shop of 2013 by NY Mag! Your #1 stop for all vintage threads!

Shopping in Manhattan is a cultural experience. Once you have visited the staple of American pop culture, New York City clothing stores’ Guess on Broadway, there is no turning back; your budget for the best will never be the same. Known for its often risqué and trendsetting advertising campaigns with endorsements from Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni, Anna Nicole Smith and many others, Guess designs for the eternally youthful whose beauty is extraordinary and never ending. Their eyebrow-raising designs set them aside as a trendsetting New York shopping experience with a Manhattan department store expense account. The brainchild of founders Maurice and Paul Marciano, Guess symbolizes the American dream. These edgy designers borrow from their unique backgrounds to create the desirable clothing and accessories that make Guess a global lifestyle brand. With over 1200 stores and worldwide distribution, it is no wonder Guess has become such a recognized symbol in the fashion world. Shopping for jeans or a hot date, make sure you make time for this icon of fashion. The enthusiastic clerks of this Manhattan clothing store will gladly dress you with every pair of shoes, jeans, casual and sexy to your heart desires.