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

Levi Strauss & Co. is a privately held clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's brand of denim jeans. It was founded in 1853 when Levi Strauss came to San Francisco, California to open a west coast branch of his brothers' New York dry goods business. Although the company began producing denim overalls in the 1870s, modern jeans were not produced until the 1920s. The company briefly experimented (in the 1970s) with employee ownership and a public stock listing, but remains owned and controlled by descendants and relatives of Levi Strauss' four nephews. Source

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

Starting out as Daffy Dan’s Bargaintown, the new Daffy’s has revolutionized quality clothing stores by giving you the opportunity to wear the best designer collections while not breaking the bank to do so. Daffy’s became famous as the first fashion clothing store by making Madison Avenue and European designer brands available to all consumers. With their location in the heart of Madison Avenue, Daffy’s has been recognized as one of Manhattan’s premier clothing stores and is a must visit for anyone looking to do some serious shopping. With extensive selections of dresses, sweatsuits, sportswear and even houseware, Daffy’s is sure to have a little bit of something for everyone. Daffy’s fashion clothing store maintains the highest of quality control and makes a promise to its consumers to maintain these values. A family run business, Daffy’s allows its customers a chance to relax and feel at home with some of the best customer service available in New York City. Evolving from a single New Jersey store specializing in samples and irregulars to a 19 store corporation carrying the finest apparel available, Daffy’s has firmly established itself as one of the best New York clothing stores at bargain prices.

New York clothing stores come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Strawberry is happy to let everyone know that they give the best bargain for the highest quality merchandise. Professional shoppers and amateur bargain hunters mark their maps with a big red strawberry to make sure they visit this bastion of bargains. The Strawberry Store located in the heart of Manhattan is no exception. With their extensive collections of jewelry, accessories and more, Strawberry is one of New York's leading retailers of fashion clothing, specializing in popular priced junior, junior plus and misses clothing. Strawberry prides themselves on being able to offer “Up-to-the Minute” fashions on a daily basis with brand names selling at a fraction of the department store prices. Come downtown to Manhattan often because each day, this mega bargain fashion clothing store boasts clearance pricing on a variety of top flight merchandise which gives the consumers an opportunity to look great for less. For a great deal, a fantastic atmosphere and a wonderful shopping experience, stop in at the Strawberry Store and see why it is one of Manhattan’s premier clothing outlets.

Shopping in Queens for specialty casual apparel and accessories for your teen? How about trendy clothing at competitive prices for your 7-12 year old? If you answered yes to either of these questions then you are fortunate enough to sop your heart out at Queens Aeropostale, a New York City clothing gem and an icon in youthful quality casual clothing that your teen will actually wear. Located on the middle of Queens Boulevard, Aeropostale has raised the bar for young adult fashion by offering high-quality, active-orientated clothing at compelling values. Aeopostale has been able to curb costs and control their brand by designing, sourcing, marketing and selling all of its own merchandise. Aeropostale fashions can only be purchased from their own clothing stores, giving an air of exclusivity to their trendy clothing styles and clients by being one of the few designers to be sole distributors of their own brand. Also known for its in-store atmosphere, they provide a hip ambiance that is cool for kids and enjoyable for adults. Catering to the young at heart, don’t be surprised if you end up selecting a few items for yourself. This Queens clothing store is a must while shopping in New York City.

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

For sweeping lines and a classic designer look, seek out Yohji Yamamoto’s exclusive boutique on Manhattan’s edgy Canal Street. Japanese fashion has always presented strong lines and striking styles, but this Japanese fashion designer has interwoven the strength of the Japanese culture with the spirit of the West, pioneering traditional Imperial Japanese structure, phenomenally successful Japanese animated art and the individual spirit of those of us who live in America. His Spring Summer 2012 collection, Noir, for men and women is as pleasurable to the eye as it is comfortable to wear. His flowing styles enhance the human form with grace and elegance, transporting us away from down and dirty jeans and steel and glass Wall St. executive sterile suits. If you are looking for quality clothing you can wear everywhere, the opening of a new night club, the announcement of your promotion at your marketing company or just because you love to wear clothes that make you look and feel good, then head on down to Yohji Yamamoto’s one-of-a-kind designer New York City boutique. With three collections to choose from, Yohji Yamamoto Femme, Homme, Noir and Y’s, you have every opportunity to dress in the height of fashion.

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.

There is no secret where you should shop for sexy and alluring lingerie and women’s intimate apparel. Only one NYC clothing store provides the best: Victoria’s Secret. Victoria’s Secret is a New York City clothing boutique that has remained classy in the world of lingerie by maintaining a sense of sophistication and elegance and upholding the high quality synonymous with its brand. VS mails over 400 million copies of their catalog to customers knowing that the true shopping experience only happens by touching the real thing. Shopping at the Queens store gives you allows you to truly appreciate the time and effort put into the design of their quality merchandise. Victoria’s Secret sells bras, panties, hosiery, beauty products, sleepwear, and more all while offering the best advice and service money can buy. Victoria’s Secret also refuses to rely on cheap gimmickry or celebrity endorsements. Instead, they showcase their lovely designer collections as enhancements to woman’s natural beauty. This Queens clothing store is a breath of fresh air from a quality driven company unsurpassed by anyone in the industry. If you are looking for a great service environment, or just that sexy gift for a loved one, visit Victoria’s Secret and experience why it is held in such high regard.

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.

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.

The Missoni boutique, located in Manhattan off of Madison Avenue, is a rather popular store, garnering plenty of attention with their vivid colors and unmistakable prints. Shocking blue dresses with strong brown compliments, bright yellows gently calmed with clean whites, even their most creative combinations seem to blend and contrast to create a gorgeous color pallet on their selections. The Summer 2012 collection is a perfect example of the uniqueness of the store. The brilliantly sophisticated collection is a massive favorite amongst the women of New York, as they rush to buy the dresses. For those interested in a little something for those summer getaways or parties, Missoni has an impressive swim suit collection that doesn't skip out on the fabulous summer fun color choices. The quality of the clothing is superb, all that we have come to expect in the best Italian designers. This vastly unique store is well put together, clean and alive with happy, helpful employees. The location is grand, in the middle of so many other top fashion houses, but still standing out amongst the crowd. A truly unique shopping experience that will keep you coming back again and again for more.

Since it began in 1921, Loehmann's has occupied a unique position in the fashion industry; it stands alone as the only national upscale off-price specialty retailer. Loehmann's is best known for its world-famous Back Room, where fashion-conscious women can find their favorite designers at prices that are always 30% to 65% lower than department or specialty stores. In recent years, Loehmann's has expanded its offerings to include shoes and accessories, juniors, fragrances, gifts and intimate apparel. In addition, over 45 of its stores now include complete men's departments.

Our very own Kenneth Cole, born in Brooklyn with all the inherent street smarts of a genius New Yorker, this All American designer sold 40,000 pairs of shoes in 2.5 days from a tractor trailer parked in Central Manhattan. All his ingenuity, resourcefulness and innovative thinking has created the Kenneth Cole leather and fashion clothing sensation of today. Using the finest leathers and designing for quality first, trend second, the Cole brand is rapidly becoming a standard by which other designers are measured. His success over 30 years is legendary and his Spring Summer 2012 collection is as fresh as ever. Luxuriant leathers, sleek clothing and trend-setting casuals for men and women, if you want to turn heads, make sure you reserve a handsome portion of your personal and corporate budget for for styling yourself for success with scrumptious purses, laptop bags and briefcases and fun with his full line of quality footwear and clothing. No longer selling out of the back of a truck, his designs and quality have only improved over the years as he has gathered his international clientele. Sales associates are discreet, polite, attentive and well trained – a pleasure to shop in his elegant Soho store.

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.

Hiho Batik is an experiential retail store and art space, offering people of all ages one-of-a-kind products, in a mass-produced world.
Hiho's wide variety of garments, accessories, and designs are all handmade onsite in our Brooklyn store, using 100% cotton materials. The process leads to the production of soft, durable apparel that is also super fun to wear.
In the Hiho Batik art space, our guests create Make-Your-Own Hiho products and participate in DIY classes taught by local artists and craftspeople. Hiho Batik's founder, Julia Silver Gordon, has been fascinated by the ancient art of batik — using wax and dyes to create an image — since she was a child. The best part about batik is that it is a very forgiving art and therefore is a naturally wonderful medium for all ages to practice.

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.

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

After traveling to India in the early '70s, Ferré dove into fashion, first with accessories, and later, launching his own label, Baila, in 1974. Signature women's and men's collections soon followed, and Ferré stepped onto the field of high fashion with the debut of his couture line in 1986. He took his philosophy to the house of Christian Dior, where he was stylistic director from 1989 to 1997. Still influenced by his first trips to Asia, Ferré's designs display an East-meets-West aesthetic that vehemently rejects trends and gimmicks, concentrating instead on a relaxed sophistication and casual elegance.

Etro is synoonymous of style. It is a lifestyle based upon quality and sophistication, not only in terms of desigh, but also regarding materials and production techniques.

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

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

Being touted as a “Manhattan Flagship in the Works,” New York City clothing store Celine is quickly becoming one of the biggest players in the fashion world. Celine fashion clothing store is a subsidiary of French multinational conglomerate LVMH and has been allowed to shine with LVMH’s inspired outlook on business and fashion. With its Manhattan fashion clothing store located on famous Madison Avenue, Celine captured the imagination by offering inspired dresses, jackets, luggage and blouses designed by the impeccable Michael Kors until 2004. Following the coming and going of several world renowned designers, Celine began featuring prestigious collections by Phoebe Philo. Philo, a fabulous designer who became famous for her work with Chloe, has re-invented the Celine line with her own unique styles and visionary guidance. As a result, Celine has jumped astronomically in editorial credit ranking, listing it with the top 10 in most major markets, according to the label’s CEO Marco Gobbetti, and continues to make a cultural impact. As a leader in Manhattan clothing retailers, a hot and trendy brand and an astounding shopping experience, look no further than an afternoon’s fashion shopping spree at Celine’s.

Develops and produces a distinctive line of contemporary women's apparel and accessories, which it markets under the bebe, 2b bebe and bebe outlet brands. Current Chairman and Founder Manny Mashouf opened the first bebe boutique in 1976 in San Francisco. At that time, three categories dominated the women's wear market: junior, briouh women inspirational, sexy fashion.

The Years of Cristobal Balenciaga
1918 saw the founding of Cristobal Balenciaga’s first haute couture house in San Sébastian, Spain. Local admiration for his designs was so strong that a second haute couture house was opened in Madrid and a third in Barcelona. In 1937, 10, Avenue George V became the Parisian home of Cristobal Balenciaga’s creative influence. Balenciaga’s Paris flagship store is still located at this address.
Balenciaga soon came to embody Parisian elegance. Cristobal Balenciaga was hailed as ‘The Couturier of Couturiers’ and ‘The Master of us all’’ by designer Christian Dior. In 1946, the House of Balenciaga launched its first perfume, ‘Le Dix’, aptly named after its first atelier, 10, Avenue George V. ‘Le Dix’ attracted the same acclaim as the famous Balenciaga couture pieces, and the perfume soon even rivalled that of Coco Chanel herself. In 1968, Balenciaga closed his couture house, to the deep dismay of his favourite clients. Countess Mona Bismarck lamented the event by locking herself indoors for three days.

Every elegant woman, whether residing in or visiting New York, deserves to shop at this exclusive clothing store. For fashion that doesn’t stop at the door, go to the astounding Anne Fontaine fashion empire located in beautiful Manhattan. Anne Fontaine has reinvented everything that is considered simple and designed some of the most valued and exquisite blouses in all of the acclaimed fashion world. Using creatively innovative techniques, Anne Fontaine has taken the mundane white shirt and developed a literal cornucopia of designs and styles not seen anywhere else in the fashion designer world. Once you visit this Manhattan clothing, store you will also see the design and quality craftsmanship that goes beyond the shirts and lends itself to the variety of other jewelry, clothing and accessories now available for purchase in their stores. Anne Fontaine has over 70 locations world-wide including stores in Paris, Tokyo, Chicago and London and has quickly established itself as a worldwide leader in shirt design. With a friendly staff, a well-maintained quality location and the desire to help make you look fabulous, Manhattan’s Anne Fontaine is a must stop New York Clothing shop for anyone to visit.