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

Versace has eighty-one boutique locations around the world, in the U.S. and Canada specifically: New York, Atlanta, Boston, Bal Harbour, Tysons Galleria, Rome, Beverly Hills, Orlando, Dallas, Los Angeles, Houston, King of Prussia (near Philadelphia), San Francisco and Vancouver, Canada. Versace also features 123 retail areas in a variety of luxury multi-designer department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
The larger part of their stores are located in the two most style conscious markets in the world, Europe and Japan. Cities like London, Paris and Tokyo are home to multiple Versace outlets, not to mention the company headquarters in Milan. There is also a Versace Hotel and Spa in Gold Coast, Australia named the Palazzo Versace.

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

Just North of Little Italy and Chinatown is a fantastic clothing store that many women would die to shop at. Miu Miu, located just off of Broadway in Manhattan, is a chic, girly and super fun store. Stocked full of all sorts of clothing, from skirts and dresses, to boots and purses! Perfect for those who love Prada! Miu miu is also known as Prada's "Edgier, hipper, younger sister", and they couldn't be more right! Full of bright, colorful and comfortable clothes, Miu Miu is great for upcoming Spring and Summer fashion. Everything is well made and worth the money you spend in the store. You've never seen employees happier to help out there customers! They are quick, kind, and super helpful. The customer service is just outstanding. The location is a dynamic and eclectic part of New York, which just adds to the shopping experience. So easy to find and great for those days when you just want to shop, shop, shop! This is a perfect store to shop in for Spring 2012 and the upcoming season of Summer 2012. The fashion designers at Miu Miu really do make women feel beautiful! All in all, you'll be coming back again and again.

After 20 years in the surf, skate and snowboard business, founder Chip Wilson took the first commercial yoga class offered in Vancouver and found the result exhilarating. The post yoga feeling was so close to surfing and snowboarding that it seemed obvious that yoga was an ideology whose time had come (again).

A leading pioneer in denim and casual fashion, known for moving outside and ahead of trends in its industry. While retaining always its DNA, in recent years Diesel has evolved into the world of premium casual wear, becoming a true alternative to the established luxury market.

Manhattan is full of lots of lovely clothing stores, but not so many stores that are purely shoes and accessories. Roger Vivier changed that. One of the largest shoe selections you've ever seen, everything from pumps, to stilettos, to flats in a vast array of colors and styles. The shoes are high quality - very beautifully made and long lasting. When you step into this store, you honestly feel like you're walking into a fashion model's closet. You will truly be the envy of all of your friends. Few New York City fashion stores carry Vivier's collections, and if they do, they are very limited. Very stylish, the Spring-Summer 2012 line is colorful and fun. If you happen to wander in and you aren't looking for shoes, don't fret. They have three floors of accessories, purses, shades, and truly unique jewelry, as well as their extensive shoe selection. You'll find the perfect topper to any summer outfit here, and you'll turn heads with it. If you haven't been introduced to this lovely store yet, do yourself a massive favor and stop in. You'll never forget your experience in this beautiful and large store.

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.

Coach began more than half of a century ago as a family-run workshop in a Manhattan loft. Six artisans handcrafted a collection of high-quality leathergoods using skills passed down from generation to generation. Discerning consumers soon began to seek out the high standards of Coach workmanship.
The founder of Coach was first inspired by a baseball glove when he saw its distinctive markings and how supple it became with use. After refining it, making it softer and stronger, he created Coach's first handbag. Since then, innovations in leather finishes, new grains and colors, and modern materials continue to fascinate us. But this glove-tanned leather remains a Coach tradition. And it still burnishes as beautifully as it did back when Babe Ruth played baseball.
Throughout the years, Coach has maintained the highest standards of workmanship and materials. Now, greatly expanded, Coach's exceptional workforce is committed to carefully upholding the principles of quality and integrity which made the company great. Today, Coach is considered a classic part of the landscape of American design.

The first store was located in Hingham, Massachusetts. During the following year, they established a direct mail service which would originate their catalog service. In 1973, General Mills acquired Talbots. Talbots was listed on the New York Stock Exchange beginning in 1993. Arnold Zetcher is the CEO of Talbots.
At the end of 2005, there were 1,083 stores in the United States, Canada, and the UK, as well as 4 stores in Japan. The company operates a product development office in New York City, a computer center in Tampa, Florida, that changed facilities and moved into its new building on September 5, 2006, and a call center in Knoxville, Tennessee. The corporate headquarters is still in Hingham.
Talbots has an unusually liberal guarantee; the company allows returns of merchandise, for any reason, with no time limit. (Refer to the website talbots.com or any catalogue for statement of the guarantee.)
Talbots has shops, but relies primarily on internet and phone orders. Source

Urban Outfitters, Inc. owns and operates three retail clothing brands: Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Free People. The first store opened in 1970 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, focusing on "funky" fashion and household products. Today, the Urban Outfitters line has expanded from vintage, bohemian, retro, ironically humorous, kitschy, and oddly designed apparel and furniture to include many luxury brands such as Lacoste, Evisu, Diesel, True Religion and Seven for All Mankind. Currently headquartered in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Urban operates more than 140 shops in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Source

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.

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.

The Louis Vuitton Company is a luxury French fashion and leather goods brand and company, headquartered in Paris, France. It is a division of the French holding company, LVMH Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy S.A. The company is named after its founder Louis Vuitton, who designed and manufactured luggage, as a Malletier during the second half of the nineteenth century.
The company manufactures and markets luxury leather goods, fashion accessories, prêt-à-porter, and jewelry. Many of the company’s products utilize the signature gray Damier and Monogram Canvas materials, both of which were first used in the late 19th century. All of the company’s products utilize the eponymous LV initials. Source

Apparel, shoes and accessories.

Fabulous furs is how this Paris Fashion, J. Mendel, name became known worldwide. Totally Parisian chic and elegance is the rebranding that has occurred with heir apparent, Gilles Mendel delving into the silks and wools that he is becoming famed for. Legendary application of design techniques with fur – effervescence and shimmering are not usual adjectives applied to fur, Gilles has broadened his father’s empire into a full line of fashions, available at his boutique on Rue St. Honore in Paris, and in his New York City atelier, Manhattan of course. Exclusive is his middle name, with boutiques only in New York, London, Paris, Moscow and the elite neighborhood of Chevy Chase, Maryland. White and Black are perennial favorites, but this Spring and Summer 2012 collection has blossomed into joyful yellows and hot tangerines, turning everyone’s head walking down Madison Ave. Relatively new to the scene, start watching red carpet fashions as celebrities and gorgeous actresses discover his flowing, tastefully revealing and sensual gowns. It is easy to see why Gilles has extended into a full line of women’s clothing. His love of the female form is evident in his artistic creations.

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.

Emilio Pucci clothes and accessories are sold through Emilio Pucci and Rossignol boutiques worldwide and in high-end department stores, mostly feature the designer's original brightly coloured, often swirly, prints or new designs in his original distinct style. The fashion house produces ready-to-wear clothes and accessories for women, in addition to a small range of men's accessories. In the past, the house has produced a more comprehensive range of men's wear, including a line in partnership with Ermenegildo Zegna, which included men's jackets lined with Pucci printed fabric, especially for American department store Saks Fifth Avenue.
A limited-edition Pucci carrying case for the PlayStation Portable handheld gaming system was marketed as by Sony as a high-end accessory on their PlayStation Signature line. The case has since sold out. Source

The House of Gucci, better known as simply Gucci, is an Italian French-owned iconic fashion and leather goods label. It was founded by Guccio Gucci in Florence in 1906. Gucci is considered one of the most famous, prestigious, and easily recognizable fashion brands in the world.
Gucci generated over US$7 billion worldwide of revenue in 2006 according to BusinessWeek magazine and was ranked 46th in the magazine's annual chart "Top 100 Brands". For this reason Gucci is the second biggest selling fashion brand after LVMH. Most importantly Gucci is the biggest selling Italian brand in the world. Gucci operates about 425 stores worldwide and it wholesales its products through franchisees and upscale department stores. Source

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.

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.

For any young business woman, Akris, located in Manhattan right off of Madison Avenue, is a stylish new twist on business attire. They have business ensembles with clean lines, gorgeous knit wear and double closure jackets, plus bright jackets and dresses. This New York City fashion boutique has absolutely gorgeous apparel and is perfect for any woman in the business world. You've never seen such elegant clothing gathered into one store. The store is very clean and proper, organized perfectly. The employees are sweet and helpful, very smart and they add to the professional atmosphere of the store. Even if you aren't a business woman, it is a great store for any classy party or gathering you may be going to. Swiss designer Albert Kriemler, designs for the woman’s personality to eclipse her apparel. The styles are mature and elegant representing perhaps the newest trends that will be touching down Spring-Summer 2012. If you feel the need to dress classy, with the small pop of color, and look more professional and smart, look no further. You'll look and feel very business-like and yet for those after hour affairs, you will certainly turn heads.

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.