buenos aires shopping guide

The city's creative epicenter—famed Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges once called it home—has the densest concentration of upstart boutiques, and they sell everything from unusually scented soaps to chunky tunics made of Andean wool. Lucky's favorite stores in Buenos Aires' Palermo Soho neighborhood!

Even though this quarter is as posh as it gets, its retail offerings—hidden-away indie-label spots, dusty bookstores, and big, bustling malls—remain diverse and down-to-earth. Lucky's favorite stores in Buenos Aires' Recoleta neighborhood!

These are the spots that sell the most covetable traditional goods—from filigree poncho pins to rustic cowhide handbags. Lucky's favorite stores in Buenos Aires' Hecho en Argentina neighborhood!

Cowhide rugs are abundant in Argentina—the country's largest industry is ranching—and due to its immense selection, Calma Chicha is the insider-favored spot to buy them (prices start at a reasonable $200). Also on offer: old-fashioned- themed Argentine souvenirs, like vibrant aluminum dishware, hilariously stylized dead-stock tourist postcards, envelope-flat leather gaucho bags, and traditional wine pitchers, perfect for serving the country's best-known varietal, Malbec, to guests.
Honduras 4925, 4831-1818, calmachicha.com

Products: Bags, Linen, Accessories, Books/Stationery, Tabletop
Type of Store: Boutique

For trendy clothes with a vintage look, Desiderata is a sure bet. As if the prices weren't already fair ($40 for a canvas trapeze pea coat, $25 for a pointelle mohair cardigan, $30 for a tweedy plaid jumper), giant, outdoor cartoon-scrawled chalkboards advertise the store's latest specials.
Honduras 4733, 4833-3883, desiderata.com.ar

Products: Women's Clothing
Type of Store: Boutique

During the early half of this decade, Argentina's economy was bleak and frugality was key, which gave designer Mariana Cort&eactue;s a brilliant idea: Collect scraps from textile plants and turn them into wearable garments. Today, her Juana de Arco line is famed for its playful, patchworky aesthetic and has made use of tons of cast-off fabric in the process.
El Salvador 4762, 4833-1621, Monday-Fri, 10:30 am - 8 pm, juanadearco.net

Products: Lingerie/Loungewear, Women's Clothing
Type of Store: Boutique

The clothing and decor here is unabashedly colorful, floral-printed, embellished, or in the case of a majority of the merchandise (like an electric blue, ribbon-trimmed, rose-printed floor pillow), all three. If self-customization is more your thing, check out the tons of embroidered ribbon and intricate lace, all of it sold by the meter.
Armenia 1609, 4831-8558, lmerceria.com.ar

Products: Accessories, Linen, Gifts/Design
Type of Store: Boutique

Hidden from the street in a hangar-like former photo studio, this antiques shop is way off the tourist path. Owner Pancho Salomón started his business 20 years ago by scavenging the streets and scouring abandoned buildings for collectible pieces. Today, his stellar stockpile of furniture, lamps, and tabletop items—most of which come from the '20s and '30s (and all of which can be shipped to the States)—is a treasured local secret.
Godoy Cruz 1541, 4773-0563

Products: Antique, Decorative, Lighting, Furniture, Tabletop
Type of Store: Consignment, Resale

There are so many small designer labels in Buenos Aires; it's impossible to keep them all straight. But Lupe stands out for its charming French-schoolgirl aesthetic (denim jumpers, sailor jerseys, and canvas ballet flats are swift sellers) and its breezy, plant-filled boutique, which has the relaxed atmosphere of a summer cottage.
El Salvador 4657, 4833-0730, lupeba.com.ar

Products: Women's Clothing, Shoes, Accessories
Type of Store: Boutique