VIBE

High art meets couture at this funky SoHo space (a former Guggenheim museum location), which was redesigned for Prada by starchitect Rem Koolhaas to incorporate a swooping wooden “wave”, a glass elevator, and mod cutting-edge materials. Fashionistas gaze at the “exhibits” of fashion on the high-ceilinged main floor or dart down below to browse the racks packed with Prada’s signature edgy pieces, while design heads ponder the meaning of the “wave” (many compare it to a skateboarding half pipe) and pay homage to Koolhaas.

USE A PURCHASE FROM HERE FOR

Making waves at a red carpet event; top-end, fashion-forward accessorizing

WHY WE LIKE IT

The ultimate designer store, because the space is as captivating as the fashions. A visit here is always an experience in the unexpected—from the gems you’ll find on the sale rack to funky exhibitions on the “wave.” The only thing we’d change in the store is that there should be more of it (yes, there may be 20,000+ square feet, but the racks can get pretty crammed on the basement level).

GOOD TO KNOW

Prada merch is also carried by Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale's in New York.

OTHER LOCATIONS

Fifth Avenue (New York); Madison Avenue (New York); 57th Street (New York); various locations worldwide

CLOSEST COMPS

Yves Saint Laurent (Paris); Christian Dior (Paris); Chanel (New York, Paris); Louis Vuitton (New York, Paris)

Click here for our full-form mobile travel guide, The Purple Passport to New York City.