Best of Atlanta 2014 Shopping
Cashmere: Brunello Cucinelli
You don’t need to know the backstory of how Cucinelli’s clothes are handmade in a restored Umbrian village to appreciate the workmanship and sumptuousness of the materials.
Men’s Prep Shop: Onward Reserve
ofounded in Athens by a UGA grad in 2011, Onward Reserve fills all your post-frat needs, with waxed Barbour jackets, Peter Millar golf polos, and needlepoint Labrador retriever collars from Smathers & Branson.
New Indie Boutique: Henry & June
If you want to wear something no one else has, head to Henry & June. Opened in July, it carries lines like Rachel Comey and Henrik Vibskov and is an oasis for fashion lovers who favor craft over commerce.
Phipps Addition: Saks Fifth Avenue Renovation
Saks has long been the leading lady of Phipps, and she was due for an overhaul.
New OTP Development: Avalon
There have always been aspects of ITP shopping sprinkled throughout the suburbs, but not until Avalon opened in October did OTP dwellers have all those parts in one place.
New ITP Development: Buckhead Atlanta
There’s no question: Buckhead Atlanta has been a game changer for the city’s retail. Luxury shops like Hermès and Canali nestle up against more accessible brands like Theory, Helmut Lang, and Warby Parker.
Patterns: Etro
This family-owned Milanese brand is new to Atlanta, and there’s not a boring piece in the store. Its textiles—on drapey, crystal-laden gowns; silk tops; and weighty coats—are vibrant, whimsical, and inspiring.
Local Womenswear Designers: Abbey Glass and Megan Huntz
We couldn’t decide between these two. They’re both Atlanta natives who left for fashion capitals and are now resident designers at Factory Girls, a local fashion incubator that launched last December.
OTP Neighborhood Boutique: ChanElizabeth
The labels and goods at ChanElizabeth include everything from refined Italian cashmere sweaters by Avant Toi and distressed tees by Southern California label NSF Clothing to colorful lace undergarments by Cosabella.
Redux: Hermès of Paris
Hermès sat patiently waiting in a cramped temporary space in the shadow of the Buckhead Atlanta development for years. The Parisian heritage brand has finally gotten its cornerstone store, customized right down to the Greek key pattern framing the windows.
Lenox Square Addition: J.Crew Men’s Store
Okay, so it technically opened last December. But this is the first year we’ve been able to really enjoy the cozy J.Crew Men’s Collection store, which is an easy and affordable go-to filled with plaids, waxed cotton jackets, and colorful retro Nikes.
Men’s Hipster Boutique: Standard
Despite its small size and Lenox Square address, Standard has a mini corral of trendy menswear brands not usually found outside L.A. or NYC.
Men’s Customer Service: Sid Mashburn
Boasting an almost comically high clerk-to-customer ratio, Mashburn is serious about catering to shoppers’ whims. Want a Coke? You got it. A sip of something stronger? Name your poison.
Power Clothes: Nina McLemore
This summer, New York–based Nina McLemore (that’s nine-uh) brought her brightly colored jackets and suits to Buckhead. McLemore’s background is with Liz Claiborne; she started its accessories line in 1980.
ITP Neighborhood Boutique: Squash Blossom
Opened in 1999, Squash Blossom is a standby in Decatur for a devoted clientele. Its shelves are stacked with the sort of boho-cool knits and doodads Decaturites swoon for, from Free People and Johnny Was to Toms.
Easy Separates: Theory and Helmut Lang
Yes, we have two winners here, but they’re sister brands that opened a stone’s throw from each other this fall at Buckhead Atlanta. These are the places you can pop into in a pinch, for everything from a T-shirt to a fur vest.
New Men’s Suiting: Canali
For an 80-year-old Italian luxury brand, Canali sure is showing some bold colors, patterns, and textures—velvets, jacquard, emeralds, rusts—and straddling the line between traditional and flashy.
Trendy Workout Wear: Deka Atlanta
Despite its small size and Lenox Square address, Standard has a mini corral of trendy menswear brands not usually found outside L.A. or NYC.
Eyewear: Warby Parker
Nice frames are pricey, but according to the founders—who were students at Wharton business school when they launched the brand in 2010—they shouldn’t be.
New Local Menswear Company: Res Ipsa
Two Atlanta lawyers were tired of choosing between fat, goofy ties and skinny hipster ties. So in January, Josh Moore and Odini Nwakuche launched Res Ipsa, which started with three-inch-wide ties in grenadine silks, Scottish tartans, and English Mogador.
Small Goods: Tweeds
This year-and-a-half-old Westside men’s boutique has quickly carved out a niche by stocking esteemed brands not found elsewhere in town. It’s a good place to find accessories to set your man (or yourself) apart.
New Accessories: William Wren
Shopping at Winter Hodges’s third Virginia-Highland shop feels at once familiar and new.
Affordable Jewelry: Kendra Scott
With baubles in every color of the tropical rainbow (26 to be exact, including magenta, teal, and neon yellow), Kendra Scott makes it easy to break the mold without breaking the bank.
Money-Is-No-Object Jewelry: Tassels
A Buckhead fixture since 1997, Tassels is a must-stop for lovers of colorful gems, asymmetrical stones, and avant-garde designs.