Best of Atlanta 2024: Buy

Photograph by Wedig + Laxton

New Spot for Luxury Watches: SwissWatches.com

The owners of Icebox, the Buckhead jewelry store famous for outfitting hip-hop celebrities in sensational, jewel-encrusted bling, expanded this year into preowned luxury watches. You’ll find fewer diamonds on this side of the store: SwissWatches.com, which has a brick-and-mortar in the same showroom as Icebox, carries factory-original watches with no alterations from high-end lines such as Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Rolex.

Multipurpose Gift Idea: “Wrapped in DOPE” Blanket by DL Warfield

Throw it on your couch or toss it over your shoulders at the airport; whatever use you find for this handwoven, 100 percent cotton blanket—part of a creative collection by Atlanta-based artist DL Warfield—you’ll feel a little extra dope.

New Spot for All Things Nerd: Urbnpop Comics Company

This Acworth comic shop, which opened in spring 2023, is stuffed to the gills with sci-fi ephemera, vintage collectibles, and comic books for readers of all ages. Kids under 12 get a free comic book with their visit, hand-selected by Urbnpop staff.

Art Gallery Return: TILA Studios

Founded by artist Tiffany LaTrice, this Black women artists collective moved into its new home at the recently reopened Goat Farm in West Midtown this July. You’ll find works by artists such as Evan Blackwell Helgeson, Candace Caston, Sarah H. Jones, and LaTrice herself, on view by appointment in a stylish, light-filled space.

Sneaker Innovation: Sneex by Sara Blakely

Many sneaker enthusiasts argue that no occasion is too formal for a comfortable shoe. Now you can count among them Sara Blakely, the Atlanta-based billionaire founder of Spanx. This year, Blakely launched Sneex, a luxury footwear line that delivers “elevated comfort” by putting graceful high heels on, well, sneakers. Sneex shoes have stirred controversy around the fashion world, but we love their irreverent and comfortable design.

Local Brand Collab: Sugars and Salts by Beautiful Briny Sea and The Chai Box

These beloved homegrown brands—one a purveyor of salts and sugars, the other of tea—have doubled their holiday impact with two collaborative offerings. First, they’ll bring back Chocolate Chai Sugar, a sweet blend of cacao, ginger, clove, cardamom, and fennel. New this year is the Diwali-inspired Marigold Salt, a blend of garlic, rosemary, citrus, hibiscus, and, of course, marigolds, from nearby Woodland Gardens. Get ’em while they last.

Photograph by Matthew Williams

Staycation: FORTH Atlanta

There’s a new crown jewel on the Beltline in Old Fourth Ward with the opening of this 16-floor luxury hotel, whose eye-catching honeycombed exterior was designed collaboratively by Morris Adjmi Architects, New City, and Method Co. Concrete beams crisscross the floor-to-ceiling windows, and guest rooms feature craftsman details and vintage-inspired style. FORTH offers four dining venues, including one on the roof; high-end wellness amenities; and a forthcoming members-only social club.

New Fashion Line: Taste Kurvee by Teresa Caldwell

Teresa Caldwell got her start as a fashion stylist for her son—her son being the rap prodigy Bow Wow. This year, Caldwell’s clothing store, The Taste Boutique in West Midtown, launched its new Kurvee fashion line, designed for curvy women. Soft lines and gorgeous patterns feature prominently in this beautiful new collection.

ATL-Themed Viral Swag: The Mariah the Scientist “Free Thug” T-Shirt

Atlanta native and hip-hop starlet Mariah the Scientist often engages her concert crowds in chants of “Free Thug,” a salute to her boyfriend, Young Thug, currently on trial for racketeering charges in Fulton County. Someone—we can’t figure out who did it first—printed Mariah’s appeal on a T-shirt this year, and various designs have captivated TikTok users around the world ever since.

Photograph by Theo Preiswerk

Cutting-Edge Fashion: ATTEM

You’ll never be as fashionable as local designer and stylist Metta Conchetta, who’s dressed everyone from Ice Spice to SoFaygo. But you can follow her guidance with Conchetta’s online apparel line, ATTEM. The capsule collection offers ready-to-wear clothing (all cut in au courant silhouettes, such as baggy denim and oversized dress shirts) and accessories for men and women.

New Rug Collection: Gamil by Jaipur Living and Michael Habachy

The Acworth-based textiles company Jaipur Living recently announced a collaboration with acclaimed local designer Michael Habachy on a rug collection inspired by Habachy’s Egyptian heritage. The collection—named Gamil, which means “beautiful” in Arabic—features four handwoven wool rugs in a neutral palette with geometric designs and organic textures.

New Arrival in Home Retail: AJ Madison

In August, home appliance retailer AJ Madison opened its first Atlanta showroom in Sandy Springs, joining other retail locations in New York, DC, and Miami. The 12,000-square-foot space features a wide variety of ADA-compliant, Energy Star–efficient, and smart appliances, including most high-end brands, such as AGA, Gaggenau, and La Cornue.

Photograph courtesy of The Forum Peachtree Corners

Revival of The Forum at Peachtree Corners

Photograph courtesy of The Forum Peachtree Corners

The Forum first opened in 2002, back when quaint, open-air malls inspired by European villages were a charming novelty. Then the Great Recession hit the shopping center hard, and after Peachtree Corners built its shiny new downtown district next door in 2012, The Forum seemed like yesterday’s destination. But the fairy tale wasn’t over: North American Properties purchased the struggling complex in 2022, promising an extensive makeover. This summer, The Forum unveiled its new face, which features a sweeping public lawn surrounded by a strong list of retailers and restaurants, including anchor tenants such as Pottery Barn and High Country Outfitters; standout eateries include the Italian bakery Giulia and Pêche, a French-inspired restaurant and raw bar. The property has since been acquired by Jamestown LP, the developers behind Ponce City Market, which says it’ll follow through on existing plans to add a boutique hotel and a food hall from purveyor Politan Row, both expected in 2025. Tenants are still filing in, but so far, The Forum’s old-world appeal feels refreshingly new.

Swimwear in New Spaces: Yacht Club Access at The Darwin

This summer, local designer Natasha Simmons brought her latest swimwear and resort wear collection to The Darwin in Old Fourth Ward, one of the city’s most charming new boutique hotels. The brand’s apparel is stylish enough to let you waltz into the club, even if you’re still in the market for that yacht—and it’s just unveiled a fall/winter collection for when the weather gets cold.

New Spot for Romance and Reading: All the Tropes Bookstore

Romance novels have been topping bestseller lists for decades, so it’s about time someone opened a bookstore dedicated to them. Enter All the Tropes Bookstore, a delightful new shop in Kirkwood that’s all about love. In addition to its huge inventory of romance novels, All the Tropes hosts events tailored to the genre’s dedicated readers, such as fairy-terrarium workshops and author signings. It’s truly love at first sight.

Photograph by Tropico Photo

Fresh Vintage: Space Queen

Local designers and power couple Michelle Norris and Forrest Aguar are on a creative roll, and Atlanta is all the luckier for it. Their latest joint venture, Space Queen, is a delightfully decorated vintage shop in Candler Park where you’ll find expertly sourced, high-quality clothing and accessories—made yesteryear but perfect for today.

New ’Fit for Pickleball: La Point + CROSBY by Mollie Burch

If you’re curious about the pickleball craze that’s taking over Atlanta (and the world), where better to start than dressing the part? This year, Atlanta-based clothing designer Mollie Burch and pickleball accessory brand La Point joined forces to create a new pickleball collection, a line of pickleball paddles and dresses available online in five vibrant prints. Choose to mix or match your patterns; either way, you’ll be ready for the court.

Kids Book: Pizza Shark by Mike Lowery

Local bestselling children’s book author Mike Lowery has published well over two dozen books featuring his signature whimsical illustrations. We’re obsessed with his latest, Pizza Shark, which follows Edgar the shark and his friends on a mission to throw the world’s best underwater pizza party. Kids of all ages will love Lowery’s kooky writing and drawings.

New Luxury: Christian Louboutin at Phipps Plaza

The new boutique—one of several star-studded recent arrivals at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead—rolled in early this year on its own red carpet, with a store design inspired by Louboutin’s summer home in Portugal. The Atlanta boutique features an exclusive line of shoes with a strass crystal heart, in red, naturally.

New World-Traveler Chic: Vivo

This Kenyan brand chose Atlanta for its inaugural expansion into North America, opening a brick-and-mortar boutique at Atlantic Station last May. Vivo offers men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, as well as home goods and skin care products. All the goods for sale at Vivo are made in Kenya, and many blend contemporary fashion trends with traditional East African textures, fabrics, and designs.

See all Best of Atlanta 2024 winners

This article appears in our December 2024 issue.