Kuala Lumpur
This youth-oriented mall houses a large branch of Japanese clothes store Uniqlo. Shoe lovers should check out Shoes Gallery by Parkson and South Korean…
Must-see shopping in Asia
Chiang Mai
This venerable family-owned silk shop was already a household name before the owners' nephew, Thaksin Shinawatra, became (now exiled) prime minister. The…
Bhutan
Yoser Lhamo is the main outlet for the Swiss Farm enterprises, where soft Gouda or hard Emmental cheese sells for Nu 650 per kilogram. This cheese is made…
Srimangal & Around
Ahmed, like many other shops dotting the approach to the train station, sells tea from the surrounding tea estates. It’s mostly Ispahani tea from the…
Singapore
Complete with friendly feline 'assistant shopkeeper', this eclectic boutique is filled with wares from independent local and foreign designers. Creatives…
Hong Kong
The Armoury can help any man look like a dapper gentleman – the elegant shop is a specialist in refined menswear sourced globally. You can choose from…
Sarawak
Profits from this cafe and arts-and-crafts shop support single-mother families in the Kelabit Highlands. It's a good place for coffee and cake and to buy…
Kochi (Cochin)
This renowned fair-trade Indian brand has fine Indian textiles, fabrics, clothes, homewares, ceramics and natural beauty products, created using…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
This outpost of 300-year-old Sendagi sake-ya (liquor store) Isego has a counter bar where you can order nihonshu (sake) by the glass (¥350 to ¥550; 3pm to…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
What separates this small lifestyle goods and gourmet shop is its emphasis on fermented foods. There's a selection of artisanal shōyu (soy sauce) and…
French Concession
What better way to brighten up your hall than with a poster of jubilant socialist workers? Madame Mao's Dowry has an emphasis on design during the Mao era…
Singapore
The home gallery of Percy Vatsaloo showcases exquisite hand-picked antiques from places such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. The intricately…
Ho Chi Minh City
This small shop has ready-to-wear jewellery for men and women but its speciality is custom-made pieces. Bring in a picture of what you want (or email a…
Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu
Lee Ki-Yeon trained as an artist in the late 1970s when she became interested in natural dyeing and traditional Korean fashion. She went on to establish…
Northern Higashiyama
Split between two buildings, East and West, this place sells a good range of Japanese arts and crafts, including Hokusai woodblock prints (reproductions…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Run by an NGO that has a long association with Bengal's folk-art communities, this understated showroom stocks interesting art objects that make for…
Holland Village, Dempsey Hill & the Botanic Gardens
Colonial chic hits overdrive in this beautifully curated store brimming with Chinoiserie lamps, tropical scented candles, overstuffed cushions and…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
This is highly debatable, of course, but Mandarake Complex might just be the most classic Akihabara destination for otaku (geeks): eight storeys are piled…
Hong Kong
This sumptuous store specialises in Chinese men’s jackets and silk dresses for women, both off-the-rack and made-to-measure. A gorgeous sequinned gown…
The Pamir Highway
Set up to help promote the revival of traditional crafts, local women here are encouraged to supplement their income through learning old skills. Woollen…
French Concession
There is a mix of high-end designers (Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Miu Miu, Prada) and younger casual brands (Mango, Camper, Muji) at this upscale…
Chiang Mai
In venues around Chiang Mai, you may notice life-sized, decorated baby elephant sculptures created by artists and celebrities through the social…
Little India & Kampong Glam
Heritage Asian designs with a contemporary twist is what you'll discover in this beautifully curated shophouse emporium. There are plenty of small items…
Tokyo
This is the Tokyo outpost of one of Kyoto's more esteemed creators of wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets made of rice flour, bean paste and sugar. While…
Luang Prabang
Kopnoi sells stunning handicrafts from ethnic-minority craftspeople; Akha bracelets, silk pashminas, fine jewellery, packaged spices and teas, and local…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
This little shop is packed with treasures made mostly by small independent designers. There are gorgeous children's clothes, Japanese-made bags and…
Hong Kong
The funkiest of Hong Kong's new generation of tailoring stores, Cuffs offers fashion-forward fabrics and custom-makes not only suits, shirts and tuxes,…
Downtown Kyoto
Around since 1885, Funahashi-ya has long been a popular stop to pick up Japanese rice crackers (known as o-kaki in Kyoto) and its signature go-shiki-mame …
The Bund & People's Square
The city’s largest fabric chain is good for a quick browse to see a typical selection of Chinese prints and fabric designs. In-house tailors can make you…
Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad)
This hectic collection of market stalls and shops on Arya Samaj Rd and the roads fanning off it, is favoured for clothes and wedding shopping, and…
Kuta & Legian
This Bali retail legend is the most popular store in the south. Mobs of Indonesian tourists come for doe-eyed plastic puppies or one of thousands of T…
Kampot
With about 100 stands offering things such as jewellery, karaoke, fried ice cream, sneakers and well, everything else, this nightlife experience and…
Xi'an
This narrow alley running north of the Great Mosque is a great central stop for souvenirs. With vocal vendors, bargaining is a way of life here. You'll…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
You could kit out half the world's hipster cafes from the teetering stacks of dusty ornaments, table lamps, musical instruments and valve radios crammed…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
Lavanya specialises in colourful craft goods including adorable kids' and adults' clothes and home decorations. Come the week around Deepavali for a…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
In business since 1882 (but with an active Twitter account), Ohya Shobō specialises in books, maps and ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) dating back to Japan's…
Eastern Taiwan & Taroko National Park
A wonderfully wacky one-stop souvenir stop for all your minicanoe and owl model needs, with a 'museum' in the house next door.
Kuala Lumpur
The flagship branch of this Malaysian fashion house, selling well-made clothes with an ethnic flavour in soft cottons, linens and silks. This is where you…
Luang Prabang
Ock Pop Tok works with a wide range of tribes to preserve their handicraft traditions. Fine silk and cotton scarves, chemises, dresses, wall hangings and…
French Concession
You can spend a good while perusing the weird and wonderful gifts in this steampunk-style store. Awesome collector's items are displayed in a museum-like…
