St Petersburg
Pick up a locally designed T-shirt, sweatshirt, bag or other item of streetwear or accessory at this large unisex boutique with its entrance just off…
Must-see shopping in Russia
Presnya
In case you hadn't noticed the increasing militarisation of Russian society, here's an example: the Russian Army now has its own fashion line. There's…
Moscow
It’s a bookstore, but it’s also a gift shop, a music shop and a cafe. This is the place to shop for a quirky gift for your friend who (you think) has…
Arbat & Khamovniki
Elena Vassa is a Russian designer but was trained in New York City. Her designs reflect a classical and classy sense of style. Catering to modern Moscow…
Moscow
TsUM stands for Tsentralny Universalny Magazin (Central Department Store). Built in 1909 as the Scottish-owned Muir & Merrilees, it was the first…
St Petersburg
This historic department store is a temple to prestige fashion and beauty brands, most of them foreign. Even if you're not up for a pricey shopping…
St Petersburg
Tatyana Parfionova was the first St Petersburg designer to have her own fashion house back in 1995, when New Russians turned up their noses at anything…
Golden Ring
This little crafts shop tucked away down a side street is perfect for browsing through gifts and souvenirs, handmade by local artists in a variety of…
St Petersburg
This extraordinary place has rather changed everything for shopping in St Petersburg – there are probably as many shops here as elsewhere in the entire…
St Petersburg
Designer Natalia Larchenko has taken the classic Russian nesting doll silhouette and transformed it into a tiny work of art in her attractive necklaces,…
St Petersburg
The superb Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art has several shops in it, including its excellent gift shop, a well-stocked art bookshop and commercially run…
Suzdal
The affable Maria learned the rare and delicate traditional art of filigree embroidery from her grandmother. She often sells her beautiful wares –…
St Petersburg
There's been a market here since the 18th century. Although parts of it are being upgraded, it remains mostly a gritty and chaotic Dostoevsky-style warren…
St Petersburg
Built between 1846 and 1848, this arcade has a glass roof spanning the entire block from Nevsky to Italiyanskaya ul. Dostoevsky wrote a story about a man…
St Petersburg
Looking like the set of Alien designed by Stella McCartney, this avant-garde boutique is one of St Petersburg’s premier fashion experiences. Inside you’ll…
Veliky Novgorod
The Alkon distillery has been in operation for over 100 years, producing a range of infused vodka (honey, thyme, rosemary) and high-quality sadko vodka,…
Sergiev Posad
Forget the carbon-copy matryoshki you see at tourist stalls everywhere – 'City of Craftsmen' sells beautiful hand-painted nesting dolls that are several…
St Petersburg
Nevsky Centre is a smart and central multifloor shopping centre. It houses some 70 shops over seven floors, including the city’s largest department store,…
St Petersburg
Scores of arts-and-craft stores can be found in this arcade in the middle of Dumskaya ul. Among them are Collection, with a wide range of painted works,…
Suzdal
If you're after souvenirs a level up from the Russo-kitsch found everywhere else, check out these lovely handmade ceramic creations: mugs, tiles, vases,…
St Petersburg
There is never a dull moment at this underground (in both senses of the word) art gallery. In the front room, you’ll see some fairly mainstream stuff for…
St Petersburg
In the sumptuous surroundings of the Museum of Decorative & Applied Arts, this is a great place to buy contemporary local art. You'll find quite extensive…
Zamoskvorechie
Although the old Red October chocolate factory has long been converted into a hipster den, you can still sample the products of Russian chocolatiers at…
Western European Russia
Tula is renowned Russia-wide for its pryaniki (inscribed ginger cakes) and locals pack out this tiny bakery store-cum-cafe, stocking up on blocks of…
St Petersburg
In an otherwise derelict part of town, 'Weavers' is an impressive conversion of a warehouse into a 'creative space', which more often than not in…
Western European Russia
Tula's Salden's Brewery is one of provincial Russia's most respected craft-beer brewers and this tiny takeaway store is a great spot to pick up a couple…
Kaliningrad
The Kaliningrad outlet shop for the main amber processor has updated its designs in recent years in a bid to appeal to younger buyers. Stop by this store,…
St Petersburg
Contemporary Russian designers for both men and women are represented in this stylishly minimalist boutique on the 2nd floor of a grand building that's…
St Petersburg
Nearly all samovars (metal containers holding boiling water) in Russia are made in the town of Tula, south of Moscow, but this beautiful showroom is the…
St Petersburg
The traditional craft of Russian felt slippers and booties made from thick-fibred wool from Romanov sheep has been given a contemporary fashion spin here…
St Petersburg
In a city with men in uniform on every street corner, this is where you can get yours (the uniform that is!). Buy stripey sailor tops, embroidered badges,…
St Petersburg
This long-established antique bookseller is a fascinating place to rummage around. The stock ranges from fancy, mint-edition books to second-hand, well…
Meshchansky & Basmanny
One of Moscow's best antiques dealers, this gallery specialises in 19th-century furniture salvaged from the mansion houses of the nobility, most of which…
St Petersburg
The city’s only dedicated English-language bookshop has a good selection of contemporary literature, classics, dictionaries, history and travel writing –…
Vladivostok
This once deeply Soviet department store has recently undergone full refurbishment and is now Vladivostok's best place to shop. It's also housed in the…
St Petersburg
The famed porcelain makers have been in business since the 1740s (but was of course nationalised during the Soviet period). One of several shops in St…
Moscow
One of the oldest and biggest Moscow bookshops, opened in 1958, Moskva has a huge collection of books in many languages. There's a downstairs antiques…
Moscow
This sweet little boutique houses a cooperative of four designer gift producers. The rather cramped space is filled with hundreds of useful and useless …
St Petersburg
Inside the Tkachi 'Cultural Space' is this paradise for anyone after some Soviet accessories, vintage jackets and secondhand clothes of varying styles…
Russian Caucasus
Also known as the 'wool market', this is the place to shop for local products made from wool and fur, such as shawls, blankets, rugs and spectacularly…
