Shopping in Prague
 

I am off to Prague in a few weeks. Are there any designer shops there? Or will I be disappointed and find that Prada, Jil Sander and suchlike are yet to reach the Czech Republic?

Hermes is there, but why anyone would buy anything is a mystery to me. Hermes is bought in Paris.

Is Hermes located in the equivalent of Bond St. or is it an isolated boutique in the middle of nowhere?

Would I be able to purchase any of the designers listed above in Prague? As for purchasing Hermes in Prague, not Paris, I can buy Hermes in London - is it cheaper in Prague or does it work out more expensive. Do the smarter shops take local currency or EUR?

MK2

Prada? So predictable.

Maybe you should "go crazy" and try some of the new Czech designers.

http://www.andel3w.dk/prague/english/pragsh01.htm

Thank you for those suggestions, I'm always into small and local designers, I will try to find their stores - are they all centrally located - I have no idea of Prague's layout - is their an upmarket shopping area or not one per se?

It's been some years since I've been in Prague but I don't recall there being a "Via Condotti" up-market shopping area per se. Could be that things have changed but I doubt it somehow.

Perhaps this link will help you get an idea of it.

http://www.timeout.com/prague/shop/

Just curious--have you decided on a hotel yet?

Boscolo hotel's Carlo IV - I always use Elegant Resorts, they offer this and the Four Seasons - but the Four Seasons wanted around 150GBP per night extra for a twin room (one is travelling there with a companion), so I chose Carlo IV - they have a well designed pool (although reportedly cool in temperature).

Timeout recommend mainly second-hand shops, it's not really my thing. Vintage sixties YSL couture is one thing, but someone's dirty old clothes is quite another.

>but someone's dirty old clothes is quite another<

Truer words were never spoken.

I will look forward to hearing about the hotel. No one can critique a hotel like you. I'm quite sure you cause terror in the hearts of hoteliers world wide!

"Paris Street" is a great shopping street in Prague, but there are lots of great shops in side streets off Old Town Square, and also in Mala Strana (Lesser Town).

timeout.com on Prague has a number of suggestions that are not 2nd hand shops

Are there stores seling international designers that I could be directed to?

Furthermore, are the prices steeper than say London (or other major European city), comparable, or less?

In my (American) experience, any city's prices should be lower than London's comparatively speaking, and I do love dear old London.
Prague's bargains though are mainly on its own industries such as glass, crystal, and garnets. They've just joined the European union (as of a month or two ago) so I don't know how that affects pricing on internationally-sold items, or on VAT issues.

I'm not a designer clothes shopper, so I'm afraid I'm not much help on possible store locations. If they were there, I didn't notice.

Barcelona was more expensive for Prada than London. A particular T-shirt in London retails at 125GBP, in Barcelona it was 235EUR which is around 150GBP.

In Bilbao they held a very good sale of last season's Prada shoes, in London they were reduced from 180GBP to around 120GBP, in Bilbao they were 120EUR.

You don't go to Prague to buy foreign designers. You buy Moser crystal and garnets in Prague. You buy Penhaglion in London, Molinard in Paris, Bulgari in Rome. Trite and common brands like Prada can be bought most anywhere, even at Costco. Look for this type of stuff in Parizska ulice, Paris St.

Prada at Costo? Where do you live?

Here are some recs from Hotel Josef for Czech fashion designers and their shops:

http://www.hoteljosef.com/choice5.php

Garnets remind me of white hair old women with these rocks around their neck, vile. Crystal - I like plain/stylish Italian or French glassware. Prada mainline isn't available at Costco, they're extremely fussy about who has their concessions.

Penhaligon is nothing special, I never use their things. Bvlgari is ugly jewellery, Italian in the worst sense of the word. I buy everything in London, all the foreign designers. I enjoy buying international pieces when abroad, they invoke a certain memory when I wear them.

In Bilbao I recently purchased a couple of pieces by Ungaro. He has a store in Bond St., but it means more to me buying them on holiday.

Many thanks for that useful web-site.

Look, i didn't go shopping for designer nothing in prague but here's the long and short of it and you've heard it before....

you don't go to prague to buy imported designer stuff. In prague you buy local stuff. Get the foreign designer stuff where they are known for it. end of story

I was surprised, however, to see that electronics was cheaper in prague than many otehr european locations, and i'm talking about major brands.

Paris street has many designer shops and from what I read it is the street for designer items. I don't think I saw any from Czech designers. I do not remember Prada but I remember LV store and they had quite of a collection of latest styles of LV. Much more than their American stores. I actually checked the price for comparison purposes but I do not remember the result vividly. I think it was close to USA.

You might be surprised that some items can be less than their country of origin. The sales person in the shop selling the famous Austrian Crystal(I think it is spelled Sworadski or something like that) told me that it is cheaper if you buy their products in Prague rather than Vienna!!! They have beautiful necklesses and earring.

I never buy electronics in any other place than London for warranty reasons, also how can I bring a large televison back with me? I don't do digital cameras, so I won't be buying any of those - I can't think of anything more souless than electronics. Fashion has passion and art.

Bhuty2003 - thank you for you advice on Paris St. I believe you are making reference to Swarovski crystal. If I was presented with any of their pieces I'd have to smash them, not my taste at all.