160 Best Places to Shop in Argentina

This small handicraft shop is run by a non-profit organization that trades fairly with more than two-dozen indigenous communities in Argentina. The shop smells like the aromatic palo santo wood used to make the trays, platters, cutting boards, and hair combs they carry. Other offerings include carnival masks, handwoven textiles, beaten tin ornaments, and alpaca jewelry. Prices, though higher than in markets, are reasonable; quality is excellent (hence the name, meaning "the best" in the Wichi Indian language); and you know your money is going to the artisans. There's also a store in Belgrano at Vuelta de Obligado 1933.

Gabriel's good taste means 50-year-old Louis Vuitton trunks don't look out of place beside wooden church statues or scale-model ships with canvas sails. Ceramic rubber-glove molds, one of his specialties, are some of the more accessible conversation pieces. The flagship store takes up a sizable patch of the Plaza Dorrego shop front; there's a second shop at Libertad 1214 in Recoleta. 

This is a preferred address for skaters, clubbers, and alternative-minded teens. The stores downstairs sell club wear, punky T-shirts, and band pins, while those on the top floor have slightly classier offerings from local designers who aren't big enough to set up in Palermo. If you're in the mood for a tattoo, you can take your pick from a large selection of ground-floor studios.

Vintage vultures should swing by Galería Quinta Avenida, which has a host of dusty boutiques ideal for a few hours of rack-roaming. There's a particularly good selection of leather jackets, as well as accessories like specs from the 1950s and '60s. Keep an eye out for irregular ferias americanas, impromptu flea market sales.

Upscale shops line the three levels of this beautiful building, designed during the city's turn-of-the-20th-century golden age. Stores are organized along four glass-roofed passages, which branch out in a cross from the central stairwell; the cupola above it is decorated by five Argentine greats, including muralist Antonio Berni. Top local, polo-inspired, menswear brands Etiqueta Negra and La Martina have large stores, while Jazmín Chebar, Ona Saez, and Vitamina's collections are aimed at younger women. Check out Janet Wise and Las Oreiro for more sophisticated looks among international brands such as Chanel and Christian Lacroix. For a respite from the retail, head down to the basement’s bustling food court or up to the second floor, where the Centro Cultural Borges stages tango shows and hosts small art exhibitions that feature international stars like Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí.

Rubén Troilo and Constanza von Niederhäusern’s innovative, well-constructed ready-to-wear has been exciting fans since their brand launched in 2010. Combining exciting textures, colors, and prints, Garza Lobos makes great use of leather, silk, and cashmere. Look for the capsule collection of purses made in collaboration with Lázaro.

Sequined flapper dresses, dashing white-linen suits, and creamy lace wedding veils are some of the items you might stumble across in this casa chorizo, a typical multiroom property that stretches back to the next block. Period accessories include Castilian hair combs and lacy fans that beg you to bat your lashes from behind them.

Pick up polo shirts, sweaters, and loose-cut trousers from übercool British sportswear label Gola. You'll also find a small, incongruous selection of posh Etiqueta Negra clothing, the brand responsible for making Gola garments locally.

Savvy staff, some trained as sommeliers, will guide you through Grand Cru's peerless selection; the vast range is dominated by high-end wines from small wineries.

In Argentina loafers mean Guido, whose retro-looking logo has been the hallmark of quality footwear since 1952. Try on timeless handmade Oxfords and wing tips; there are also fun items like a tomato-red handbag or a cow-skin tote. Accessories include simple belts and suede wallets.

Gustavo Stagnaro is a big name in San Antonio silversmithing. His majestic corner store sells both simple and ornate gaucho knives, no-nonsense silver jewelry, and finely crafted mate paraphernalia. Also be sure to check out his daughter Josefina's sculptures, wonderfully made from paper.

White-leather trefoil chairs and gleaming walnut side tables with black-lacquer details are among the many heavenly furniture items in this art-deco emporium. Much more packable (though not cheap) are the Clarice Cliff dinner services or French rosewood cigar boxes.

The approach at this trendy streetwear store is 100% practical: dreamed up by brothers who are industrial designers, all of the flat-front shirts, pants, and rain jackets have pockets, seams, and buttons positioned for maximum utility. Everything looks great, too. With a product range that includes footwear and underwear, it's a one-stop guy shop.

Model-turned-designer Dolores Barreiro provides a fresh take on tribal prints by injecting them with bold colors. Acid oranges and yellows fuse comfortably with turquoise and lavender: the result is a fun collection of Indian- and African-inspired beach frocks, wraps, and skirts.

Previously known for innovative, beautifully designed necklaces and rings, Homero has taken a new turn by adding heirloom pieces to its selection: choose from jewels (including complete sets), watches, and other unique items—each with its own story.

The hit leather brand Jackie Smith is the brainchild (and perhaps alter ego) of designer Valeria Smith. Characterized by boisterous colors, it includes an extensive range of fun and fabulous purses, clutches, handbags, and shoulder bags for 30-something women.

Thickly wedged heels and points that taper beyond reason and are some of Ferroni's trademarks. Stacked heels in dark textured leather with metallic trim look like a contemporary take on something Evita might have worn. If all that height brings on vertigo, fear not: the three-tone boots and ballet pumps are pancake-flat.

Jessica Trosman has left the helm of her eponymous brand and taken an urban turn, giving her new JT label a fresh minimalist look that fuses geometric and industrial elements. The Villa Crespo store combines a design studio, a dressmaking workshop, and a textile lab—all in open view.

Argentina's legendary orefebre (silversmith) has made pieces for a mile-long list of celebrities including Frank Sinatra, Sharon Stone, Antonio Banderas, Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Pope Francis, and Spanish royalty. A set of ornate silver-handled steak knives is the perfect memento of cow country, although it will set you back several grand.

Before your picnic, grab a bottle of Malbec at Juan Cedrón. The store also stocks many older vintages of wine worth collecting (or drinking!).

Five members of the da Silva family have been designing and selling handmade knives and leather cases at KDS Hecho a Mano since the 1970s. You can watch the process and choose the right knife for your next asado from many designs in their showroom.

Wines, jams, and homemade goodies (such as chocolate-covered figs, raisins, and dried apricots from the region) are all sold at Ketobac.

Local rugby players love this brand—one of the few to stock sizes large enough to fit them. Rugby and polo jerseys are a welcome variation on soccer shirts as sporty souvenirs; T-shirts printed with rugby caricatures are a more humorous option. Less macho basics include good-quality shirts and polos in a rainbow of pastels. The functional anoraks look almost too cool among classic khakis and V-necks.

Branches of Kosiuko, the ultimate local teen brand, are always packed with trendy adolescents served by hip-wiggling staff not much older than they are. The girls come for the improbably small, low-cut denim, the guys for budding metrosexual-wear under the Herencia brand. Kosiuko's fragrances and deodorant are a favorite with the population's most perspiring age group.

It's all very space odyssey at Kostüme, a B.A. Fashion Week fave. Extra-brief dresses might be made of netting or bunched-up nylon and worn over drainpipe trousers. Many tops are asymmetrical, and pants come with saddlebag-like protrusions. Check out the Vader boots, a collaboration with Pony.

A 10-minute drive from Mendoza City, La Barraca has lots of local brands, a children's playground, restaurants, and a pharmacy.

A Spanish-style abode built in 1745 contains several tempting shops. One is filled with enough miniature wooden furniture to fill several dollhouses; another sells golden-age Argentine cinema posters. Wind-up monkeys, brass fittings, old apothecary bottles, and vintage leather suitcases are other interesting finds.

This non-profit organization sells work from Bariloche's local artisans, including jewelry, ornaments, and ceramics.

Being a number-one polo player wasn't enough for Adolfo Cambiaso—he founded his own team in 1995, then started a clothing line that he also models for. If you think polo is all about knee-high boots and preppy chinos, think again: Cambiaso sells excellent urban menswear and this store includes a café. The Italian-cotton shirts, sharp leather jackets, and to-die-for totes are perfect for any occasion.