Best Shopping on the Magnificent Mile

The company was founded by Aldo Bensadoun in Montreal, Quebec, in 1972, where its corporate headquarters remain today. It has grown to become a worldwide corporation, with nearly 1,600 stores under four retail banners: Aldo, Call It Spring/Spring, Little Burgundy and Globo.

Brazilian born designer Anne Fontaine is known for her brave decision to create a French fashion line of white shirts only for women. Each Anne Fontaine shirt is made from natural fabrics like cotton and poplin, and decorated with gorgeous ruffles, collars, embroidery and cuffs that will make any outfit look fit for the runway. Like her original lines, all Anne Fontaine shirts have kept their feminine, romantic charm without compromising on quality. Over the years her range of Anne Fontaine white shirts has embraced other colours including pink, in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Week. Black is another common addition to her line due to its always stylish, slimming fit.

Louis-François Cartier founded Cartier in Paris in 1847 when he took over the workshop of his master. In 1874, Louis-François' son Alfred Cartier took over the company, but it was Alfred's sons Louis, Pierre and Jacques, who were responsible for establishing the brand name worldwide.

Cartier Santos - steel/gold from 1988 In 1904, the Brazilian pioneer aviator, Alberto Santos-Dumont complained to his friend Louis Cartier of the unreliability and impracticality of using pocket watches while flying. Cartier designed a flat wristwatch with a distinctive square bezel. This watch was liked by not only Santos-Dumont but also many other customers. Thus the "Santos" was born. This was Cartier's first men's wristwatch.

Since Karl Lagerfeld took over as chief designer for Chanel he made the point to incorporate the signature Chanel fabrics and detailing such as tweed, gold accents, and chains. Lagerfeld managed to keep what was signature for Chanel but also helped bring the brand into today's modern day fashion world. Today Chanel still holds true to the traditional tweed suits but the house also makes sure to stay modern and on trend with what is happening within the fashion world.

Giorgio Armani, a name synonymous with European Luxury Fashion. The sexy lines, impeccable fit and integrated textures of Giorgio Armani, Armani Collezioni and Emporio Armani define what Armani means to the fashion world. Finish and fit are continuously found throughout the collections, including the youthful Armani Jeans and Armani Exchange labels. Armani will always be classic and chic, in any language.

In 1921, Guccio Gucci opened a leather goods company and small luggage store in his native Florence. Though his vision for the brand was inspired by London, and the refined aesthetic of English nobility he had witnessed while working in the Savoy Hotel, his goal on returning to Italy was to ally this classy sensibility with the unique skills of his native Italy. Specifically, with the master craftsmanship of local Tuscan artisans.
In 1990, Gucci is re-launched to global renown through a groundbreaking mix of tradition and innovation. Tom Ford became creative director of Gucci in 1994 and infused the luxury brand with a sense of daring and provocation that resonated with celebrity and the fashion world. The stiletto, and silk cutout jersey dresses with metallic hardware details became instant icons of Ford's uniquely glamorous vision.

Saks Fifth Avenue was the brainchild of Horace Saks and Bernard Gimbel. Their dream was to construct a unique specialty store that would become synonymous with fashionable, gracious living. The purchase of a site between 49th and 50th Streets on upper Fifth Avenue led to the opening of Saks Fifth Avenue on September 15, 1924. The shop became the first large retail operation to locate in what was then primarily a residential district. By offering the finest quality men's and women's fashions, as well as an extraordinary program of customer services, Saks Fifth Avenue has become the byword for taste and elegance.

Opened in 1995 by Wanda Ferragamo and her family, the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum was designed to show the public the history of the brand’s founder and his creations – footwear viewed by museums and experts worldwide as no less than works of art. On December 5th 2006, the Museum was re-opened in a new location inside of the Palazzo Spini Feroni, the company’s headquarters since 1938.
Drawing on an archive of 13.000 original shoes and innumerable lasts, photos and working documents of the great designer, the footwear collection is in a perfect setting.  

Founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young in New York City in 1837 as a "stationery and fancy goods emporium," the store initially sold a wide variety of stationery items, and operated as Tiffany, Young and Ellis in Lower Manhattan. The name was shortened to Tiffany & Company in 1853 when Charles Tiffany took control, and the firm's emphasis on jewelry was established.
In 1877, an insignia that would become the famous New York Yankees "NY" logo was struck on a medal of honor by Tiffany & Company—the Yankees adopted the logo in 1909. In 1878, Tiffany won the gold medal for jewelry and a grand prize for silverware at the Paris Exposition, which gave the Tiffany brand name added prestige. In 1887, Tiffany bought the French Crown Jewels which attracted publicity and further solidified the Tiffany brand's connection to quality diamonds. The company revised the Great Seal of the United States in 1885. In 1902, after the death of Charles Lewis Tiffany, his son, Louis Comfort Tiffany became the company's first official Design Director