International Culture - Fashion & Retail Therapy

Either get them abroad or shop locally, but one should definitely know where to look for trends that the International counterparts are having access to.

In addition, here are some sites that offer international shipping and are among the "worshipped" ones and are cliff-noted by fashionistas in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Dallas and San Francisco are: ASOS, New Look, Marks & Spencer , Next, Warehouse and Poison Apple.

New collection by Kate Moss at TopShop has been available for longer than a year in UK and online at http://www.topshop.com/, but now, New Yorkers got luck and are the first ones in America to experience TopShop first hand - they can now touch and feel shoes and clothes – Top Shop is coming to New York. You can now check out Kate Moss’ cool British Bohemian collection in Soho (btw, the best street nuts are sold on the corner of Prince and Broadway and the guy is super generous with the amount of nuts he can fit in a tiny bag that is now gone up to $2.50 for cashews, peanuts and almonds, which used to be $2.00 – talk about the economy crisis.)

Semi-new denim line from Victoria Bekham has been already launched at Harrods in UK, but with her proximity to Hollywood and adoration for the New York fashionable crowd, she did score some of the top American stores' spaces, where American fashionistas can buy the denim line dVB by Victoria Bekham (aka Posh Spice). You don’t have to go to her home country to acquire her clothing line, you can shop locally at such locations as Saks Fifth Avenue. Or if you are in London anyway, on your flight lay-off, stop by Harrods and get it in euros.

Mango (Spanish store chain) features Penelope Cruz - Penelope takes her time from shooting movies to collaborate with her look-alike sister on a clothing line for Mango stores. Shop online or stop by one of Mango many stores around the world. Except for U.S. – the store chain has not yet made its way to America (perhaps Christopher Columbus should show the Spanish the way to America one more time.)

But do not worry, I just came back from Spain where I had a chance to stop by their stores in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia and I must say that, unlike my trip in Gottingen, Germany, when I got quite a few things from Mango, I didn't find anything this time that appealed to my European-American taste and/or looked any different from other Spanish store chain, Zara, that is luckily available in USA.

For the fans of endless James Bond saga, you can now dress, drive and even drink like the stylish agent, Bond: check out 2008 Aston Martin DBS, Rolex Submariner or Omega Seamaster, and Heineken (which you shouldn't have any trouble finding in any self-respected bar and store.)

Gap hires Japanese designer – ever wondered why Gap got so cool, so trendy and so “foreign” as in a good sense of foreign fashion? Guess no more – Gap hired a Japanese designer, actually a few designers, who assumed a challenge to change and revive an all-American white shirt and move away from boring sweaters, jeans and scarves. And he did it, not only through engagement of celebrities in the ads, but also through upgrading the look altogether. Now Gap is not a store to pass by, it should be on your list of shopping stops.