Shopping in Sydney

Fast facts

• Famous shopping for label hunters and bargain hunters
• The biggest sales are right after Christmas and the end of June

Things to do

The nexus of Darlinghurst, Surry Hills and Paddington around Oxford Street is the city’s high-end and hip shopping collective. Crown Street, Surry Hills is cool-central, home to great eating, homeware shops and vintage clothing while one of Paddington’s lesser-known shopping highlights is the William Street row of boutiques off Oxford. Nearby Queen Street in Woollahra houses the city’s top antiques stores and more.

Apart from the international labels and Aussie souvenirs found at The Rocks and the trove of fashion finds at The Strand Arcade, the top shopping spots in the city are the Queen Victoria Building (QVB), David Jones and Myer - as popular with locals as they are with tourists.

For the likes of Paul & Joe, Commes des Garcons and other ultra-expensive, ultra-chic European labels, Double Bay, and stores such as Christensen Copenhagen and Belinda are the places to be.

For mall-rats, the new, super-deluxe Westfield Bondi Junction represents a new high-water mark for all-in-one shopping centres.

For all things indie, it’s got to be Newtown (and Enmore). Whether it’s hair extensions, retro furniture, up-and-coming designers, wholefoods or independent films and music, King Street is King.

For hot surf fashion check out Bondi’s Bikini Island for Zimmerman, Jets, Seafolly and Tigerlily.

For luxury brands such as Chanel, Gucci and Cartier head for Castlereagh Street in the city.

Don’t miss

• Picking out resin jewellery or an accessory from Dinosaur Designs in Paddington.
• Hitting the Mambo store for Sydney surf style at Bondi.
• Spoil yourself with northern European designer treats at Crown Street’s Chee Soon & Fitzgerald.
• Knock yourself out with incredible bargains at designer vintage recyclers Blue Spinach in Darlinghurst. Check out Grandma Takes A Trip nearby for more vintage.
• Drool over the very best of men’s and women’s overseas labels at Robby Ingham in Paddington.
• Get your fill of the written word at Gleebooks, Abbey’s and Ariel, secondhand tomes at Goulds, or check out the Galeries Victoria’s Kinokuniya, the country’s largest cross-cultural bookshop.