Fashion neighbourhoods

Fast facts

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

Why go there

Sydney is a big city shopping experience with something to satisfy all tastes. There’s everything from gorgeous pocket-sized boutiques and funky one-off shops, to sleek new shopping malls and colourful neighbourhood markets.

Explore the city centre with stylish department stores, specialty boutiques and historic arcades. Venture down bustling Oxford Street in Paddington, check out street fashion at one-off designer shops in Darlinghurst or the art galleries and jewellery stores of The Rocks.

Bondi is beachwear central where you’ll find the latest surf brand styles. Each weekend suburbs close to the city come alive with their markets.

If you’re in need of a little of pampering at the end of a long day's shopping, Sydney has many spa sanctuaries.

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 spots, 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-chic European labels, Double Bay, and stores such as Christensen Copenhagen and Belinda are the places to be.
• 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 Jimmy Choo head for Castlereagh Street in the city.
• Discover Sydney’s high end consignment stores where you can find gently-worn and vintage European and Australian designer clothes. Some of the best can be found in Double Bay, Paddington and Darlinghurst, Clovelly and Neutral Bay.

Don’t miss

• Young Aussie fashion and exquisite handcrafted jewellery at the upper levels of the Strand Arcade.
• Wandering through Bondi markets in the search for original beach fashion, and then crossing the road for a swim on Sunday mornings.
• Delicate ceramics in the gallery-like spaces in Surry Hills.
• Drool over the very best of men’s and women’s overseas labels at Robby Ingham and The Corner Store in Paddington.