When it comes to shopping, well-heeled professionals can get all the hand-holding they want. More and more of Florida's upscale and new-to-the-market department stores such as Nieman Marcus, Bloomingdale'sHelping Hand- To get an appointment with a personal shopper, call the store and ask for the personal shopper department.
- The personal shopper will need to know what you are looking for, your sizes and color and style preferences.
- A personal shopper will let you know about sales before they become available to the general public.- There's no personal shopper fee involved.- There's no minimum purchase.
and Saks Fifth Avenue -- as well as pricey fashion boutiques such as St. John Knits -- offer personal shoppers who keep abreast of sales and the season's newest wardrobe pieces for their customers. They preshop the store, moving items off racks and into private fitting rooms away from the hubbub of the showroom floor. Some stores add champagne and strawberries.
"It's like a mini-living room -- very elegant, very upscale and very private," says Bloomingdale's Orlando spokesperson Shanon Larimer.
Personal shoppers keep important dates like birthdays and wedding anniversaries on file and coordinate everything from clothing alterations and gift wrapping to delivery to a client's home or business. Some will even make house and office calls.
NEW MALL, NEW NAMES
The 1.2-million-sq.-ft. Mall at Millenia in Orlando is one of the latest to enter Florida's hot luxury retail scene. Developed by The Forbes Co. and Taubman Centers, the mall also brands itself as visually unique. Laid out in an S-shape, its eight-story Grand Court boasts 12 35-foot-high mast-like structures topped with curved video screens with entertainment and informational programming. The mall features 150 shops -- including Cartier, Chanel, Gucci and Burberry, as well as Orlando's first Bloomingdale's and Nieman Marcus.
CREATING A SHOPPING ENVIRONMENT
You could say Beverly Raphael is in the luxury retail business. As CEO of a $27-million south Florida general contracting firm with an international reputation, she's got a different take on the industry. Raphael's company, RCC Associates, specializes in posh interior build-outs for luxury retailers.
RCC is responsible for the interiors of some of the most upscale shops in the state. Recent projects include a new Chopard store in Bal Harbour Shops in Boca Raton, Donald Pliner in Coral Gables, Giorgio's of Palm Beach and Longchamps stores in Coral Gables' Merrick Park.
Her clients want to create a special place where shoppers will feel comfortable. "The environment has to warrant the ticket price," says Raphael. "These stores have to be as luxurious and as inviting as possible."
DEEP-POCKET SHOPPING
Some of the hottest upscale shopping venues -- old and new -- around the state:
Bal Harbour Shops, Miami Beach
An open-air mall owned by the Whitman family, whose very hands-on management continues to produce one of the poshest shopping experiences around with A-list retailers and a reputation for elegance.
Worth Avenue, Palm Beach
While not a mall, Worth Avenue in exclusive Palm Beach holds its own as a shopping experience. It's south Florida's version of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
The Mall at Millenia, Orlando
Quickly earning a reputation as one of the most elegant malls statewide, if not nationwide, Millenia makes even its lower-end stores -- such as Gap and Casual Corner -- seem upscale.
Village of Merrick Park, Coral Gables
Another high-end newcomer. Several retailers known on the international scene chose Merrick Park for their south Florida debut, including Burberry, Jimmy Choo footwear and French women's clothing designer Sonia Rykiel.
International Plaza, Tampa
Half of the retailers at the ritzy International Plaza -- less than 2 years old -- are new to the area, including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor and Tiffany & Co.