Madrid is a heaven for shoppers where you can find shops by the world’s chicest brands. Shop windows glittering with sophisticated jewels, clothes and accessories attract hundreds of visitors every year.

LUXURY ITEMS MADE IN MADRID

A tour for luxury shoppers in Madrid should always include LOEWE, a local firm whose bags have hung from the arms of celebs since the nineteenth century. The shop on Gran Vía (Gran Vía, 8) is a getaway to the exquisite taste of bygone days, while the newly opened in Barrio de Salamanca (Serrano, 34) stands out for its design. Look out for the Amazona bag – now a classic – or check the leather and fur accessories.

In the heart of the historic district, just off the Royal Palace, Lepanto sells its own handicraft leather bags and accessories, as well as items from multiple brands: bags and accessories, watches and jewellery, and high-end luxury porcelain from Spanish and international firms.

Seseña (Calle de la Cruz, 23) is one of the few firms still specialising in capes. They’re synonymous with tradition and luxury in Madrid. Their capes have been on the shoulders of the likes of Pablo Picasso, Luis Buñuel, Ernest Hemingway, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen or Hillary Clinton. Established in 1901, they’ve known how to keep up with the times, introducing the latest trends in their collections.

If you think diamonds are a girl’s best friend, you should come to Durán (Goya, 19), supplying jewellery to the Royal Household since 1899. Yanes is also a good choice –a family of jewellers who’ve been cutting gems and casting precious metals for more than 125 years. Their headquarters on 27 Goya Street showcase a fine collection of classic pieces. Younger generations can come to Aristocrazy (Serrano, 46), where Juan Suárez offers the latest trends in jewel design.

If there’s an item no luxury haul from Madrid can miss, that’s the Manila shawl. These embroidered silk shawls can be really high-priced. To avoid fakes and shop safely, you should find a specialist. Borca (Marqués Viudo de Pontejos, 2) has been selling Manila shawls for centuries.

For elegant gentlemen, Madrid has Yusty (Serrano, 56). They’ve been tailoring suits for noblemen, businessmen and politicians since 1914. Today you can find both tailored items, made after the finest English and Italian traditions, as well as clothes from exclusive brands. To complete your outfit, you can get a pair of handmade shoes at Glent Shoes (Claudio Coello, 21) – and maybe spot former the Emeritus King Juan Carlos – or at Carmina (Claudio Coello, 73), a Madrid-based shoemaker from Majorca.

Finally, a journey through the most exclusive stores would not be complete without a visit to the Felipe Conde guitar shop (Arrieta, 4). This dynasty of luthiers, “artists-friends” as Paco de Lucía considered them, have known how to reinvent themselves, maintaining a constant dialogue with guitarists, whereby their instruments have been advocated by international musicians, such as Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan.

LUXURY ITEMS MADE IN SPAIN

In addition to the local iconic brands above, Madrid is home to the most renowned Spanish firms: Ailanto (Orellana, 14, Basque fashion designers established in Barcelona), Balenciaga (Lagasca, 75; clothes and bags from the firm founded by the famous designer from Gipúzcoa), Manolo Blahnik (Serrano, 58; shoes by the designer from the Canary Islands), Lladró (Serrano, 68; porcelain figurines made in Valencia), Suárez (Serrano, 63; fine jewellery from the firm founded in Bilbao) and Rabat (Serrano, 32; fine jewellery from Catalonia). A panoply of options for the best retail therapy. The Spanish jewellery, accessories and fashion firm Tous (Gran Via, 38); The Puig store (Serrano, 46) specialised in perfumes luxury fashion; the Sargadelos brand (Narváez, 6) for handicrafts, jewellery and also for home and decoration; Castañer (Claudio Coello, 51) specialising in esparto espadrilles and footwear in general; and Eduardo Rivera, who not only sells clothes, but also decorative elements and accessories such as jewellery, handbags, watches, glasses, footwear and books.

It is worth mentioning that Madrid hosts events devoted to luxury shopping and exclusive products throughout the year, such as Vogue Fashion's Night Out or the Flower Market.

INTERNATIONAL LUXURY BRANDS

Of course, in Madrid you can also find the world’s top luxury brands: Chanel (Ortega y Gasset, 16), Dior (Ortega y Gasset, 6), Yves Saint-Laurent (Serrano, 34), Louis Vuitton (Serrano, 66), Prada (Serrano, 26) , Hermès (Ortega y Gasset, 12), Gucci (Serrano, 49), Armani (Serrano, 44), Tiffany & Co. (Ortega y Gasset, 10), Chopard (Serrano, 51), Dolce & Gabbana (Jose Ortega y Gasset, 14); Bvlgari (José Ortega y Gasset, 17), Valentino (José Ortega y Gasset, 16),  Breitling (Serrano, 30), Jaeger-LeCoultre (José Ortega y Gasset, 11) and many others have established shops in the Spanish capital. Most of them can be found along Serrano, Ortega y Gasset, and other adjoining streets in Barrio de Salamanca.

The Corte Inglés on Castellana also has a unique space in the form of luxury streets where the leading brands of luxury accessories can be found (Cartier, Bvlgari, Dior, Gucci, Hermés, Loewe, Louis Vuitton), as well as an exclusive space devoted to fine jewellery and watches.

GALERÍA CANALEJAS

Located in the former Palacio de la Equitativa, between Calle Alcalá and Calle Sevilla, is this exclusive shopping centre, the latest symbol of luxury in the heart of Madrid. Find over 40 boutiques selling fashion, accessories, perfume, and high-end jewellery and watches by some of the world’s most prestigious luxury brands (including Hermès, Cartier and Rolex), not forgetting a fantastic selection of restaurants and gastronomic concepts designed by renowned Michelin-star chefs.

Covering an area of 15,000 m2, Galería Canalejas is spread across three floors, with the ground floor and first floor dedicated exclusively to shopping. The opening of its first phase saw the French-owned Hermès store, with direct street access, welcome the public on 1 October 2020, which will be which will be joined by new boutiques from Aquazzura, OMEGA, Rolex, Saint Laurent, Valentino and Zegna from 3 June 2022.  In addition, this latest opening will incorporate the Beauty Gallery by Isolée with more than 20 brands of premium cosmetics, make-up and signature perfumes. 

MADRID FOR FOODIES

Foodies will be in their element in Madrid. Some establishments are famous for a single item, as is the case of La Melguiza (now revamped and offering an equally good yet more diversified menu) and saffron, or Casa Mira and turrón or nougat (Carrera de San Jerónimo, 30). In others, you can try what you buy on site; for instance, Ultramarinos Quintín (Jorge Juan, 17) or Joselito’s (Velázquez, 30), a modern charcuterie serving the ‘best cured ham in the world’, featuring two dining areas in addition to the take-away facilities. Amazónico and La Bien Aparecida restaurants are other interesting proposals that are located in Calle de Jorge Juan. And if you’re having delicatessen for lunch or dinner, nothing better than a fine wine to wash them down. You can buy your wine at Lavinia (Ortega y Gasset, 16), which sells a wide range of Spanish and international spirits.

The Casa de la Panadería shop offers keepsakes featuring Madrid made by Madrid artisans, which are reminiscent of the traditions that are most deeply rooted in the city. Products on sale include handmade leather bags by Oficio Studio, jewellery by Andrés Gallardo, capes by Seseña, silk scarves painted by Natalia Lumbreras, jute bags by The Atypical Project and colognes and soaps by Álvarez Gómez, among others.