Fashion houses from Paris to New York show high-concept styles on runways from Miami to Milan. The chic fashionistas among us follow the trends, always managing to stay one step ahead of the average shopper. Knowing when and what to buy from next season’s hottest designers is a sure way to be as fashion-forward as you dare.

LONDON
Although Princess Diana got her shopping start on Sloane Street, shortly after her wedding, she graduated to New and Old Bond — and with good reason. Mostly high-end with wonderful Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, you also will find an exquisite selection of jewelry, both costume bling and the real deal. Asprey, of course, is a must. Supplement your tiara collection here. They offer a stunning ensemble of both vintage and new timepieces. If you are going to leave London with anything, make sure it is a watch from Asprey. The designer boutiques on New and Old Bond streets are ahead of the game, even in American labels. DKNY, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein stores all offer better selections compared to American showrooms. Just be forewarned: The prices are not nearly as attractive. London’s Regent Street has recently been reenergized by the arrival of Kim Winser at the helm of Aquascutum. If she can do what Marie Bravo did for Burberry and what she herself did for the dated Scottish knitwear label Pringle, serious fashionistas are in for a treat. Carnaby Street is also back in business with a younger look that’s more cutting-edge. This is a great place to accessorize your wardrobe. You can buy Gucci almost anywhere, but Carnaby Street is flush with boutiques for trendsetters.

SINGAPORE
Imagine a country where shops are not only duty free, but also air-conditioned and offer an annual nationwide sale featuring 80 percent off discounts. We love Singapore. The mid-year Great Singapore Sale runs from late May through late July, and hotels are booked solid, so if you are planning to take advantage, you need to schedule your trip at least three months in advance. There is still fabulous shopping to be done in the off-season. If shoes are your passion, haute couture enthusiasts should head to Orchid and Scott’s Road area, and don’t miss the Hilton Shopping Gallery, which is connected to the Four Seasons Hotel arcade. The Paragon, a few blocks east, has local and high-end brands. All stores are connected by much-appreciated air-conditioned underground walkways. Smart shoppers take advantage of the high-quality silk fabric here, in many different weights, and seek out the special skills of this country’s talented seamstresses and tailors. If you are planning to have a suit or an outfit custom-made, you might want to call your hotel concierge prior to arrival for a recommendation. Give your makeup bag a mini-makeover here, too, as cosmetic boutiques are in abundance on Orchard and Scott’s Road. New airline security regulations prohibit unabashed makeup indulgence, so keep this in mind and pack accordingly.

PARIS
What’s more romantic than a purchase or two in Paris? Embark upon a love affair with every designer you desire: Shopping is the local pastime and the devil wears more than Prada in this town. Most of the celebrated shopping is located in the 1e and 8e arrondissements. These two quarters form the heart of Paris’ hunting ground of fashion. Do not miss Avenue Montaigne, home to the best pants ever made a la Facconable. Even if you are not in a shopping mood, just a glance at the vitrines (window displays) on this lovely street will motivate you to purchase beyond your means. Avenue Montaigne boasts two blocks of the finest fashion in the world and within an afternoon you can visit most of the labels and most likely see more than one celebrated face. The large designer houses are located nearby on the Rue du Faubourg St-Honoré and the Champs-Elysees, where you can break in your Jimmy Choos and Valentinos while enjoying the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. Le Mar ais, located in Paris’ 3e and 4e arrondissements, is a cobblestoned treasure trove of not just up-and-comers, but also recognized designers including Aria on Vielle du Temple. One overlooked aspect of shopping in Paris is the amazing fabric, which can be easily folded, packed and ready for assembly in your hometown. (A different take on prét-a-porter). Bouchon, located next to the Gallery Lafayette, has an amazing selection of fabrics and also very French, extremely inexpensive linens. Dishtowels from Paris are the only way to go.

MONTREAL
Montreal has become the place to shop – who knew? This tip comes from, we kid you not, Anouseh Ansari, the entrepreneur who recently paid $20 million for a trip to the International Space Station. Her recommendation: Sherbrooke Street, which, in general, offers everything to everybody who is anybody, but Holt Renfrew provides all the finest labels under one roof. Originally established as a Quebec milliner in 1837, this is the Bergdorfs of Montreal, no doubt. Their in-house concierge service has set a standard that has yet to be met. The word “no,” not to mention “no returns without receipt,” is just not in their employee handbook. The Marche’ Bonsecours on Saint-Paul Street East is one of the most beautiful heritage buildings in Canada and, as a nice bonus, is a showcase for artists, designers and artisans. It houses 15 boutiques, including the Conseil des metiers d’art du Quebec. This is a perfect place to augment your traditional wardrobe and, someday, you will say, “Oh please. I bought it way back in 2006 before the designer was famous.”

HONG KONG
Shopping in Hong Kong offers a great blend of East meeting West. Chic local brands and international design houses go neck-and-neck and head-to-toe to bring you the finest couture. Prices are higher now, which generally means so is the quality. Meet Vivienne Tam. Having first launched her designer label in New York, she is still in business in Asia’s Las Vegas. Her “China Chic” is a fabulous find. Designs are now on a first-come, first-served basis and her shops are located in Pacific Place Mall, Causeway Bay and Ocean Terminal. If you’re crowdphobic, do not come to Hong Kong and shop those malls on the weekends. Good reminder: The annual Hong Kong Shopping Festival is a summer-long event during which visitors receive a festival passport upon arrival. Two other designers worthy of note are William Tang and Walte Ma. You will find their wares in boutiques on Pacific Place Mall, Causeway Bay and at Ocean Terminal.

BUENOS AIRES
When shopping in Buenos Aires you are in for a treat — not just in the form of a new handbag, but also in how little you have to extract from it. Clothing prices are not quite as inexpensive as they are in the United States, but you can enjoy and show off the different styles created by Porteno designers. No one back home will have anything like these pieces. Also known as Palermo Viejo, SoHo, or Hollywood, the area surrounding Plaza Cortazar, off Calle Jorge Borges, is the place to go for cutting-edge designs. You’ll have to wander the streets, but that is half the fun and the purchase at days end makes it all worth the exercise — even in heels. Plaza San Martin (corner of Florida and Marcelo T. de Alvear) in Palermo offers many fine designers, including Rapsodia, which is renowned not just for its extreme window displays, but also for the fact that their clothing is made almost exclusively in Argentina. You would be remiss in your shopping duties if you left Buenos Aires without something in leather. It’s a well-accepted fact that even the French will acknowledge with a shrug — Argentina’s craftsmen and designers bring us the best leather goods in the world. Prune, a fabulous chain of stores with additional locations in Alto Palermo, has an impressive selection of leather goods, including (of course) purses. The Florida store is Prune’s flagship and most celebrated. Tiendo Puro Diseno Argentino, located the beautiful Recolated Design Center, offers unique, high-quality, high-design items created strictly with Argentine materials.

LOS ANGELES
Look out Rodeo Drive: Papa’s got a brand new bag and he probably got it at The Grove. L.A.’s coolest new hot spot offers scores of stores each, it seems, boasting a celebrity face. An open-air urban shopping environment adjacent to historic Farmers Market on Third and Fairfax, The Grove already is firmly established in the fashion world’s vocabulary. Last year more than 18 million visitors paid this gem a visit. But don’t let that number frighten you into thinking there is anything overly conventional about the shopping here. The new Barney’s New York Co-Op, slated to open in March, will be home to Marc Jacobs, Splendid, Rebecca Taylor, Roberto Del Carlo, Antik Batik, Lulu Frost and many more. Meanwhile, shoppers will just have to be content with The Grove’s European style lanes hosting flagship collections from Kiehl’s, American Girl Place, Coach and Apple, to name a few. In between buys, there are nice little cafes where you can pause and gloat over your new purchases.

For designer bargains, Loehmann’s, opposite the Beverly Center, is still the best of probably anyplace in North America. All the brands are represented here, the sales are unbelievable (look for blue dot days on Wednesdays) and the merchandise is lovingly displayed and organized. In other words, it does not have that “picked over” feel. Styles are usually a little off-season, which explains the incredible bargains, but because most of the designers here are classic and timeless, it really doesn’t matter. Find it, buy it, and save it for next year. That’s what all the smart shoppers do.

Shopping Guide

LONDON
Bond Street, West End. The northern section is known as New Bond Street, and the southern section, Old Bond Street.
Asprey London, 167 New Bond Street, tel 44 0 20 7493 6767 www.asprey.com
Carnaby Street, www.carnaby.co.uk

SINGAPORE
Great Singapore Sale, www.greatsingaporesale.com.sg
Hilton Shopping Gallery, 581 Orchard Road, tel 65 6737 2233

PARIS
Avenue Montaigne, www.avenuemontaigne.info
Rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, www.parisdigest.com/fashion

MONTREAL
Holt Renfrew, 1300 Sherbrooke St.W., tel 514 842 5111, www.holtrenfrew.com
Marche’ Bonsecours on Saint-Paul Street East, www.marchebonsecours.qc.ca

HONG KONG
Pacific Place Mall, www.pacificplace.com.hk

BUENOS AIRES
Rapsodia, Av. Arguibel 2899, tel 11 4772 2716
Prune, Florida 963
Tiendo Puro Diseno Argentino, Av. Pueyrredon 2501, tel 11 5777 6000

LOS ANGELES
The Grove, 189 The Grove Drive, tel 888 315 8883, www.thegrovela.com
Barney’s New York Co-Op, 9570 Wilshire Blvd., tel 310 777 5877, www.barneys.com
Loehmann’s, 333 South La Cienega Blvd., tel 310 659 0674.