Some people love shopping. Some people hate it. (I fall somewhere in the middle, although for the most part there are other things I’d rather do, especially when on vacation or on a business trip.) But how do you find the coolest styles and best deals when you’re in a country or city where you don’t live?
Signing up for a personal shopper just might be the answer. These local experts in Latin America provide insider expertise and travel tips for globetrotters in search of anything from unique local fashion to international name brands, from interesting souvenirs to total personal makeovers. They’ll know how to drape you in the hippest creations from trendy Latin American designers, or find the best international labels to suit your style.
Here are a few noteworthy ways to enjoy personal shopping services in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
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Personal Shoppers in Argentina
• Shop Hop BA: This company offers private, personalized shopping tours, personal shopping and styling services in the ever-stylish city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Whether you’re interested in leather, Argentine fashion designers, homewares, textiles, art, souvenirs or antiques, they’ll design a shopping trip in Buenos Aires according to your interests, budget and style.
• Ideas Turísticas: This Buenos Aires-based organization employee a staff of fashion stylists and image consultants as personal shoppers and image consultants. You can sign up for anything from personal shopping assistance to wardrobe analysis, with style tips, fashion advice, custom-made clothing and men’s and women’s makeovers among the offerings.
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Personal Shoppers in Brazil
• Dany Couto & Jú Magon: Based in Rio de Janeiro, this style and fashion consultancy offers personal shopping services that can include complete fashion makeovers, or strategically focused shopping excursions if you need a look for a specific event or activity (which in Brazil‘s biggest beach destination, just might involve a day on the sand).
Personal Shoppers in Colombia
• Alejandra Vega: Colombia‘s capital is a surprisingly fashionable hub in Latin America, with a variety of upscale malls and retailers that stock international brands, as well as smaller shops that specialize in the work of trend-setting Colombian designers. Alejandra Vega’s staff offers consultations and makeovers for men and women, as well as personal shopping services.
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Personal Shoppers in Mexico
• Sandos Cancun Luxury Resort: Ladies looking for a luxurious girls’ night out can take advantage of this Mexico beach hotel’s personal style consultant, who helps women map out a Cancun shopping excursion to dress their best for a girls’ getaway in Cancun’s famous Hotel Zone.
• Luxury Avenue: This popular shopping mall in Cancun offers a shopping concierge service that helps visitors navigate the variety of pricey shops, which stock high-end clothing, shoes, jewelry and cologne.
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• El Palacio de Hierro: Billed as Latin America’s largest department store, El Palacio de Hierro’s branch in Mexico City’s upscale Polanco district offers an invitation-only personal shopping experience called La Suite. Those invited get a personal shopper in this private, apartment-like space that can hold trunk shows, VIP catering and more. They also have access to private entrances – either below-ground or via the store’s concealed roof helipads – for those that want to enter and exit unnoticed.
• Antara Fashion Hall: This chic mall in Mexico City’s Polanco district offers the services of an image consultant and fashion stylist, who helps shoppers to find the right look in clothing, accessories and jewelry.
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Personal Shoppers in Puerto Rico
• Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino: Located minutes from the Mall of San Juan and Old San Juan’s artisan boutiques, the Sheraton Puerto Rico has its own retail therapist, who provides local shopping insights such as customizable itineraries, shopping maps and curated lists of artisanal markets and insider shopping tips.
• Ritz-Carlton, San Juan: This luxurious Puerto Rico beach hotel offers a shopping vacation package called “Reconnect,” which includes accommodations, a $100 daily resort credit, daily American breakfast buffet for two and personal shopper service at Saks Fifth Avenue Club, complete with a free glass of white wine and hors d’oeuvres (by appointment only) at the Mall of San Juan. You’ll also get a free mimosa or cup of coffee when shopping at Kate Spade NY and other amenities when you visit the mall. The Ritz-Carlton concierge can coordinate your personal shopping tour, with private transportation. Similar personal shopping services at the Mall of San Juan are available at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and La Concha, a Renaissance Resort.