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Eighteen Stores to Spend It All When You Have Money to Burn

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We're dedicating this week to the kind of fantastical shopping that most of us only get to experience in dreams. Taking a page from casino parlance, we'll be talking a lot about "whales," those big spenders who feel perfectly comfortable dropping tens of thousands of dollars every night on roulette, or, in our case, on Cartier, caviar facials, and Chanel. Welcome to Whale Week 2013.


Yellow diamond ring, $33,750, and sapphire diamond ring, $48,500, via E.B. Horn

Not sure where to unload your money? Though most of us don't typically face this predicament without hitting the lottery or inventing the new Apple, we are now presenting Boston's high rollers with a roster of can't-miss luxury stores.

Whether this endless shopping spree is fantasy or reality, these eighteen destinations (in no particular order) should satisfy your craving for cashmere, leather, and precious stones. Not surprisingly, they are mostly huddled around the Back Bay, where traffic doesn't help the chauffer very much but we're sure he is used to it. Takeaways from this list: the upper crust has a thing for expensive jewels and deluxe lingerie. Makes good fodder for a romantic evening at the Liberty's Presidential suite, no? Time to shop 'til you drop!

Shopping elsewhere? Check out our guides to the best luxury stores in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.


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E.B. Horn Jewelers

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This renowned jewelry store in the heart of Downtown Crossing was established in 1839. Each staff member has over 25 years of experience, walking customers through the diamond process (here's a primer). Watch fans will be pleased by the estate selection featuring Rolex, Cartier, Ebel, and more. The establishment also appraises, replaces, and buys jewelry.
As far as the ultimate Boston shopping experience goes, Louis is it. This Racked 38 member has upped the cool factor of the waterfront district and closets of fashion lovers worldwide. Emerging, cutting edge designers take center stage here alongside runway favorites and quirky home goods.

La Perla

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It's fair to assume that one can only start investing in underwear after the rest of a closet has been swagged-out, right? That being said, we'd love to see the wardrobes of the women spending over $100 on a pair of panties (nevermind several hundreds on bras).
Hermes is one of those great international unifiers of all things luxury: heritage, quality, exclusivity. And with such a global tourist and resident base, Boston's shop must be doling out plenty of Birkins, scarves, and bracelets.
Like Hermes, Chanel is a universal obsession. Coco's legacy marks the epitome of glamour, and the Newbury boutique offers an opportunity to buy into it through tweed, quilting, and diamonds. Recently, this particular boutique has made waves with news of its future relocation to the No. 6 Newbury luxury apartment development.

L'elite bridal salon

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A quarter million dollar wedding needs a gown to match, and L'elite knows how to hook it up (plus your bridesmaids, too). This is the spot for haute couture and custom design if the selection of Reem Acra, Oscar de la Renta, and Marchesa doesn't catch your attention.

Dorfman Jewelers

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Internationally known, Dorfman is a dying breed of family-owned haute joaillerie experts. In addition to its own collections, it stocks Van Cleef & Arpels gems, Patek Phillippe watches, and exclusive handcrafted silver gifts from Tuscan artisans.

Alan Bilzerian

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This family-owned shop (and Racked 38 member) is a bazaar of maverick luxury designers including Isabel Marant, Yohji Yamamoto, and Ann Demeulemeester as well as renowned fashion houses like Lanvin. Celebrities often frequent the establishment, and many ultra fashion fans contend this is excellence in service and selection.

Cartier

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Do we really need to discuss Cartier? The French jeweler and watchmaker extraordinaire is mandatory for any and every luxury list. File this under "duh!" and please bring us with you on that shopping spree.

Shreve, Crump & Low

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Shreve, Crump, & Low gets the bragging rights of being America's oldest jeweler (founded in 1796 when our nation was a mere baby). The Davis Cup in tennis was created by them on commission and the Kennedys were part of its A-list Brahmin clientele. Needless to say, its latest three-level Newbury flagship is pretty swell.

Loro Piana

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Introducing...the country's 3rd most expensive store! Come here for yummy Italian cashmere to suit the whole family. The heritage brand also produces textiles for interiors.

Alton Lane

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This premium men's outfitter touts custom-designed suits which are built from the ground up, starting with a 3-D body scan to capture sizing dimensions. Pricing extends up to $4,000, which may be a small price to pay for the perfect suit.

Riccardi

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Stop by Racked 38 member Riccardi for Givenchy, Balmain, Comme de Garcons, Nicholas Kirkwood and a slew of other European high fashion headliners.

Agent Provocateur

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Alongside its buddy La Perla, Agent Provocateur proves that there is nothing more luxurious than high fashion nobody can see. Save the wears coming out of this lingerie leader for the bedroom.

Serenella Boston

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Serenella corners a niche for off-the-runway and hard to find European designers in a boutique setting, including apparel from Altuzarra and Rochas, fantastical jewelry from Delfina Delettrez, and gowns from Prabal Gurung.

The Tannery

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Curated by The Tannery—the luxury focused store within the bigger Tannery flagship—dishes up a variety of each season's trendiest goods for men and women. Included in that bunch is a ton of Margiela, Chloe, and Moncler.

Barneys New York

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Offering the New York shopping experience in our own backyard, Barneys (another Racked 38 member) remains arguably the creme de la creme of its department store category and the first place to go for off-the-runway fashion and prestige beauty.

Copley Place

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You won't usually find the upper echelons of fashion at mall stores, with the exception of this luxury emporium in the heart of downtown. What major designer doesn't have a boutique here? Maybe this spot is a bit obvious, but it pretty much rounds off the list.

E.B. Horn Jewelers

This renowned jewelry store in the heart of Downtown Crossing was established in 1839. Each staff member has over 25 years of experience, walking customers through the diamond process (here's a primer). Watch fans will be pleased by the estate selection featuring Rolex, Cartier, Ebel, and more. The establishment also appraises, replaces, and buys jewelry.

Louis

As far as the ultimate Boston shopping experience goes, Louis is it. This Racked 38 member has upped the cool factor of the waterfront district and closets of fashion lovers worldwide. Emerging, cutting edge designers take center stage here alongside runway favorites and quirky home goods.

La Perla

It's fair to assume that one can only start investing in underwear after the rest of a closet has been swagged-out, right? That being said, we'd love to see the wardrobes of the women spending over $100 on a pair of panties (nevermind several hundreds on bras).

Hermes

Hermes is one of those great international unifiers of all things luxury: heritage, quality, exclusivity. And with such a global tourist and resident base, Boston's shop must be doling out plenty of Birkins, scarves, and bracelets.

Chanel

Like Hermes, Chanel is a universal obsession. Coco's legacy marks the epitome of glamour, and the Newbury boutique offers an opportunity to buy into it through tweed, quilting, and diamonds. Recently, this particular boutique has made waves with news of its future relocation to the No. 6 Newbury luxury apartment development.

L'elite bridal salon

A quarter million dollar wedding needs a gown to match, and L'elite knows how to hook it up (plus your bridesmaids, too). This is the spot for haute couture and custom design if the selection of Reem Acra, Oscar de la Renta, and Marchesa doesn't catch your attention.

Dorfman Jewelers

Internationally known, Dorfman is a dying breed of family-owned haute joaillerie experts. In addition to its own collections, it stocks Van Cleef & Arpels gems, Patek Phillippe watches, and exclusive handcrafted silver gifts from Tuscan artisans.

Alan Bilzerian

This family-owned shop (and Racked 38 member) is a bazaar of maverick luxury designers including Isabel Marant, Yohji Yamamoto, and Ann Demeulemeester as well as renowned fashion houses like Lanvin. Celebrities often frequent the establishment, and many ultra fashion fans contend this is excellence in service and selection.

Cartier

Do we really need to discuss Cartier? The French jeweler and watchmaker extraordinaire is mandatory for any and every luxury list. File this under "duh!" and please bring us with you on that shopping spree.

Shreve, Crump & Low

Shreve, Crump, & Low gets the bragging rights of being America's oldest jeweler (founded in 1796 when our nation was a mere baby). The Davis Cup in tennis was created by them on commission and the Kennedys were part of its A-list Brahmin clientele. Needless to say, its latest three-level Newbury flagship is pretty swell.

Loro Piana

Introducing...the country's 3rd most expensive store! Come here for yummy Italian cashmere to suit the whole family. The heritage brand also produces textiles for interiors.

Alton Lane

This premium men's outfitter touts custom-designed suits which are built from the ground up, starting with a 3-D body scan to capture sizing dimensions. Pricing extends up to $4,000, which may be a small price to pay for the perfect suit.

Riccardi

Stop by Racked 38 member Riccardi for Givenchy, Balmain, Comme de Garcons, Nicholas Kirkwood and a slew of other European high fashion headliners.

Agent Provocateur

Alongside its buddy La Perla, Agent Provocateur proves that there is nothing more luxurious than high fashion nobody can see. Save the wears coming out of this lingerie leader for the bedroom.

Serenella Boston

Serenella corners a niche for off-the-runway and hard to find European designers in a boutique setting, including apparel from Altuzarra and Rochas, fantastical jewelry from Delfina Delettrez, and gowns from Prabal Gurung.

The Tannery

Curated by The Tannery—the luxury focused store within the bigger Tannery flagship—dishes up a variety of each season's trendiest goods for men and women. Included in that bunch is a ton of Margiela, Chloe, and Moncler.

Barneys New York

Offering the New York shopping experience in our own backyard, Barneys (another Racked 38 member) remains arguably the creme de la creme of its department store category and the first place to go for off-the-runway fashion and prestige beauty.

Copley Place

You won't usually find the upper echelons of fashion at mall stores, with the exception of this luxury emporium in the heart of downtown. What major designer doesn't have a boutique here? Maybe this spot is a bit obvious, but it pretty much rounds off the list.