The best fashion and gift stores Russia

Hamleys in London, in Moscow: Detskiy Mir (ЦЕНТРАЛЬНЫЙ ДЕТСКИЙ НА ЛУБЯНКЕ). This brand has nothing to envy to the finest of the world's toy department stores and brings a real fairy tale to life for children, with temporary installations with the logos of the major brands and actors in costumes. Created in 1957, this 8-storey store reopened in 2015 after 9 years of renovations. Its Children's Museum will introduce you to Soviet toys.

The famous shawl factory of Pavlovo Possad is a true pride of Russia. Creator of more than 800 models based on wool, cotton and silk, she produces beautiful men's and women's shawls and scarves as well as table linen. Each piece is a unique model. An original, timeless, quality gift at very reasonable prices. Beware of fakes, the real shawls of Pavlovo Possad are only sold in official shops

Just off the Shabolovskaya metro, this is the best shop of scavenging in Moscow. The healthy are filled with a whole sea of artefact that will make you a success in Paris.

Once a niche shop for enthusiasts or nostalgics, this shop, very far from the city centre, is now delightfully trendy and the cult meeting place for all DJs in the capital (local or visiting). It specializes in vinyl records: 33 or 45 rpm, from international, Russian bands from the Soviet and post-Soviet era...

It's the opportunity for you to find some rare gems, listen to your favorite tracks again or discover new ones on the turntables available in the store.

A true trensdsetter in the world of streetwear with a couture spirit nourished by the underground scenes, Bat Norton stands out for its innovative, iconic St Petersburg style. His pieces are dark, street nomadic with sometimes even a little SM side... Black, white or fluo colors only. Wearing these clothes, you feel like you're straight out of a futuristic comic book or the movie Tron. Perfect to go to an electro party and comfortable for everyday life. We love or hate it, but we don't remain indifferent.

The biggest flea market in the city is a real paradise for the hunter. Here you will find absolutely everything, including vintage clothing from the early days of the USSR to the present day. Negotiate with the shopkeepers but not with the older women next to the subway. These are only in rare cases professional saleswomen, most of the time they are retired women trying to make ends meet. Credit cards are not accepted.

The Historical Museum shop is one of the city's good places to find souvenirs on the theme of the USSR. Re-issued posters, objects, books... the prices are affordable (since they are not as inflated as in the shops you can find on the Arbat), but you can't negotiate them like in its direct competitor: the big market of Izmaïlovo. This remains a practical option, as it comes quite naturally after visiting the museum.

The silhouette of the GOUM, or "State Universal Store", is entirely part of the Red Square decor. This russo-byzantine style building built at the end of the 19th century houses a triple shopping gallery on three levels. Today, foreign shops are replacing the traditional displays. It is a monument of Moscow life, as are the department stores in Paris.

Opened in 1848, the Passage is as famous for its architecture as for its shops. It is a bit like the Galeries Lafayette in Saint Petersburg. Renovated in 2013, this elegant department store offers numerous shops selling Russian and foreign branded clothing, jewellery, souvenirs and a few cafes. Among the newer signs worth paying attention to are the secret Chinese restaurant Tiger Lily and the beautiful tea room Zabili Sakhar (The Forgotten Sweet). It connects Nevsky and Ital'yanskaya streets.

The shopping center under the Manege Square, one of the ugliest in the capital, has many opponents. But in Moscow, the kingdom of consumerism, people buy first and think later. Mostly foreign brands that can be found everywhere else, but also and above all food-corners with recognizable signs: Il Patio, Dunkin' Donut, McDonald, Burger King. In short, this is not the gallery of change of scenery, or of wonder, but a very practical place to go if you want to easily get a fast food or gloves.

Next to the Bolshoi Theatre, the one that was the very first department store in Russia also dates from the Soviet era. There you can find samovars and chapkas, household appliances, hi-fi and audio equipment, clothes, cosmetics, shoes, jewellery, snacks... In short, you can find everything if you can find your way through the maze of 85,000 m2 of corridors and floors. This store is reminiscent of Galeries Lafayette: all the major international brands have their place here!

The oldest shopping mall in the city. You can find just about everything, but nothing very original, except maybe a small shop selling old cameras. We go there more for a tourist detour than for shopping. We like to stroll along the antique shops. You will sometimes discover beautiful objects or typical products. Since 2019, during the summer period, the inner courtyard is transformed into a social space open to all: food spots, cafés and creative activities give the place a contemporary touch. A promising development to follow.

This distinguished representative of one of the most important bookstore chains in Moscow is located in a Soviet setting that is not without its charms. The shopper will find a huge catalog of books but also cultural items: DVDs of Russian classics with French subtitles, authentic old Soviet posters, beautiful handicraft souvenirs, etc. There is also a section dedicated to international books, including several shelves in French (on the^first floor). Small café at the end of the^first floor.

The Spasibo charity is comparable to our Emmaus. It has 7 shops in town selling clothes, accessories, shoes and other second-hand items of everyday life, as well as books and handicrafts. The prices are quite low and you often get a good deal while doing a good deed. Around 1,000 RUB, you will often find nice pieces, modern or vintage. Other addresses: Gorokhovaya 50, Kovenskiy 23, Chkalovskiy 5, Narvskiy 19, Izmailovskiy 18, Zvenigorodskaya 6.

The largest and oldest bookstore in Moscow gives you the opportunity to buy books there for up to 1 hour. It was a reference to the Soviet era, and you could order the famous foreign literature books that were so difficult to obtain. Nowadays, it is in Moskva that Russian and foreign authors go first and foremost for their book signings or to celebrate their translations. For foreign readers, there is a wide range of good and beautiful books about Russia, as well as literature in different languages.

Located in the Kuznetsky Most district, this shopping mall connects Neglinnaya Street to Petrovka Street. With an irreproachable cleanliness and in a baroque setting reminiscent of a more intimate Goum, luxury brand stores line up without false notes on two aisles and two floors. It is very pleasant to venture into this gallery, to be greeted by its doormen in livery and to stroll in the middle of the Christmas decorations (so at the beginning of January). The clientele reflects the prices, which are very high for a Russian wallet.

One of Moscow's most famous shopping malls for its splendour, its area, the number of shops offered, including its cinema and restaurants.

Excellent bookstore offering various books in English: fiction, dictionaries, books of art.

It is the young Russian photographers who exhibit in this gallery, a gallery that also hosts artists from all over the world.