We love to shop online. From the comfort of our couch we can search through the world’s inventory of fur coats, leather handbags and silk dresses. Some suggest that due to the ease and convenience of online shopping, brick-and-mortar stores are going the way of the dodo bird, but luxury brands are betting that we’re not done perusing the physical racks just yet. In an effort to draw shoppers from around the world, and out peacock each other in design, flagships have been built more and more extravagantly in recent years, taking the idea of a simple boutique and transforming it into a one-of-a-kind sartorial destination. Calling upon conceptual architects and award-winning interior decorators, brands have created some of the most amazing shopping stores in the world.

Saint Laurent Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré

Paris, France

Hedi Slimane had a very distinct vision for Saint Laurent, one that he included in their global boutiques, including the Parisian flagship at 38 Faubourg Saint-Honoré. The store, which reopened last summer, was in line with Slimane’s rebranding of the French house and was outfitted in a stark, monochromatic design that channeled his balance of minimalism and luxury. The Art Deco-inspired décor is paired with veined white marble on the floor and walls, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, nickel-plated brass consoles, and a series of vintage and one-of-a-kind furnishings including glass display cases from the 1930s. To pay homage to Yves Saint Laurent, the space is also heavily accented with wooden tribal masks, referencing the late designer’s love for Africa. On the first floor, shoppers will find women’s accessories and ready-to-wear, while the second floor, accessible through a private mirrored elevator, holds VIP shopping salons.

Louis Vuitton Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay, Singapore

Located in Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, the Louis Vuitton Marina Bay flagship is the French brand’s first Island Maison. Designed by award-winning architect Peter Marino, the store actually sits on a man-made island, and is constructed from glass and steel, which allows the reflection of the bay and surrounding scenery to take center stage. The building is accessible by boat (the store has its own jetty), bridge or underground tunnel, which is filled with a curated selection of antique trunks and handbags. Inside, the store is nautically themed and designed to resemble a yacht with the main floor offering an outlook deck, private lounge and travel room dedicated to luggage and travel accessories. Each floor offers men’s and women’s leather goods, ready-to-wear, shoes, and accessories, with an art gallery and bookstore on the bottom floor.

Dior Seoul

Seoul, Korea

Found in Seoul’s fashionable Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu district, Dior’s Korean flagship rises from the streets to take on a shape unlike any other. Designed by French architect and Pritzker Prize winner Christian de Portzamparc, the building is sculptural and avant-garde, a stark contrast to the city’s current landscape. Inspired by the volume and movement of the fabrics used in Dior’s couture atelier, the façade is covered by 12 fiberglass and resin sails that stand six stories in the air. Inside, guests will find a selection of ready-to-wear, accessories, fine jewelry and shoes as well as an art gallery, VIP lounge and café opened by world-renowned pastry chef Pierre Hermé. The interior décor, designed by architect Peter Marino, is outfitted with sculptures, lamps and furniture created by contemporary artists around the world.

Alexander McQueen Rue Saint Honoré

Paris, France

Late last year, Alexander McQueen finally opened their first flagship in Paris, a 5,300-square-foot masterpiece on Rue Saint Honoré. Designed by David Collins Studio in collaboration with brand creative director Sarah Burton, the store is housed within a three-hundred-year-old building and does a beautiful job of both maintaining the history and adding modernity to create a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. The first floor offers a combination of women’s apparel and accessories surrounded by pink carpeting, black lacquered parquet flooring, and pink and white onyx walls. A Nero Marquina marble staircase connects to the lower ground floor where menswear and an eveningwear salon can be found. The décor here offers a more masculine touch and includes black and gold brocade rugs, suede upholstered fitting rooms and furniture by mid-century masters Jacques Duval-Brasseur and Giò Ponti.

Prada Aoyama

Tokyo, Japan

In partnership with Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, the six story Prada Aoyama flagship is one of the most unique structures in Tokyo with a glass “bubble” façade and five-sided polyhedral design. The exterior windows are designed in a diamond-like, bubble shape which vary between flat, concave and convex, allowing for certain windows to draw the eye inward, reflect the city streets or even seemingly move as you walk past. The Prada store covers two-stories of the building, while the other four floors are a mixed-use space for offices and events. The interior of the store is outfitted with a combination of both man-made textiles like silicone and resin, and natural materials like moss and wood to bring balance to the décor and keep it from feeling too modern or artistic.

Burberry Regent Street

London, England

Spread out over 44,000 square-feet, the Burberry Regent Street flagship is one of the best places for experiencing the marriage of technology and tradition. Housed within a two-hundred-year-old building, the store emulates the online experience, breaking up each department into up into sections such as Acoustic, Bespoke and Experience. In an effort to make the store “future-proof” they keep the store outfitted with the latest tech. Customers experience “Burberry weather moments” where digital rainstorms and thundershowers take place at random, huge screens display live runway shows and videos, and a permanent stage where musicians play in-store gigs. In the dressing rooms, when guests are trying on pieces, the mirrors will simultaneously display model campaign images or runway clips of the same piece.

Fendi Roma Palazzo

Rome, Italy

The largest Fendi flagship in the world is situated in Palazzo Fendi, an 18th century architectural masterpiece, just across the street from the Spanish Steps. Recently renovated, the property now consists of six floors of luxury shopping, entertainment and accommodations. The Fendi flagship store take up two floors, while the rest of the building consists of a boutique hotel, a private VIP apartment designed by Dimore Studio, and a Japanese restaurant and bar on the roof. The store, designed by architect Gwenael Nicolas, includes Calacatta and Marquina marble, a grand central staircase cut from a single slab of red Lepanto marble, and a number of mid-century furnishings by Giò Ponti and Federico Munari. On the second floor, an exposed atelier is available for shoppers to experience; the manufacturing of the clothing is on full display.