Vancouver: A Hot Spot For Very Serious Shopping

VANCOUVER, B.C. - From a shopper's point of view, Vancouver, B.C., has matured in the past 10 years from a pokey Western town into a world metropolis known for glitzy boutiques with stunning price tags to match. But perhaps the main shopping attraction for Americans comes from the small independent shops that showcase home-grown design.

Trendy shopping neighborhoods are dotted all over the city. But if you've driven up for a day of serious shopping - about three hours north of Seattle on I-5 or about a four-hour ride on the new Amtrak train - head straight downtown.

And let's explain money up front. The exchange rate is favorable - $1 U.S. currency yesterday was worth $1.37 Canadian. You'll find that an extra 14 percent in provincial and federal taxes will be added to every bill, but ask for a GST form that details how visitors can apply for a refund of the 7 percent federal Goods and Services Tax. The 7 percent provincial tax is not refundable.

On to shopping. Here's a primer on the hottest areas:

Gastown/Cordova Street - Tourists flock to Gastown, Vancouver's birthplace, but the fashion pickings are pretty slim. Walk up one block to Cordova Street, an odd little two-block strip packed with quirky shops. On one end, you'll come across a handful of boutiques selling offbeat Canadian designs - one-of-a-kind patchwork vests, fake-fur club gear and recycled men's shirts from basement designers at Ric Yuenn and Dream, and long-and-lean suits and slip dresses at The Block and Renaissance.

The Block also stocks clunky Dayton boots, worn by trendy fashion fans, burly bikers and the local police department. Still made by hand in their original Vancouver factory, Dayton boots are guaranteed to last long after the work-boot trend dies.

Movie-wardrobe crews and vintage shoppers scour two of the city's best retro consignment boutiques, Cabbages and Kinx and Deluxe Junk, at the other end of Cordova Street. In the same block, check out The Mr. Jax Fabric Store, a fabric and clothing clearance center from the city's largest fashion manufacturer. Great deals from this sophisticated European-style company include the past season's samples and dozens of leftover bolts of high-fashion fabrics.

Heading west toward downtown, walk up Cordova Street to Sinclair Centre at 757 West Hastings St. This former post office is now home to several of the city's ritziest designer stores (Leone and Escada) and Dorothy Grant, Canada's foremost Aboriginal designer.

Grant's traditional appliqued Haida motifs outline the yokes and collars of her sophisticated leather or wool jackets, capes and vests. The prices of her wearable art, under the Feastwear label, match the museum gallery setting, but it's worth a peek inside.

Robson Street - Walk up Burrard Street on your way up to Robson Street, Vancouver's trendiest shopping district. The two blocks between Georgia and Robson streets are often called Couture Corner for their chi-chi designer boutiques - Valentino to Chanel. In their midst, don't miss Martha Sturdy Designs (775 Burrard St.), one of the city's two boutiques by Canada's leading accessory and home-decor artisan.

Designed and made in Vancouver, Sturdy's eye-catching bold earrings and gold-trimmed resin bowls are sold to museum shops worldwide and featured in top fashion magazines. Across the street, the old Vancouver Public Library will be transformed into a Virgin Records Mega-Store and Planet Hollywood next year. (A new main library opened last month.)

The last remnants of the charming old Robsonstrasse have been wiped away by the glitzy outdoor mall of the new Robson Street. German delis, mom-and-pop grocers and homey fashion stores have been replaced by all the usual cookie-cutter shops, including The Gap, Benetton and Club Monaco. The 1000 and 1100 blocks have become an entertaining place for people-watching (punks to Hollywood movie stars) but the only real fashion stores of note are Parfait (Canadian designer sportswear), Stephane de Raucourt Shoes (the city's best shoe store) and Aritzia, Below The Belt and Boys' Co. (three trendy boutiques).

Yaletown - Robson Street is just the ticket if you want a pair of jeans or a T-shirt, but if you've got a closet full already, dodge the latte-sipping crowds, hop in your car and drive five minutes down to Yaletown, where the locally hip hang out.

Yaletown is a two-block-square neighborhood by the B.C. Place Stadium, bordered by Nelson, Davie and Hamilton streets. It was a turn-of-the-century warehousing district for the Canadian National Railway. Neglected for decades, the historic brick-and-beam warehouses are being transformed into artists' lofts, bistros, pool halls and boutiques. Parking is a pain on the traffic-choked narrow streets, but Yaletown is definitely worth a visit if you're looking for something different.

No boring career suits or practical sportswear in these boutiques. You're more likely to score a leopard-patterned trench coat, a retro man's suit or a tiny mohair skirt at Atomic Model, Zero Gravity and Vasanji.

Boys' Co. General Store and the Yaletown Brewing Co.'s new shop specialize in hip West Coast dressing - designer jeans and distressed leather jackets. Several Vancouver designers' studio/stores are tucked amidst the clothing boutiques and unconventional furniture galleries. Jayne Scandolari custom-designs sensous Italian-inspired sweaters and knit leggings from her studio at 1088 Hamilton Street. The designers of Limbo sell samples and line ends from their upbeat and inexpensive streetwise collection at 1120 Hamilton St.

Pacific Centre - Last but not least, if you're desperate for a mall fix, is Pacific Centre, the city's largest shopping mall, underneath Georgia and Granville streets. It offers all of the usual department stores and fashion chains.

Search out some exceptional Canadian finds, including: the Jax Showcase, featuring all of Mr. Jax's Euro-styled collections; M.A.C. makeup at The Bay, the Toronto-based cosmetic line favored by supermodels; and Holt Renfrew, Canada's answer to Nordstrom.

What more could a shopaholic want? We've go that, too. Starbucks is on just about every corner.

Lisa Tant is a freelance writer based in Vancouver, B.C.