The Choosy Beggar

Related to downtown’s R by 45rpm, this high-end Japanese denim boutique spans two floors and carries all four in-house labels — 45rpm, R by 45rpm, Badou-R, and UMii 908. Prices for a pair of jeans range from $250 to $800, and skew toward the higher end of the spectrum. Beyond jeans, expect to find Suvin-cotton Oxfords, madras check shirts, sloped-shoulder blazers, indigo bandanna scarves, Paraffin waxed leather belts, …

Dress shirt & tie shops are common to Italy and Paris. Manhattan’s Lower East Side — not so much. That makes 20 Peacocks, and its traditional offerings, a rare bird in an otherwise savage jungle. Though owner Mehdi Kabbaj (and partner Adriane Birt) do take custom orders, expect unapologetically bold patterns and some serious Italian flair.

Think understated luxury for a new generation of urban elites. Phillip Lim continuously pushes the boundaries of high style, which makes his bi-level flagship a necessary stop for the fashionably adventurous.