Cool Hunting

Just about a year and a half ago, Refinery29 launched, curating the best of New York retail into one easy-to-use website and pairing it with sharply penned, of-the-moment editorial. Now a regular CH contributor and friend, Refinery29 is making the coveted finds—those items that define New York as one of the world's shopping capitols—available online with this week's launch of Refinery29 Shops. Using the same set of criteria—"inspiring spaces, distinctive products, and proprietors with a distinct voice and a discriminating vision"—that makes the original site such a great resource, Refinery29 Shops hand-picks fashion and housewares from their roster of NYC boutiques. Divided into sections for men, women, kids (coming soon) and objects, the interface is effortlessly navigable and has plenty of info (down to cleaning instructions) and tools to make the experience of discovering the guaranteed good buys enjoyable. From Seize sur Vignt's gorgeous grey oxfords to Shelly Steffee's red silk harness-slash-suspenders, Refinery29 Shops provides access to the kind of items you can't find anywhere else. Designer profiles and "Style Sheets" by fashion insiders (currently Vogue Paris' New York editor) make the shopping experience complete—and easier than braving the crowds if you live in NYC or booking a flight if you don't.