LOCAL SHOPPING GUIDE BUZIOS

"Searching for the best shopping experiences in Brazil? Jonathan and his family share their local shopping guides for Buzios..."

We love the novelty of shopping until 10pm and there are plenty of local and international boutiques to stroll through in compact village streets. Local Buzios shopping caters for the sophisticated Buzios crowd by stocking both Brazilian and international labels. Buzios even has its own original Buzios eco-adventure fashion label, AQUALUNG that now has franchises around Brazil.

The menswear was right up Jonathan’s alley. Stores like RICHARDS stock hip casual wear and the streets are full of high-end sports brands and surf shops because of the water sports culture here. The trendy side of menswear outweighs the mature (it’s often the other way around in high-end sailing areas). Brazilian brand TRACK AND FIELD has cool yoga and athletic wear across the board for men’s women’s children – I have a passion for local shopping experiences and buying local when I can; especially when I travel this far from home.

There are a lot of women’s boutiques, with a great variety of the best labels from Rio and around Brazil represented. They had really nice stock, with one of each model and no repetition, always the sign of good buyers. FARM is one of the better upmarket Brazilian chains for caftans and silk maxi-dresses that can take you from beach to dinner. There are gorgeous bikinis here. ADRIANA FERNANDEZ has a branch with beautifully coordinated swimwear and fashion. The best part is that they have re-created many pieces in mini-me versions for little girls – I bought Zoe two bright bikinis here (I get as big a kick out of buying for her as I do for myself). LENNY is the other best place for glamorous bikinis that are out of the ordinary.

Down on the Bardot seashore TENDA curates brands from all the Brazilian cities, like Essencial (men’s) Alice Tapajos and Espac Lundgren so it’s a great one-stop shop. ArmaSOM has great Brazilian music and lots of cool, café compilation type acid jazz.

One of Brazil’s true fashion finds is OSKLEN, a label with its own voice that would hold up in New York and London. I loved the tight, tapered leather jackets, stripy light knits, maxi dresses where one colour melts into another and radically tailored minidresses. It’s under the Zambesi, Marni, Scanlan and Theodore fashion umbrella. The label actually started right here in Buzios. You are bound to find one unique piece that will have every girlfriend asking, ‘Where did you find that? We have never seen it!’

AMBAR is a standout in the decorative arts; you’ll find true originals here that you’ll never see anywhere else. Owner, Luiz Carlos Randon buys from the indigenous Indian tribes of Brazil and scours Africa, India and South East Asia for instruments, jewelry, art, statues - any cultural expression that transcends the ordinary. You can add an amazing decorative element to your home that will always remind you of his store. He also sells BUZIOS FOUNTAIN PENS which are exported all over the world and are amongst the best crafted anywhere. Not getting one of these would be like not trying the beef in Kobe…

Even though fun, shopping is the main focus of Buzios and the good exchange rate of most currencies against the Brazilian real, keeps the prices down and you’ll take away some great designs not seen outside Brazil.

Join Jonathan Said and his family on their luxury travel journeys as they share their best restaurants experiences and luxury hotels and resorts holidays around the world. The comprehensive travel tips and ideas include some of the most popular things to see and do at each destination including a local shopping guide, photos, video, music and much more.