Leading light among a new wave of Argentine artisans inspired by the country's indigenous heritage, Ricardo Paz limits his materials to leather, wool, wood, and stone, the only natural resources available in northwest Argentina's remote montane forests. Using natural-fall hardwoods from the region's subtropical dry forest, Paz creates iconic items such as asymmetric dinner chairs of quebracho and untanned leather, it¿n-wood banquettes, and 12-foot coffee tables carved from 300-year-old algaroba trunks. Naively worked villagers' cupboards, window frames, and beds, discarded by their unnamed creators but held up by Paz as works of art, sit alongside traditionally woven textiles inspired by Andean and Amazon tribal heritage.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 11 am to 7 pm.

From the Frank Sinatra and Tom Jones vinyl LPs on the turquoise-painted walls to the frayed Persian rugs scattered on its wooden floor, Bensimon's signature store in Palermo is aimed squarely at the young (and well-heeled) porteño about town. Soft cotton shirts in any number of spots, stripes, and psychedelic swirls sit alongside velvet smoking jackets with sewn-in kaffiyehs, leather-and-fleece sports coats, and cool cotton sweaters designed for the sultry B.A. summer. Bensimon also outfits the staff at some of the city's coolest bars.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 11 am to 8:30 pm, Sundays 2 to 8:30 pm.

The two levels of this winding shopping arcade, wedged between the Recoleta Cemetery and the Hard Rock Cafe Buenos Aires, are solely dedicated to design and decor. Buenos Aires Design includes the popular Morph (www.morph.com.ar ), which specializes in mod office chairs and whimsical stuff like tape dispensers in the shape of frogs, and Puro Diseño Argentino, where you can find anything from a sleek blender to a banana-colored leather jacket.

"So many shoes, so little time," says the cutesy woolen sign inside this Recoleta den dedicated exclusively to tango shoes. There's nothing cutesy about the footwear created by Alicia Muñiz and partner Raquel Coltrinari, however: Each sexy creation sports three-inch heels, velvet edging, or uppers of filmy silk and patterned lamé. Clients perch on a leopard-skin sofa or a Louis XV-style chaise longue, basking under rose-tinted spotlights, while Muñiz and Coltrinari bring in dozens of their designs, each more vibrant and sensual than the last. Within minutes, the floor is littered with mountains of suede, silk and leather, lace tassels, and blood-red ribbons—so attractive that most clients leave with several pairs.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 11 am to 7 pm, Saturdays 11 am to 3 pm.

The original El Ateneo at Calle Florida 340 is one of B.A.'s most beloved librerías (bookstores). But this outpost on Avenida Santa Fe must be seen to be believed. It's a browser's paradise (titles come in several languages), housed in an enormous, ornate 1919 theater (check out the towering ceilings, carvings, and preserved box seats), where Carlos Gardel was once among the marquee performers. These days, a café occupies the old stage.

This funky men's boutique—with Persian rugs flung over its hardwood floors, The Polyphonic Spree or The Jam blaring from the stereo, and mellow dudes manning the register—feels a little like rock 'n' roll prep school: There are rainbow-colored Shetland sweaters, chunky renditions of collegiate scarves, stripy tees, and the occasional ascot or floral-patterned pair of Nikes.

Argentina is replete with 20th-century furniture, lighting, and interior accessories either imported or manufactured locally during the country's golden years. The Galería Sergio Guevara, one of 300 antiques stores clustered around the cobbled streets of San Telmo, stands out for its impressive collection of signed Art Deco and Art Nouveau pieces. Fabulous chandeliers of smoked, fluted glass illuminate acid-etched French-made vases, Jean-Michel Frank armchairs, and 19th-century bronze sculpture from the Barbedienne foundry. Sought-after catalog items fetch international prices, but dealers still flock from Europe and North America for mint-condition Jules Leleu secrétaires, Paul Follot cabinets, or the unmistakable pewterwork of Germany's Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik.

Open Mondays through Fridays 11 am to 7 pm, Sundays 11 am to 5 pm.

The enormous Beaux Arts shopping center known as Galerías Pacífico is more than just a mall or the highlight of the bustling Calle Florida: It's an Argentine historic monument, built in the 1890s as Buenos Aires's answer to Bon Marché in Paris. Lined with the likes of Lacoste, Polo, and Adidas (as well as Havanna, specializing in alfajores, the dulce de leche sandwich cookies that are Argentina's preferred teatime snack), this gilded palace of retail also hosts the Centro Cultural Borges and a wonderful series of painted murals.

Just down the street from the Alvear Palace Hotel, Grand Cru is the toniest wine merchant in the toniest barrio of Buenos Aires. The atmosphere here is low-key and welcoming, and the personalized service—the attendant on duty fits you with a wine the way a bespoke tailor sizes up your inseam—is impeccable. The selection features the best Cabs and Malbecs from Argentina (from a Noemía 2004 Malbec from Patagonia for $125 to a Doña Paula Estate 2005 for $15) and expertly chosen imports from Burgundy and Bordeaux.

Closed Sundays.

Most of the colorful leather shoes, bags, and belts at Mandarine are made in the factory at their shop on Calle Honduras, and represent an excellent value for the quality of the workmanship—and a chance to own something handmade that no one else back home will have. Count on each of the stores to stock a supply of affordable, well-crafted versions of whatever's on-trend in women's fashion, whether it's gladiator sandals made of buttery leather or wedge ankle boots in wear-with-everything colors. If a style isn't available in your size or color at one branch, stop in at the sister shop around the corner.

Open daily 11 am to 7 pm.

Cult favorite Mishka sells self-styled "shoes for princesses." The fanciful, handsomely made designs focus on unusual heel shapes, striking textures, and innovative materials. Each season, designer Marcelo Canton uses a different theme or material inspiration—one recent season featured structured, ladylike bags and shoes made of tightly braided multicolored leather. The boots, flats, and heels on display at both shops tend to run narrow and trend toward wearable art. If you see a style you like, grab it: Mishka is currently available only in Buenos Aires and London.

B.A. abounds in stores offering ponchos, leather saddle wear, and maté gourds crafted from silver. Fair Trade advocate and expert clothing designer Andrea Prado goes one step further by imposing modern design on traditional materials, taking naturally dyed textiles and leather produced by the Wichí and the Diaguita Calchaquí communities from northern Argentina and transforming them into svelte clothing, accessories, and furniture.

Open Mondays through Fridays 10 am to 6 pm, Saturdays 11 am to 3 pm.

Perhaps the ritziest of B.A.'s over-the-top shopping centers, Patio Bullrich was originally a livestock auction house, and dates back to 1867. These days, the Patio offers upward of 70 stores, running in the direction of Versace and Christian Dior. You'll also find marroquinerias (shoe and handbag dealers) like Prego and Prüne, and quality Argentine leather emporiums, including the ubiquitous Casa López (www.casalopez.com.ar ).

These two San Telmo shops offer rack upon rack of original, affordable clothing and accessories by local designers for both men and women. You'll have a hard time spending more than $75 on any one piece, but be warned that you'll also have a hard time leaving without an armload. Look for embroidered jersey tops and jackets by Hermana Sister; funky industrial jewelry by Ananke; indestructible-looking, colorful leather shoes by Hacer Pie; and feminine knits by Creatio. The stores share a hipster-minimalist sensibility (concrete and chrome with simple displays), but the two-story location on the corner of Calle Defensa and Avenida Independencia also offers a creative selection of Pop-inspired artwork and home decor.

Open daily 11 am to 8 pm.

Dedicated to smashing her way through conventional clothing design, Jessica Trosman relies on exotic materials to charm and shock, splattering a discordant array of adornments such as feathers, beads, and photographic images over dainty halter tops and sleeveless dresses. In case there is any cloth still visible, she adds an outer layer of chunky jewelry, paint, or folds of billowing canvas. The effect is esoteric but eye-catching enough to win the avant-garde designer shows, awards, and orders from as far afield as London, Paris, Riyadh, and Tokyo.

Open daily 10 am to 9 pm.

Walking down Calle Defensa in San Telmo, on the way to the famed weekend flea market, you can't help but notice that the shops are a mixed bag. Steer past the seedy tourist traps, and do whatever browsing you want in the dusty antique shops, but when you see the storefront with two lacquered red chairs beneath a black awning, stop in your tracks. Un Lugar en el Mundo offers a supremely shop-able mix of architectural leather bags; a variety of immaculate vintage finds, from fedoras to 1960s party dresses; and knits and separates from local designers for both men and women.

Open daily 10:30 am to 8 pm.

Scouring B.A.'s myriad boutiques clustered in Recoleta and Palermo Viejo can be an exhausting and hit-and-miss project. But the city's great strength is the chance to meet face-to-face with designers and source made-to-measure, individual items unknown back home.

Ashes of Roses
2874 Andrés Arguibel
Las Cañitas
Buenos Aires
Tel: 54 11 4772 5144
www.ashesofroses.com.ar

London-trained Carolina Tonelli produces voluptuous, romantic creations of brocaded silk, velvet, and corduroy, edged with lace or natural silk and enlivened by antique floral patterns and countryside scenes. The store's mantra is "ultra-chic with nostalgic touches": Flowing skirts, trousers, and coats cover the entire color palette, from vestal white to the most sensual olive, purple, and chocolate.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10:30 am to 8:30 pm.

Cat Ballou
1702 Avenida Alvear
Recoleta
Tel: 54 11 4811 9792

Designers Alicia Goñi and Florencia Panelo produce ragged-chic couture of crumpled silk, sheep's leather, and llama wool, skillfully hand-embroidered, tasseled in velvet, or edged with silk and the occasional ostrich feather.

Call ahead for opening hours.

Cora Groppo
4696 El Salvador
Palermo Viejo
Tel: 54 11 4832 5877
www.coragroppo.com

Cora Groppo gained her core group of loyal clients by designing sumptuous wedding dresses for well-heeled friends. Now she produces languid casual and cocktail wear in silk, taffeta, and the thinnest wool weave. Shawls, cardigans, and dresses suited to the ultrachic urban waif feature ornaments, belts, and collars that gush in overlapping folds of sky blue, cream, and mustard.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 11 am to 8 pm.

Tramando
1973 Rodríguez Peña
Barrio Norte
Tel: 54 11 4816 9422
www.tramando.com

Once partnered with designer Jessica Trosman (see above), Martín Churba went on to make his name manufacturing iconoclastic plastic- and paint-splattered textile weaves, which he uses to create award-winning women's clothes, accessories, and housewares.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10:30 am to 8:30 pm.