ASPEN, Colo. (Spring/Summer 2012) - From designer duds from the biggest names in

fashion, locally owned boutiques with one-of-a-kind finds and outdoor gear shops

to prepare customers for any element, Aspen shopping packs a big-city punch

into a pedestrian-friendly, small-town shopping district. More than 200 shops -

from home furnishings, kids' gear, jewelry, and designer boutiques - can be

found within one square mile! Aspen's consignment shops give a new meaning to

"one person's trash is another's treasure" with couture cast-offs and barely

touched designer duds at bargain prices.

 New Retail Recruits

• Free People, the

  national retail store, opened adjacent to the Isis Theatre in downtown Aspen. Dive

  into racks of floaty dresses, cozy layering pieces, slinky legwear, and

  sequined tops - a guilt-free experience thanks to the brand's wallet-friendly

  price point. Each location is uniquely decorated with brightly quilted chairs,

  intricate seasonal displays and handmade fixtures. (404 E. Hopkins Ave., www.freepeople.com)

• Luxe knitwear specialist Souchi offers

  exquisite cashmere knits in a palette ranging from muted earth tones to bright

  ice cream colors. The store began 13 years ago in San Francisco and has since

  graced the pages of Vogue and W Magazine. (205 S. Mill St., www.souchi.com)

• At Union of Angels, equestrian-meets-rock-star

  is the look du jour. Prepare to swoon over flirty party dresses toughened up

  with velvet bolero riding jackets. (205 S. Mill St., www.unionofangels.com)

• Yoga and fitness enthusiasts have a

  reason to celebrate with the opening of Lululemon Athletica in Aspen.

  The yoga-inspired athletic apparel and accessories company has more

  than 100 locations across the globe with a vision to "elevate the world from

  mediocrity to greatness." (103 S. Mill St., www.lululemon.com)

• Argentina-based La Martina brings

  clothing, boots and accessories from the polo world to Aspen. (218 S. Mill St.,

  www.lamartina.com)

• Palaso is a

  boutique filled with gorgeous jewelry, clothing and accessories to fit any

  budget, located next to Cache Cache on the lower level of the Mill St. shopping

  center. (205 Mill St., www.palasoluxe.com)

• Jet Set brought

  its St. Mortiz sensibilities and luxury sportswear to Aspen in April 2011,

  establishing the brand's first U.S. outpost. Their summer line boasts a rainbow

  of bikinis and board shorts. (433 E. Hyman Ave., www.jetset.ch)

Consignment

Shops: Treasure Hunting

• Upscale

  consignment shop, The Little Bird, flew

  over to a new location on Cooper Avenue. Still boasting a well-edited

  collection of jackets, sweaters, skirts, dresses, shoes, purses and furs

  from iconic fashion houses, The Little Bird offers Aspenites vintage,

  one-of-a-kind and designer pieces for a fraction of their original price.

  (523 East Cooper Ave., on.fb.me/TLBAspen)

• Susie's Limited has a little bit of everything, from

  high-end designer clothing to unique furniture and accent pieces. Very popular

  with locals, Susie's is the spot to find unique Aspen cast-offs. (623 East

  Hopkins Ave., 970.920.2376)

• Uptown Exchange sells secondhand goods and features a stunning collection of

  designer labels. (517 East Hopkins Ave., 970.925.9818)

• Aspen Home Consignment. With both new

  and used furniture, this shop occupies a quaint Victorian house on Main Street

  and is stuffed to the rafters with one-of-a-kind furnishings and home

  accessories. (202 East Main St.,

  970.925.1870)

• The Aspen Thrift Shop got a facelift

  in 2009 and is Aspen's

  oldest and largest second-hand store with an extensive collection of clothing,

  furniture and other items donated by Aspen residents with sales benefiting

  local nonprofit organizations. (422 E. Hopkins Ave., www.aspenthriftshop.org)

 Imported

and Homegrown Designer Shops

• The most renowned fashion

  houses that boast an Aspen address include Fendi (208 S. Mill St.; 970.920.3100), Gucci (203 S. Galena St.; 970.920.9150), Christian Dior (201 S. Galena St.; 970.544.5222), Prada (312 S. Galena St.;

  970.925.7001), Louis Vuitton (205

  S. Mill St.; 970.544.8200),

  Ermenegildo Zegna (211 S. Galena St.; 970.544.4989), Burberry (501 E. Hyman Ave.,

  970.920.3119) and Ralph Lauren (501

  E. Cooper Ave; 970.925.5147).

• Gorsuch. This family owned and operated store, with three locations

  in Aspen, is a taste-maker for traditional mountain style, from the top labels

  in upscale skiwear to rustic Italian ceramics and Dale of Norway sweaters.

  (Multiple Locations, www.gorsuch.com)

• Nuages. Owner Mary Moyer

  stocks her tiny store with big designer names sold nowhere else in Aspen. (601 E. Cooper Ave., on.fb.me/x3idPf)

• Distractions. Offering

  well-edited fashions including cashmere by Lucien Pellat-Finet and every style

  of Christian Louboutin needed to accent mountain-chic ensembles. (465 E. Hopkins Ave., www.distractionsaspen.com)

• MAX. This casually chic

  boutique opened an Aspen outpost after successful stores hit Denver and

  Boulder. Max features cutting edge designs from Missoni, Cynthia Rose, Chloe, Vince

  and more. (609 E. Cooper Ave., www.maxfashion.com)

• Bloomingbirds. Aspen's

  one-stop-shop for stylish footwear since 1980, owner Patty Patterson sells

  everything from Manolo Blahnik stilettos to cutting edge sneakers. (304 S.

  Galena St., 970.925.2241)

 One-of-a-Kind

Boutiques

• Pitkin County Dry

  Goods, an extensive

  boutique for men and women, is the modern equivalent of the dry goods store,

  and outfits its patrons in ultra-cool, high-end clothing, leathers, belts and

  jewelry. (520 E. Cooper Ave., www.pitkincountydrygoods.com)

• Boogie's is known as Aspen's jean bar, and owner Boogie Weinglass stocks

  his shop with a plethora of designer denim, hip T-shirts and other fashionable

  clothing. (534 E. Cooper Ave, 970.925.6111)

• The Gallerie is a fashion haven

  for men and women featuring up-and-coming luxe lines such as Ports 1961, Lela

  Rose, and Morgan Oakley Handbags. Owners Sarah Gercke and Eric Lippincott

  design their own private label called GRAY, a

  timeless collection with sophisticated twists within each piece. (520 E.

  Durant Ave., www.gallerieaspen.com)

• Radio Boardshop caters to its

  loyal ski and snowboard clientele and also carries one-of-a-kind street-wear

  and fashion-forward footwear. (440 E. Hopkins St., www.radioboardshop.com)

• Performance Ski, owned by Lee

  Keeting and Tom Bower, is stocked with the most fashionable winter ski wear

  including Matador, Post Card, Prada Sport and more. Once the snow melts,

  Performance Ski carries barely-there Brazilian bikinis and fashion-forward

  summer athletic gear. (408 S. Hunter St., 970.925.8657)

For

the Elements

• Marmot, a

  high-performance, technical clothing and equipment retailer, opened a concept

  shop in December, adding to its only other storefront in the world in Park

  City, Utah. (210 S. Galena St.)

• Aspen Sports. With multiple locations in

  Aspen and Snowmass, this one-stop-shop is the place to get outfitted for year-round

  adventures. (Multiple Locations, www.aspensports.com)

• The Ute Mountaineer. This local favorite brings the

  latest outdoor styles to Aspen, and features gear and clothing for every

  outdoor endeavor carrying technical brands including ArcTeryx, Marmot,

  Patagonia and Smartwool. (308 S. Mill St., www.utemountaineer.com)

 Special to Aspen

• Aspen Saturday Market. This summer-long event held

  every Saturday from June to October is a favorite among locals and tourists.

  Two city blocks become a cornucopia of tempting homegrown delights and homemade

  crafts. In addition to organic flowers, fruits, unusual varieties of

  vegetables, cheeses, and Colorado wines, booths bloom with artisanal jewelry,

  clothing and other unique wares. Try the kettle corn. (970.920.5000)

• Explore Booksellers and Pyramid Bistro. Aspen's only

  bookstore is located in a charming Victorian house on Main Street. Explore

  features everything from the latest best-sellers to historic Aspen memoirs.

  Walk upstairs for "nutritarian" fare inside Pyramid Bistro, or just sip a cup

  of ‘jo from its in-house espresso stand. (221 E. Main St., www.explorebooksellers.com)

• The Autograph

  Source. This store provides customers all over the world with some

  of the finest unique pieces in history, Hollywood, sports and rock ‘n' roll

  memorabilia. (601 East Hopkins Ave., www.theautographsource.com)

For

media information and images, visit www.aspenchamber.org/media

and contact Promo Communications at 970.925.8480 or

Maureen

Poschman • [email protected]

Sarah-Jane Johnson • [email protected]

Damien

Williamson • [email protected] 

For

visitor information, visit www.aspenchamber.org,

or call 1.888.290.1324 or 970.925.1940.

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with Aspen on Facebook, Twitter (@AspenCO), YouTube and

the blog.