You may have dreamed of the Saks Fifth Avenue Christmas windows or longed to feel posh carrying around a shiny Harrods bag, but these days, the retail outposts that stand for imagination and quality aren’t huge department stores—they’re legendary concept stores around the world that truly embody both their home cities and a certain international sophistication that’s common to all. We’ve showed you our favorite online showcases, but when you’re out on the road here are five that have long been on our hit list—and one we can’t wait to visit.

Introducing two new shops, one in Greenpoint courtesy of rockers Kings of Leon's longtime denim guru, the other in Milan thanks to the Gap. Loren Cronk got his start designing skinny jeans long before American Apparel helped make them a staple. "Against the kooky backdrop of a TV cop show shoot on the corner, Cronk, a Levi’s alum and former designer at LIPS, showed off his range of wares from hand-picked vintage denim goodies to his own original collection created in-house," Dossier wrote of the opening night fete, which took place late last week. The shop is stocked to the brim with LOREN collaborations, including "denim guitar straps made in collaboration with Heavy Leather Nyc, jean shoes by LOREN x Heutchy, and LOREN x Keller, and super dope bowties made in cahoots with J. Cravata." If you bring in your ratty but beloved denim to the shop, Conk will either mend it to the best of his abilities or create a custom-made replica brand new. Meanwhile, Gap is setting up a temporary shop in Italy with a partnership of its own.

Last fall, New Yorkers were bowled over by the giant white spaceship that landed in Central Park. It was a Day the Earth Stood Still moment, and no less arresting once the doors opened to reveal a collaborative art exhibit from a variety of the world's most current, avant-garde experimentalists. Funded by Chanel, "Mobile Art" stood for just over a month and gave visitors a taste of whatever the MoMA and New Museum didn't already show, as well as New York's strongest taste thus far of the artistic offerings of Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid. That is, until Lacoste stepped in (literally).

As the Italian fashion frenzy and editorial elite parade into Milan this Saturday, January 17, for Milano Moda Maschile (Men's Autumn Winter 2009/10 Fashion Week), the metropolis is sure to blossom into quite a spectacle. In fact, most would argue that the city's social potential is at its apex during the fashion weeks. Milan, rarely known to show restraint when it comes to decadence, is more than just the business and fashion capital of Italy -- it's a historical, art, gastronomy and nightlife hub as well. Recession or not, this season's revelry will have no problem making any Golden Globe after-party look like a Sweet Sixteen joke. While shopping on the glorious Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga will still be a paparazzi-worthy scene (especially with unheard-of sales), the real action won't be discovered in boutiques. But that's only the beginning of the treasures that make Italy's largest municipality so grand.

Brit artist and professional provocateur Damien Hirst has teamed up with Levi’s for the second time. And the fruits of the collaboration -- “three works of art of spin-painted 501 styles and the development of a limited edition collection,” says WWD -- are nothing to scoff at. The collection in question features 12 denim styles, all ornamented with classic Hirst motifs (think “skulls, colorful spots and tropical butterflies,” adds WWD).