By Sophie Lloyd

One of my favorite things about being a personal shopper is helping people find the perfect outfit for that special occasion– weddings in particular.  It’s rewarding to have such an instrumental role in the happy couple’s day!  Earlier this year, I was asked by two of my good friends Hugh MacDermott and Paulo Jiménez Verón of MacDermott’s Argentina (luxury adventure travel company based in Buenos Aires) to help them shop for outfits for their destination wedding in the idyllic beach resort of Jose Ignacio in Uruguay.

The wedding ceremony took place on the beach, followed by a party at a nearby estancia in the middle of March (end of summer in the southern hemisphere).   With the help of my local Argentine menswear designer contacts in Buenos Aires, we outfitted Hugh and Paulo with some fun, stylish  pieces to fit the relaxed, laid back, boho-chic vibe. Head-wear being a must, Hugh and Paolo’s only request was for the guests to wear fresh flower crowns.We selected a light color palette of pastel pinks, blues, creams and the obvious white that would work well in the heat and perfectly offset their colorful flower crowns.

Paulo likes his prints so we picked out a blue and white printed fitted shirt from Buenos Aires shirt designer Silvio Sierra. And if there’s ever an occasion for a man to wear pink, it’s a wedding, so we chose a fitted solid pink shirt for Hugh and some salmon pink chinos for Paulo from chic Buenos Aires menswear boutique Mis Intimos Amigos (M.I.A.).  A stone-coloured linen blazer for Hugh and a crisp white blazer for Paulo from Argentine hipster menswear label Felix.

I was lucky enough to attend the wedding and what a beautiful, heart-warming day it was. Hugh and Paolo are known for the fabulous bespoke holidays and honeymoons they organize for the most discerning travelers, so the affair which lasted all night, ran like clockwork  The highlight of the wedding party, was witnessing the two beaux making their grand entrance to the party on horseback to the disco classic ‘I feel love’ by Donna Summer’.

If you’re planning a trip to Buenos Aires, here are my top five picks for men’s shopping in Buenos Aires:

1.     Apuesto –  handmade leather shoes – El Salvador 5772, Palermo Hollywood
2.     Maidana Sombreros – men’s handmade hats – Avenida Rivadavia 1923, Congreso
3.     Dinamarca – urban menswear label – Arevalo 1758, Palermo Hollywood
4.     Silvio Sierra – handmade fitted shirts – Alvarez Thomas 637, timbre 2 (by appointment), Colegiales
5.     La Restinga – luxury menswear and accessories fashion house – Niceto Vega 5181, Palermo Soho (by appointment)

Shopping tip: Argentina is a closed economy so there is a thriving local design scene, which makes it a great city for shopping since you’re unlikely to find anyone else with the same thing back home. And, due to high inflation rates and rising overheads, some of the best shopping can be found behind closed doors as many emerging designers and brands prefer to sell their collections out of private studio spaces or from their apartments on an appointment-only basis, which is a more personal, exclusive and fun way of shopping. Bring plenty of cash for shopping in pesos and/or USD as some places will give you a 10% discount if paying in cash.

To discover some of these secret shopping spots and Buenos Aires’ other shopping treasures, you can book a bespoke shopping trip with personal shopper Sophie of Shop Hop BA www.shop-buenosaires.com / sophie@shop-buenosaires.com

And once you are all kitted out and looking for an adventure in Argentina write to Hugh & Paulo of MacDermott’s Argentina www.macdermottsargentina.com / info@macdermottsargentina.com