Luxury's A List: What's Selling Globally

By Kristen Bolt, Elizabeth Coady, Judy Fayard, Michael Fitzgerald, Deborah Fowler, Hanna Kite, Carmen Lee, Meredith A. Lennox, Jeannie McCabe, Miriam Murphy, Ulla Plon, Paul Quinn-Judge, Sean Scully, Jan Stojaspal, Michiko Toyama, Jane Walker, Cindy Waxer

Despite SARS, economic slumps and currency crises, believe it or not, luxury still sells. Time asked reporters in 19 cities around the world to find out what's flying out of their local high-end department stores and designer boutiques. The results are hardly scientific, but they give you a good idea of international fashion preferences. In Singapore, for example, luxury consumers don't like fur (it's too hot); in Sweden the affluent buy Pucci printed down vests for a dose of color on those long, dark winter nights. Only New Yorkers would pay $240 for a pair of jeans. And who would have thought Berliners would be into designer yoga mats? Turn the page for a look at what sells where.

the A list From biker boots in L.A. to fabulous furs in Moscow, a look at what's hot

TORONTO At the Prada boutique on Bloor Street West, a salesperson confided that the best-selling gray wool pants "look no different than what men on Bay Street are wearing." That hasn't stopped locals from snapping up Prada's menswear look for fall, right

CHICAGO On Michigan Avenue, where $12,000 alligator handbags sell like pork futures, the favorite is Yves Saint Laurent's mauve cashmere coat, right. "People are really responding to color," says Phyllis Collins, senior European buyer for Marshall Field's

LONDON Jimmy Choo's Tulita bag, above, sold out in one day at the Draycott Avenue boutique, and there's a waiting list for the next batch. Early birds who got the $1,020 bag include Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry

PARIS Classic Parisiennes ("femmes, pas filles," according to a spokeswoman) stick to Chanel, specifically a new compact version of the classic quilted leather bag and a sexy satin pump, above, beaded by Lesage

LOS ANGELES The rock-'n'-roll chick look has taken hold in L.A., where celebs like Cindy Crawford and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos are hoarding Hogan's new biker boots, above. (Renee Zellweger opted for the matching bag)

NEW YORK CITY Despite predictions that denim would be dead, the hot brand on Madison Avenue is Rogan jeans, below. Fans include models and, of course, Madonna. Barneys reported an 80% sell-through-- pretty good, considering the $240 price tag

HOUSTON The favorite shoe among the SUV (sport-utility vixen) crowd is Manolo Blahnik's $455 "sneaklo," above, a stiletto boot with a lug sole, according to Ken Downing, a vice president of Neiman Marcus

HONOLULU "Sunglasses are a perennial here. No matter what, everyone wants a pair," says a spokeswoman at the Emporio Armani boutique at Ala Moana Center. The hot look: the "shield," a mono-lens mask, above, that sells for $140

MADRID The antifur lobby is virtually nonexistent in Spain, so designers are scoring with fox, sheared mink and textured leathers like Ferragamo's embossed calfskin jacket, above

STOCKHOLM To brighten the northern skies, Swedes are turning to '60s Technicolor trends such as Pucci's signature-print down vest, right, and Marc Jacobs' Courreges-inspired miniskirts

TOKYO Louis Vuitton's Aoyama boutique has been selling out the new black version of the Dalmatian, below. Status worshippers are also filling up the waiting list for Hermes' new Twilly scarf, below

BERLIN Has this city finally taken a Zen approach to fashion? At KaDeWe, the high-end department store, one of the top sellers is Louis Vuitton's Dhanura yoga bag in mocha-colored Epi leather, above, complete with a washable LV-monogram yoga mat

MOSCOW Most luxury boutiques are guarded by police--or clients' bodyguards. But that hasn't stopped shoppers from clamoring for Dolce & Gabbana, particularly the furs, left. "We say it's like going to a plastic surgeon," says a buyer. "Wear anything, and you look wonderful, whatever your size"

HONG KONG When Dior's new Asian flagship store opened on Peking Road at the beginning of June, John Galliano designed a limited-edition Hardcore Dior bag, above. The store sold 60 bags at $566 each on the first day

PRAGUE There's no real Czech middle class, so the luxury market is limited to wives of rich entrepreneurs and high-powered executives--20 of whom have ordered Louis Vuitton's Le Fabuleux goatskin handbag, shown in white above

ROME Sandra Bullock and Penelope Cruz are already carrying it around Hollywood, and in Rome, Tod's Corniche bag, above, is selling out. The Via della Fontanella store sold 300 in one month--at $980 a pop

MILAN At Giorgio Armani's Via Sant'Andrea boutique, the item most in demand for fall is the black-and-white "Night and Day" bag, above, which sells for $730

SYDNEY Waiting lists are forming for Gucci's new handbag with the trademark horse bit across the front, below. Sydney women are stocking up on it for the summer party season, according to a salesperson at the MLC Centre store

SINGAPORE Wealthy Singaporeans like to show off logos, and Fendi's canvas Biga bag, left, is the favorite. Canvas is less expensive than Fendi's fur bags, and it's far more suitable for Singapore's climate