Formerly a retail buyer for Lane Crawford and now a stylist and consultant for various designer brands, shopping has always been second nature to Sarah Rutson Pang. The 33-year-old style pro, whose company Style Doctor re-arranges people's wardrobes and homes, checks out stores around the world to source great finds - fashion-related and otherwise.
'I rarely need to shop for myself. As a merchandiser for designer brands I'm lucky enough to get almost all my clothes free and designers like to see me in their clothes.
'Still, I have my main shopping dens. I like shopping in Los Angeles, primarily because it's less hectic and much more fun than New York. I always stop first at Fred Segal [500 Broadway, Santa Monica. Tel: 1310 458 3766]. I love the cosmetics. It always gets the newest, most obscure brands before anyone else. I remember it brought in Stila before it went around the world. The girls there really know what they are talking about and I never end up with something I don't really want. I will only get my sunglasses from here. It has a small but perfect selection of Oliver Peoples which I love and not many people wear them - which is a must for me.
'I always stop in at a chic boutique called Tracey Ross [8595 West Sunset Boulevard. Tel: 1310 854 1996]. In my retail buying days, I met Ross at buying showrooms and noticed we had the same taste. She has an ever-changing eclectic range of brands and I never fail to leave without choosing something. It's a very Los Angeles-style shop - you can get a T-shirt from US$40 [HK$312] or spend up to US$4,000 on a dress. You always know if Tracey is in the store - she is a doppelganger for Farrah Fawcett. I always seem to be in the shop the same time as Jennifer Aniston and yes, she does have great hair.
'I tend to do my gift shopping well in advance and keep a stash of possible gifts in a drawer at home that I can pull from at the last minute. A favourite is The Collection [315 South Robertson Boulevard, Los Angeles. Tel: 1310 205 3840], an antique art and accessories store where I pick up vintage jewellery and scarves for girlfriends who are notorious for having everything.
'I never leave Los Angeles without visiting Pets Naturally [13459 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks. Tel: 1818 784 1233]. It stocks a huge range of organic pet food and essential oils for every problem.