The haute couture shows may be well out-of-bounds, but there's nothing to prevent you trying on fabulously expensive creations by famous couturiers in rue du Faubourg-St-Honoré, avenue François-1er and avenue Victor-Hugo - apart from the intimidating air of the assistants and the awesome chill of the marble portals. Likewise, you can treat the younger designers round place des Victoires and in the Marais and St-Germain areas as stops on your sightseeing itinerary. The long-time darlings of the glitterati are Jean-Paul Gaultier and Azzedine Alaïa, who, in 1991, were prevailed upon to design some gear for the city's cheapest department store - Tati (whose main branch is at 13 place de la République, 11e; Mº République). Of the more recent star designers three are British - John Galliano at Dior, Stella McCartney at Chloé and the controversial Alexander McQueen at Givenchy. For smart clothes without the fancy labels the best areas are rue St-Placide and rue St-Dominique in the 6e and 7e. The department stores Galeries Lafayette and Au Printemps have good selections of designer prêt-à-porter; and the Forum des Halles is choc-a-bloc with clothes shops at less competitive prices. The sales take place in January and July, with reductions of up to forty percent on designer clothes. Designer ends of lines andold stock are sold year-round in discount shops concentrated in rue d'Alésia in the 14e and rue St-Placide in the 6e. For shoes , take a wander down rue Meslay in the 3e.