AFTER ENJOYING STRONG SPRING RETAIL GAINS, THE RISING TEMPERATURES ARE BUILDING EVEN MORE MOMENTUM FOR SHOPPING FROM THE CITY TO THE SHORE. WONDERFUL NEW BOUTIQUES ARE OPENING ALONG THE SUNNY SIDEWALKS OF MANHATTAN AND IN THE SUMMERY OASIS OF THE HAMPTONS. JOIN ME ON A TOUR OF WHAT IS NEW AND EXCITING THIS SEASON.

On Madison Avenue, Tom Ford’s sprawling space has at long last been unveiled in regal style at 845 Madison Avenue. Manrico Cashmere is poised for arrival at the corner of 73rd Street. Allegra Hicks has a boutique at 1007 Madison, next to Missoni. Edith Weber Jewelers is expanding to The Carlyle, taking the former KC Thompson space at 987. Next door, Sigerson Morrison will delight at 985 Madison Avenue. Wolford relocated across the street from 996 Madison to number 999. Asprey is now open at the beautiful 857 Madison. Tiffany & Co. is circling 708 Madison Avenue at the corner of 63rd Street. French designer Louis Feraud has taken a bow at 717 Madison Avenue. Jimmy Choo has temporary digs at 675 Madison Avenue while its boutique is renovated. Graff gem emporium moves to 710 Madison Avenue and Bulgari is expanding to four levels at 783 Madison. Couture salon Yuta Powell, of Givenchy and Herrera fame, opened at 64th Street. London’s J. Press, New England Ivy League retailer, has debuted at 380 Madison Avenue.

On Fifth Avenue, Takashimaya is unveiling a beauty concept called “Becoming,” at number 693. Inside the shopper’s paradise that is Saks Fifth Avenue, the newly designed eighth fl oor will be devoted to a colossal shoe department that has been assigned its own zip code by the Post Offi ce, “10022- Shoe.” Ermenegildo Zegna will also showcase a new store-within-store concept at Saks. Global footwear and leather goods leader Aldo is moments from opening down the Avenue at 49th Street. Giorgio Armani will create an uber-luxury emporium at 717 Fifth Avenue in 2008, after Hugo Boss closes its doors. Rockefeller Center is at long last debuting Italian accessories store Giorgio Fedon 1919, at 49th Street. On Lower Fifth, at the base of the Empire State Building, Bebe plans to showcase its fashionable frocks.

On East 57th Street, the luxury-laden corridor will welcome Miu Miu, opening between Chanel and Dior at 11 East 57th Street, vacated by Jil Sander, who plans to open two smaller shops on Madison Avenue. Chloe is temporarily at 57th Street and Park Avenue while its 846 Madison Avenue location is refurbished.

In Midtown, Paris-based Rene Mancini is reopening with a new concept at 470 Park Avenue, in the building that is also the new home of Manfredi. Supreme stationery purveyor Papyrus has a store at 54th and Park.

In Times Square, Japanese clothing and interior design fi rm Muji will open in the home of The New York Times, on Eighth Avenue.

On the Upper West Side, trendy clothier Reiss of London revitalizes 199 Columbus Avenue at 69th Street and contemporary favorite Club Monaco graces 215 Columbus Avenue. Brooks Brothers has leased the corner of 65th Street across from Lincoln Center. Celebrity chocolatier Jacques Torres will delight at 285 Amsterdam Avenue.

On the Upper East Side, British shoe shop Clarks comes to 993 Third Avenue, across from Bloomingdale’s, which is welcoming a new Lancôme shop. Ankasa home décor from India is now at Lexington and 65th Street.

In Flatiron, outdoor specialists North Face will have an outpost in the famous corner Flatiron Building.

In the West Village, the Downtown design empire continues to fl ourish with lauded South American designer Miguelina at 347 Bleecker Street. Jonathan Adler opens a third Manhattan boutique at 37 Greenwich Avenue. James Perse Men has reopened a renovated shop at 361 Bleecker Street.

In Soho, sumptuous skincare specialists Space NK will open a fl agship at 99 Greene Street, and 76 Greene welcomes Alice Roi. B & B Italia is now displaying contemporary furnishings at 138 Greene. Trendsetter from LA, Ed Hardy will be at 49 Mercer Street and Nike is sprinting into 21 Mercer. Dean & DeLuca is expanding its 560 Broadway location yet again. Pearly whites specialists Rembrandt opened a pop-up store coined “The Brilliant Mouth Experience” at 486 Broadway. Italian street wear brand 55DSL is at 281 Lafayette Street. Brazilian sportswear chain Osklen will make its U.S. debut at 97 Wooster Street, former home of Laundry by Shelli Segal. This will be the fi rst of four planned U.S. store launches for Osklen, including potential locations in the Hamptons and Madison Avenue.

In the Meatpacking District, Barneys New York is planning a grand entrance, near style temple Jeffrey. A few doors down, Apple will have another superstore at the corner of 14th Street and 9th Avenue. Diane von Furstenberg’s fl agship is at long last unwrapped at 874 Washington Street. International shoe specialist Iris has crossed the ocean from Milan to 827 Washington Street, next to John Frieda.

The Lower East Side will welcome East Hampton’s Blue& Cream, a delicious boutique featuring indie designers, to Houston St. between Bowery and Chrystie Streets.

In Nolita, Clutch! has closed at 219 Mott Street, to accommodate a tiny new boutique for Alice + Olivia.

For most retailers, Manhattan is still the pinnacle – securing a coveted boutique in any of these exciting neighborhoods is their crowning achievement. Topshop is close to moving to the Big Apple, considering locations on Madison and Broadway. Confi rming my prediction about the rebirth of the department store, J.C. Penney announced the opening of its fi rst-ever Manhattan location, 150,000 square feet store in Midtown’s Manhattan Mall.

We certainly cannot properly welcome summer without a preview of the happening Hamptons. Vacationers may forgo the beach for a day in the enhanced East Hampton shopping district, which welcomes new boutiques from Bruno Cucinelli, Elie Tahari and Tory Burch, as well as the Optical Shop of Aspen at 53 Newton Lane. John Varvatos is introducing an East Hampton outpost at 54 Newtown Lane. Southampton’s infl ux includes Intermix, now open at 64 Main Street, Brooks Brothers at 48 Main Street and divine leather shop Brahmin at 58 Jobs Lane.

In more retail news, Manhattan-based shoe company Foot Locker has announced a partnership with Nike for a new basketball-themed chain called House of Hoops by Foot Locker. Foot Locker’s Harlem store is the fi rst to be converted, by early next year. The company will then roll out a national expansion - 50 stores are planned for cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Las Vegas.

This season, shoppers will be happy to welcome en vogue designer boutiques, revolutionary retail concepts, and reinvented stores. As the weather starts to swelter, you’ll fi nd haute fashion on every corner, from Manhattan to the East End.