Let Them Eat Cake
A favorite of the vintage shoppers in Neukölln, this delightful shop offers a mixture of handmade pieces and high-quality secondhand clothing for him and her.
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Thanks to its unique mixture of old-world charm and eclectic creativity, Berlin is a shopper’s paradise. The city becomes a veritable fashion capital during the exquisite fashion shows and events of the biannual Berlin Fashion Week, and trade events like Bread & Butter regularly encourage local and international designers to highlight their work in showrooms and boutiques here. From extravagant designer shopping malls and high-end fashion boutiques to artisan handcraft producers, antique markets, and vintage stores, Berlin has something for everyone.
The city’s history plays an important part in its geography. Because Berlin was divided by the Berlin Wall for so many years, there is no pedestrian zone or single city center like in many other European cities. Instead Berlin has many different areas to explore and pockets of retailers are spread throughout its neighborhoods.
The city’s most glamorous shopping can be done near Mitte’s Friedrichstrasse and in the West Berlin promenade Kurfürstendamm, known as the Shopping Mile and home to the luxurious Kaufhaus des Westens department store, as well as many designer and big name international brands. But the charming side streets around Mitte’s Torstrasse and Hackescher Markt have become a much more popular destination for shopping in the city, with chic designers opening up ateliers and concept shops.
For the fashionable bohemian set, designer labels have less appeal here than elsewhere. You’ll see many of the young and trendy favoring high-end street wear paired with vintage items that appear to have cost not much more than a Brötchen (bread roll). The eastern neighborhoods of Kreuzberg and Neukölln are home to a growing number of vintage and secondhand shops, and the city has a wonderful collection of flea markets that operate year-round. You’ll see modern influences of Berlin’s Bauhaus architecture movement in many of shops, incorporated into the store displays or as part of the home decor items. Near West Berlin’s charming Savignyplatz, the Stilwerk interior design center and surrounding design and home stores on Kantstrasse have become the design hub for the city. For shoppers looking for more price-conscious home furnishings, Neukölln offers several vintage furniture shops featuring Danish and Scandinavian home decor.
A favorite of the vintage shoppers in Neukölln, this delightful shop offers a mixture of handmade pieces and high-quality secondhand clothing for him and her.
Pulling on the cutting-edge spirit of Berlin’s young, hip inhabitants, this vibrant flea market's offerings place an emphasis on the “now,” with a trendy selection of vintage clothing, home goods, music, and original handmade pieces. The canal-side location, tempting food stalls, and live performances are great reasons to visit the bimonthly Sunday event (10–6). Every alternate Sunday you'll find the market at the always lovely Prinzessinengärten (Moritzplatz U-bahn) from 10 to 6.
This design studio–shop includes items from Berlin designers: the namesake Shio, the sustainably made inhouse label, as well as a variety of redesigned secondhand and vintage wear; Pulva Jewelry, minimal, recycled silver and brass jewelry; and Pulp Papier, pretty Japanese decorative papers and hand-bound books.
This Kreuzkölln shop, located on the border between Kreuzberg and Neukölln, has become popular for its carefully edited collection of vintage finds, dating back to the 1960s and '70s. The shop also is home to a popular café, where a menu of house-made cakes and a weekend vegan brunch are served on mismatched vintage china.
Amsterdam-based record label Staalplaat opened this eccentric sister record store in Neukölln to help satiate the city’s massive music demand, with a specific focus on experimental music and obscure albums. The store also houses a gallery and bookstore where specialty books, handmade fanzines, and limited-edition books and posters are sold.
Imagine bringing the midcentury European look home with a walk through this shop, which features a collection of Scandinavian furniture and lamps. The shop also has a limited selection of clothing, bags, and accessories, as well as small housewares like teapots and ceramics, which should all fit more comfortably inside a suitcase.