SHOPPING IN BERLIN

By Eva Fydrych

Window displays in Berlin (Photos by Eva Fydrych / Fashion Studio Magazine)

BERLIN, GERMANY - Berlin has a lot in store for shopping sprees even for the most demanding customers. We had a chance to visit this exciting city last year and find out more about its boutiques, flea markets and department stores.

For luxury designers and international chain outlets head for Kurf�rstendamm or Friedrichstrasse. For trendy independent boutiques and hip Berlin labels browse the streets around Mitte.

World famous KaDeWe department store on Wittenbergplatz is a must for its Food Halls and international designer labels. It is the second largest shopping centre in Europe (just after Harrods in London). On the eight floor of the store, you can find a stylish cafe and a winter garden restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows. The view from the the top is definitely worth seeing.

Peek & Cloppenburg

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Peek & Cloppenburg, an international chain of fashion department stores, is known in overall 15 countries of Europe. It sells high-quality clothing and also some avant-garde labels such as Helmut Lang, Acne, Unconditional, Levi�s Vintage, Dsquared, Givenchy and Comme des Gar�ons. It is located at Tauentzienstrasse. 

Peek & Cloppenburg, Tauentzienstrasse 19, 10789 Berlin, Germany

Peek & Cloppenburg

Peek & Cloppenburg

Peek & Cloppenburg

All photos by Eva Fydrych / Fashion Studio Magazine

High Street Stores

H&M

Desigual

All photos by Eva Fydrych / Fashion Studio Magazine

Department Stores

C&A, Kurf rstendamm 227-229, 10719 Berlin, Germany

Besides KaDeWe and Peek & Cloppenburg, there are many other department stores in Berlin such as C&A, Galeria Kaufhof, Quartier 206, and Galeries Lafayette.

All photos by Eva Fydrych / Fashion Studio Magazine

Luxury Shopping

Kurf rstendamm (Photo courtesy of misst2000ph)

Kurf�rstendamm, elegant street with international luxury brands and high-end restaurants, is located in the west side of the city, about 10-15 minutes with the U-Bahn (subway) from Mitte. This very broad, long boulevard can be considered the Champs-lyses of Berlin and it is one of the most famous avenues in the city. Many fashion designers have their shops here, as well as several car manufacturers' show rooms.

Prada, Kurf rstendamm 186, 10707 Berlin, Germany

Prada

All photos by Eva Fydrych / Fashion Studio Magazine

Independent Boutiques

Simon-Dach-Strasse, Friedrichshain, Berlin (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Friedrichshain, formerly part of East Berlin, is a young, dynamic district with its own distinct character. Alongside the neighbouring districts of Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, and Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain is now considered one of Berlin's most fashionable areas, and is home to numerous design and media companies including MTV Central Europe. This trendy area is also famous for its nightlife - many bars, clubs, pubs, and cafes are concentrated in the vicinity of Simon-Dach-Strasse and Boxhagener Platz.

SERIGRAFFEUR, Dirschauer Strae 1, Berlin-Friedrichshain (Photo: SERIGRAFFEUR)

Recently Friedrichshain is also becoming a hip shopping area offering some hidden gems such as Fluffy - a chic boutique with a great selection of clothes, bags and accessories, and SERIGRAFFEUR - a small art gallery that opened in spring 2012.

Fluffy, Kopernikusstrasse 18a, 10245 Berlin-Friedrichshain

Trendy Mitte is a real shopping paradise where you can find everything from second hand clothes to unique designs by emerging fashion designers. The area features a mix of edgy boutiques, organic cafes and upscale jewellery shops and galleries, all frequented by creative artist types.

Arrey Kono gallery, Hackesche Hfe (Hof IV), Rosenthaler Strasse 40/41, 10178 Berlin - Mitte

Some of the boutiques that caught our attention:

• Who killed Bambi? (Rosenthaler Strasse 69) - a trendy store offering fashion for young people: brightly coloured clothes with stylish cuts and funny logos.
• Potipoti (Rosenthaler Strasse 66) - founded in 2005 as a collaboration between two designers, Silvia Salvador and Nando Cornejo. The philosophy of the designer duo is to bridge the gap between graphic design, art and fashion.

Potipoti, Rosenthaler Strasse 66, 10119 Berlin (Photo courtesy of Potipoti)

• Storia (Rosenthaler Strasse 13)
• Greta & Luis (Rosenthaler Strasse 15) - founded in 2001, this trendy boutique brings you a special selection of over 60 brands from Europe and the USA. The clothes vary from classic cool to more unusual edgy looks. 
• Fairly (Rosenthaler Strasse 23)
• Arrey Kono gallery (Hackesche Hfe, Hof IV)
• BFN Concept Store (Hackesche Hfe, Hof III) - spread over two levels, the BFN Concept Store offers established and young Berlin designers (plus some international labels), like German Garments, Burkhardt Mllman, Barre Noire and Prodotyp. This stylish boutique received "Concept Store Nr.1 in Germany" Award (by Worlds Luxury Guide, Die Welt).

BFN Concept Store, Hackesche Hfe, Hof III, Rosenthaler Str. 40/41, 10178 Berlin

Nearby Oranienburger Strasse offers more fashion boutiques, art galleries, design studios, and jewellery stores.

"When it comes to fashion, art, design and music, the German capital is the city to watch. A global influx of creatives has turned it into a cauldron of cultural cool reminiscent of New York in the 80s. What draws them is Berlins legendary climate of tolerance, openness and experimentation infused with an edgy undercurrent that gives this eternally unfinished city its street cred." - Lonely Planet