Top Three Districts for Eclectic Berlin Style

Voted in the top 10 most stylish cities in the world by Forbes magazine and with a cosmopolitan cool permeating all aspects of its cultural life, Berlin is fast becoming one of the world leaders in bold, directional fashion with its own edgy attitude. The streets around Hackescher Markt and to the east of the city are filled with Facehunter-worthy looks from cool girls and boys, and there are boutiques and designer outlets aplenty for those brave enough to try and compete with the fashion mavericks of Europe’s hippest destination. We outline a brief guide to Berlin’s top three alternative shopping stops, encompassing vintage, labels and small designers.

FOR VINTAGE FINDS: Prenzlauer Berg

Nearest train station: Eberswalder Strasse

Inside Stiefelkombinat

Forget the charity shops of the British high street; for seriously now vintage that fits in with the pared-down Berliner aesthetic, Prenzlauer Berg is a warren of stylish secondhand clothing dens. Try the 70s timewarp Dress Faktor on Schliemannstrasse for reasonably priced threads for women, men and children amongst kooky throwback art, with other vintage shops in the same chain like Danz Schuh or VEB Orange also to be found in the area. Stiefelkombinat is the place to go for a dizzying array of vintage footwear, with shoes and boots from the 1940s onwards located just across from Eberswalder Strasse station. On Husemannstrasse, Sentimental Journey’s passionate owner has assembled a stellar collection of fur coats, quirky headgear and menswear for you to peruse amongst a firmly 50s soundtrack. Alternatively, if you prefer to rummage for that perfect find at a bargain price the weekly Mauerpark flea market is the place to be for sifting treasure from the trash.

FOR BOUTIQUE CHIC: Mitte and the Scheunenviertel

Nearest train station: Hackescher Markt

Lala Berlin

The Scheunenviertel, or Barn Quarter, has metamorphosed over the years into a network of interesting shopping streets where you can find one-off designs or coveted labels. Get off at Hackescher Markt station on the U-bahn to wander around Alte Schönhauser Strasse, Münzstrasse and Neue Schönhauser Strasse and the surrounding backstreets, or take the M1 tram up towards Kastanienallee for a journey through the city’s creative quarters. There is a multitude of boutiques containing avant-garde local designs such as Lala Berlin on Mulackstrasse, which specialises in grungy and louche knitwear, as well as fronts for well-known designers like Acne. For a more affordable take on the sharp Berlin silhouette, Mitte’s excellent branch of Cos has tailored, structural styles to take you from city street to underground club.

FOR HOMEGROWN TALENT: Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg

Nearest train station: Görlitzer Bahnhof

VOO Berlin

Now a by-word for cool in Berlin, the Kreuzberg area has enough shops to keep you on the edge of your overdraft and at the forefront of fashion. Oranienstrasse is at the thriving heart of the district and is crammed with clothing boutiques as well as cafés, bookshops and bric-a-brac stores. Cherrybomb stocks the best of German streetwear labels, and the minimalist VOO uses designers from around the world to create a look that is unmistakeably Berlin. Neighbouring Friedrichshain also has its share of niche clothes shops, with the area around Simon-Dach-Strasse full of local designer outlets where you can even see the owners at work on their sewing machines as you browse the rails.