Mitte
When I’m shopping in Berlin for jeans, shoes, boots & trainers, I hit the streets of Mitte, specifically Alte Schönhauser, Neue Schönhauser, Münz & Rosenthaler Strasse. They’ve got a Lee, Replay, Diesel, Mavi, & Levi’s and tons of shoe shops, brilliant! For a more trendy Berliner ‘scene’ style shop for women’s & men’s wear check out Apartment, 8 Memhardstrasse. (It’s quite hard to find: go down the windy stairs from the ground floor art gallery space) If you are looking for menswear just around the corner is Treufellschwien, Rosa Luxemburg-Str. 21, a boutique shop run by 2 charming men which stocks Folk, Penguin, Velour & Paul & Joe amongst others. Ladies, if you are looking for a new dress ensemble and accesories to boot, do stop by Konk, Kleine Hamburger Strasse 15. The shop plays host to Berlin labels such as Antonia Goy and local designers such as Bo van Melskens.
U-Bahn: Weinmeisterstrasse & Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz
S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt
Vintage in Mitte
I would say in general Berlin is better for vintage shoe shopping rather than vintage/second hand clothes. An exception to this rule is Cash, 11 Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse, sister shop to Apartment. They sell second season garments from the likes of Raf Simons & Marc Jacobs as well as second hand gems, pricey though.
U-Bahn: Weinmeisterstrasse & Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz
S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt
Prenzlauer Berg
I was very glad when I found Kastanienallee. You can definitely shop here for a fraction of the cost of Mitte shops and the clothes on offer are a good alternative to that of H&M or Top Shop. Just start off at the top of Kastanienallee and it’s a nice stroll down to Rosenthaler Strasse. Apart from the array of clothes shops, some independently run, there are loads of cafés & a few record shops to swing by en route. For a more mature fashion statment take a wander to Kollwitz Platz (square) where they are quite a few shops dotted around catering to the fashionable over 40 something.
Vintage in Prenzlauer Berg
Peruse the second hand shops on Oderberger Strasse, a colourful road, just off Kastanienallee, stuffed full of everything! For shoes and more shoes go to Calypso, 61 Oderbergerstrasse. At the other end of the street, Oederbergerstrasse, 45 is Goo, a small shop packed with vintage designer brands such as Miu Miu, Marc Jacobs and Helmut Lang. It stands out head and shoulders from all the other second hand knick knack shops on the street. If you have the muster on a Sunday why not try your luck at a spot of shopping at Mauer Park flee market, there are bargains definitely to be had.
U-Bahn: Eberswalder Strasse or Rosenthaler Strasse
Kreuzberg 36
This is where you will find a splattering of shops run by the local designers themselves as the rents are more affordable the further you get away from Mitte. Bourbon, 38b Schlesische Strasse has a great mix of young designers and vintage wear. A power walk away is another little gem, Fopling Flutter Design Clothing, 11 Lausitzer Platz. They sell “street style” tops, t-shirts, hoodies & fake sticky together wristband watches.
U-Bahn: Schlesisches Tor, Görlitzer Park
Vintage in Kreuzberg 36
My friend leaves the house on a night out with 4 pairs of shoes in her handbag forsaking the hundreds of shoes of all shapes and colours adorning her walls at home. I was jealous, so she took me to the places where she buys her shoes and they were just a couple of humble second hand shoe shops next door to each other on Wiener Strasse, Jumbo second hand 63 & 64 Wiener Strasse, a very good little discovery. There were a couple of good looking guitars and amps for sale in there too.
Kreuzberg 61
You’ll find a really cool skateboarding/surf style shop called Été clothing on 18 Bergmannstrasse. However in general Bergmannstrasse is more of a place for more mature laid back fashion as well as furniture shopping. There a various shops selling antiques as well as wardrobes and tables made from solid wood. If your a fan of Berlin bric-a-brac shops, then this is also the street for you. Great for a rummage!
Vintage in Kreuzberg 61
There seem to be quite a few second hand shops dotted around Bergmannstrasse & Mehringdamm. Colours Kleidermarkt, 102 Bergmannstrasse is also worth a visit if you have the time to spend routing through a warehouse full of second hand clothes. You pay by the amount they weigh!
U-Bahn: Mehringdam
Kurfürstendamm
All the shops you would find in any big city on one main street. Is also home to the famous KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens), 21 Tauentzien strasse, Berlin’s equivalent to New York’s or London’s Selfridges. For a shopping break visit the café/restaurant in the skylight of the building to enjoy the amazing panoramic views, indulgent cake and sip on pink champagne.
Hugendubel, 13. Tauentzienstrasse is an excellent all-round bookshop that also stocks novels in English. What makes it particularly enticing are the squashy sofas to sink in whilst browsing/previewing your purchases. Or you can have your caffeine fix in the in-store café accompanied by as much reading matter as you like.
U-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten, Kurfürstendamm
S-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten
Charlottenburg
This area is great for more mature/sophisticated fashion. There are also a handful of boutique second hand designer & vintage shops as well as a scattering of high quality cafes and restaurants!
Forget the clothes mission for a bit and spend some time leafing through one of my favourite book shops... and I am pretty that's also why it has become a favourite of Karl Lagerfeld’s too!! Buecherbogen, 1 Schlosstrasse. They have a great selection artsy, film design & architecture books with a wide selection being in English as well.
For ultra-chic interior design ideas and furniture, feast your eyes on the best products by international designers in this stylish four-floor emporium called Stilwerk, 17 Kantstrasse.
S-Bahn: Savignyplatz
