14/10/2011

What: I love Vintage, a fancy vintage store with a modern twist

Where: Prinsengracht 201.

Why: They sell the perfect combination of second hand clothes and new clothes with a vintage (like '20, '30 or '70) vibe. You can also find great shoes, bags and handmade jewelry. I love Vintage also has a web shop which you can visit on a screen in their boutique. Pick the items you like and they get them for you out of their stock. That puts online shopping in a different perspective!

Très spécial: I couldn't take a picture of the back of the shop, so another reason for you to go check out their store and find out why I couldn’t..

The perfect giftshop

& Klevering, Haarlemmerstraat 8, Amsterdam

Close to the Central Station and just at the beginning of the atmospheric Haarlemmerstraat, you can find &Klevering, one of my favorite stores to buy gifts.

They sell a wide range of great cookbooks, pretty crockery and cooking utensils, my favorite tea (Mr. Jones), delicious soaps and other body treats from Marseille, really cute gifts for kids. And it’s the perfect place for contemporary design pieces for your interior. You can find all different renowned brands, but they sell their own collection as well. It’s funny, because only after we bought a &Klevering presse-papier in a small boutique in Paris, I found out about their store nearby my home.

There are two more shops located in Amsterdam, one at the Jacob Obrechtstraat 19a and the other on the Staalstraat 11. And they also have a webshop.  See some of my favorites below..

My 'vintage 2.55'-dream

Moriaan, 2de Anjeliersdwarsstraat 19, Amsterdam

When I’m vintage shopping I’m always secretly hoping I’ll run into a vintage Chanel 2.55. Until now that didn’t happen… But still;)! I do like vintage shopping, but I must say most of the time I’m on the lookout for vintage design. A well hidden Alexander McQueen party dress, a Ralph Lauren purple label blazer or a pair of YSL boots, you name it. Oh yes and bags, an vintage Gucci tote (with their old monogram), a nicely weathered LV or perhaps even a Balenciaga..! Sight..

Anyway, a few weeks ago I found out about this vintage shop in my neighborhood, called Moriaan. No, I don’t think this is the place-to-be to find a designer piece (although, you never know..), but they do have some real nice dresses, boots and bangles. I really like how the shop is arranged, all sorted by color. And how you can quickly scan if there’s anything you might like, because you don’t have to dig into big piles of musty smelling clothes. They even sell children’s clothes, dating from the fifties and sixties, which are just fabulous. I mean, look at this hilarious mini blazer below:

But, what I mostly like about this shop, is that their collection is far more special and exclusive, than when you go to Zipper or Episode for instance (I mean, I’ve seen enough of these vintage Adidas jackets and Levi 501’s). Most of the collection contains clothing from the sixties until the eighties.

So if there’s another sunny day coming up, take a stroll through this small neighborhood (my favorite pizzeria, Perla, is only a stone’s throw away!) and make sure you check out this boutique as well.

A matter of taste

Smaak, Prinsenstraat 16, Amsterdam

How come I've never seen this store before? It has got my name written all over it! A beautiful store filled with perfectly designed bags made of soft lambskin in deliciously pretty colors. One bag even more prettier than the other! 

            The owner of the store started a boutique (Leliegracht 16) a few years ago, creating this sort of candy store for woman filled with clothes, bags and other accessories. Eventually, he decided to begin his own brand, working together with Vince Blanchard (who collaborated previously with Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana). The bags are made off high quality material, so I think you still get real value for your money (prices are between 160 to 200 Euros). The simple brand name, Smaak (the Dutch translation of taste) is printed on pretty silver labels hanging on each bag. They gave it an original twist by putting the K in reverse.

            I really couldn't choose which one I liked the best (I actually wanted to take all of them with me), but I know for sure than soon I’ll be proudly wearing a handbag by this Dutch designer.
Marc Jacobs, eat your heart out!

Ps. And you know what the best part is? They even got a webshop!

Book love

Taschen, Rue de Buci 2, Paris

Photos from taschen.com

The main reason why I’m writing this post is to let you know how super excited I am about the opening of a Taschen store in Amsterdam this summer. I’m a huge fan of their book collection and can’t wait to visit their shop (P.C. Hooftstraat 44).

            Ever since we’ve ran into the Taschen store in Paris a few years ago, I always want to go there whenever I’m in Paris. It’s located in the heart of St. Germain des Pres, at Rue de Buci (a really cozy street filled with a lively open-air market everyday).
            Even though I tried, I never walk out Taschen empty handed. There's always something in that store that I really really really want to buy. I love their design and architecture books, but most of all their great selection of photography books. I already got a few of their books about one of my favorite photographers Robert Doisneau. I just adore everything about his work, so if you don’t know he is, please google him and get enchanted by his romantic, funny and beautiful photographs.

            Still definitely on my wish list are Taschen Paris or/and Taschen New York, an amazing collection of great shopping, restaurant and hotels tips collected in a book filled with pretty drawings and images.

P.s. Got exhausted after shopping at Taschen (or at any other nice boutique at Rue Buci)? Go to the cocktailbar right in front of the store (forgot the name, sorry!) and order yourself a delicious strawberry mojito! 

An oasis of rest

Zara Home, Kalverstraat 66, Amsterdam

Last week my grandmother told me about how the Kalverstraat used to be one of the most expensive (shopping) streets in Amsterdam, just like the PC Hooftstraat is right now. For those of you who know the street, this might be hard to believe. There’s actually only one expensive shop left and that’s Maison de Bonneterie (where they sell real nice jeans!). You do have a few relatively pricy jewelers, but apart from that you only find the regular shops (H&M, River Island, We, Etos etc.) and some real cheap ass (with almost always a sign ‘closing down sale’) stores.
            So whenever I feel like taking a break from this street filled with fake LV bags, fur collars, white boots and too much make-up, I enter the Zara store and take the escalator to the 3th floor, where I hit upon an oasis of rest. You’ll find (*drumrolls*)… Zara Home.
            Inside this light, spacious store you can buy all the stuff you need (or just want) for your home. Glassware, photo frames, towels, scented candles, all nicely arranged on big tables and inside cabinets. Just like their clothing sections on the ground-, first- and second floor, their Home collection also changes every season. While Spring is almost here, the assortment right now exists mainly of cheery colored tableware, linen covered with flowers and bright colored home accessories.
            Too bad, I wasn’t strong enough to resist their deliciously new stuff and treated myself to a new water jug, some glasses and two cute spoons. Aren’t they nice?

Go crazy

Bagaholic, Makati Avenue, Manila

When I saw this store, I sort of reacted like one of those girls on MTV’s Sweet Sixteen who just got her first convertible BMW. Like a maniak! 

I really love bags. Sorry that is an understatement, I absolutely adore designer handbags. It is my number one favorite material possession! You know what, I would actually call myself a ‘bagaholic’ ;)
            When I entered the store, I almost got giddy with all the beauty surrounding me. All those fabulous bags, with almost 50% off! And let me remind you, in the Philippines you can always, anywhere, bargain, even if the price is already extremely low. The bags at Bagaholic are pre-owned, that’s why you get such discount. But why bother, since they all look brand new and leather actually looks even better when it’s been used for a while.
            Even though I enjoyed spending time in the shop, trying all the bags, I didn’t buy any of them, since we had a whole vacation ahead of us and it would be really dumb to spent all our money on one bag. Right?
             To bad they don't have a webshop, so if you do happen to visit Manila sometime, look for Bagaholic! It’s located in Makati, the business of area of the city, inside the Streetside Renaissance Hotel.

The perfect basics

Brandy & Melville, 59 rue Notre Dame des Champs, Paris

I read about this store somewhere on the internet and when I visited Paris last January, I had to find it. Mostly because they only have a few shops in Europe (the most of them in Italy, since it’s an Italian brand). Their store it located on rue Notre Dame des Champs, behind Jardin Luxembourg, next to mostly shops for children, antique and housekeeping.
            At Brandy & Melville you can find great basic shirts, blouses, skirts and dresses made of nice fabrics for a good price. I only bought some stuff of their basic collection, but they also got a few special items and some accessories (like scarfs and hair ribbons). In my opinion it’s definitely worth the walk, especially when you walk through Jardin Luxembourg since that park is nice visiting itself.