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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.
Berlin designer Andreea Vrajitoru creates experimental clothes and shoes with a casual vibe, supplemented by fashion from indie labels Henrik Vibskov, Surface to Air, and Wood Wood. There are also branches in Prenzlauer Berg and the Berlin Bikini mall.
Inside the former Taggespiegel newspaper office space, you’ll find this cool concept store featuring handpicked men's, women's, and children's clothing, including designs by brother Kostas Murkudis, Dries van Noten, and Christian Haas, as well as accessories and contemporary housewares.
Baerck artfully displays its mix of European and Berlin men's and women's wear on wheeled structures, allowing them to be rearranged in the store whenever necessary. Along with designers like Henrik Vibskov and Hope, you’ll find accessories including jewelry, handbags, scarves, and hats.
Peek under the railway tracks of Charlottenburg’s Savignyplatz station and you’ll find this much-loved bookstore. The large selection of books, many of them special editions or out of print, include numerous titles on art, design, and architecture, and the international offerings are extensive.
This living-room-like space is the go-to for sophisticated menswear with a British posh edge; you’ll find everything from tuxedoes to hunting jackets on their shelves. The owners manufacture their own line of quality British-style smoking jackets, and the inventory also includes top brands and small fashion accessories. There’s a small bar in the back, where you can toast your latest purchase in style.
Whether you want a new little black dress or a cool vintage bag to carry around this season, a peek into Das Neue Schwarz (The New Black) is guaranteed to result in some special finds. In the midst of Mitte’s fashionista neighborhood of avant-garde designers and exclusive boutiques, this shop holds its own with a collection of secondhand items—many never worn—from big-name designers including Vivienne Westwood, Helmut Lang, and Yves Saint Laurent.
Whether you're looking for something to read on the plane or a special present, this charming bookstore is guaranteed to have something to pique your literary interests. The wide selection of magazines and literature—many of the titles are in English—comes from around the world and spans fashion, photography, architecture, interior design, and cultural topics.
This small shop embodies traditional German liquor culture; there are schnapps and fruit brandies from family farms and independent distilleries for sale, among other items to pique a tippler's interest.
This elegant perfumery will help you create a completely personal scent; choose from vials filled with perfumes like acacia, linden tree blossoms, cedarwood, or pink peppercorns. All the perfumes are produced locally in Berlin, creating a really one-of-a kind gift.
The largest department store in continental Europe, classy Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) has a grand selection of goods, spread over seven floors, as well as food and deli counters, an oyster bar, champagne and wine bars, and coffee houses.
Since 2003, this Mitte hot spot has nurtured Berlin independent designers who are as visionary in their aesthetics as they are in their production mode: most items are handmade and sustainably sourced. Look for local favorite Thone Negrón for women's dresses, and elegant gold earrings and rings by Savoir Joaillerie.
One of the city’s best farmers' markets sits on the pretty Kollwitzplatz square in Prenzlauer Berg. During its smaller Thursday and bustling Saturday markets, you’ll not only find a superb selection of organic produce, meats, cheeses, and pantry items, but also an array of prepared foods and sellers offering handmade home goods and gifts.
Enter this serene shop just off Kantstrasse and you'll be stepping into a world of high-quality loose-leaf teas. The stylish store displays its teas in museum-like cases, where you can smell the wares, and there are tasting areas where expert attendants brew and explain the teas. There is also a Mitte shop on Alte Schönhauser Strasse and an outpost in KaDaWe.
With large glass windows looking out onto Warschauer Strasse and a minimalist interior, Shakespeare & Sons is the perfect place to get lost in another world. The shop sells a variety of English and French books from every genre, though there's a specific slant toward new books covering political topics. Inside, you'll find the Fine Bagels café.
If you’re not afraid of a little (or a lot) of color and whimsy, stop by this fun shop that showcases attention-grabbing bags and clothes for women, men, and kids, all designed in Berlin.
Located in the charming neighborhood of Kreuzberg known as the Graefekiez, this cute little shop supplies a variety of lovely odds and ends, sourced from all over the world, including Turkey, Italy, and Switzerland, as well as locally produced items. Inside you’ll find linens, housewares, pantry items, and jewelry.
In the heart of the stunning Gendarmenmarkt, this luxury concept store sells a contemporary collection of new and vintage clothing from high-end designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Chloé, as well as cosmetics, home furnishings, and art books. There's also a men's shop next door and a second store near Kurfürstendamm.
This is a smaller Sunday market tucked on a neighborhood square in Prenzlauer Berg, but one that many locals say is Berlin’s best, especially for its wide selection of vintage and secondhand furniture, housewares, books, and records.
This "super boutique" in a former locksmith's workshop is a Berlin favorite for women’s and men’s separates, shoes, accessories, and outerwear, often from rare collections around the world. It's also home to Toki café, for when you need a shopping pick-me-up.
This third-generation artisan shop offers a taste of the old-world treat marzipan, using a family recipe that dates back to the turn of the 20th century. The vintage-style shop features candy-striped wall paper, vintage tools, and rows of handmade marzipan, all wrapped in delicate packaging.
This cool beauty shop offers an assortment of goods. You'll find everything from lovely scented candles to lotions and body products to makeup and cosmetics, with popular, ethical brands like Dr. Bronner, Börlind, and Susanne Kaufmann. But the real gem is the basement-level men’s spa and barbershop, which welcomes guest barbers from around the world, and the women’s beauty salon, which offers makeovers and hair care.
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