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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.
Most of Berlin’s flea markets operate year-round, regardless of the freezing winter temperatures, but this indoor hall offers some shelter inside an old warehouse near the Arena/Badeschiff complex on the Spree River. The weekend market features tables of kitchenware and rows of old bikes and mechanical parts, which can obscure the real treasures, so be prepared to spend some time digging.
A great place to look for designer secondhand finds, this tiny shop is tucked away near West Berlin’s Savignyplatz. You’ll find labels like Hermès, Versace, Chanel, and Jil Sander on the racks.
This shop near Alexanderplatz provides a wide range of Berlin souvenirs, all designed and manufactured in the city. There is everything from Berlin-themed emergency candy bars and tote bags with city landmark designs to Berlin-produced liquors.
While markets in former East Berlin districts are perfect for unearthing both trash and treasures, the antique market on Strasse des 17. Juni is at the high end of the spectrum. Open on weekends, the Berliner Trödelmarkt und Kunstmarkt is home to one of the city's more curated selections, with vintage and high-end secondhand jewelry, housewares, silverware, books, and toys. The flea-market stands are nearer the Tiergarten S-bahn station, while handicrafts begin past the Charlottenburg gates.
Tucked into a small courtyard near the New Synagogue, this charming candy store has been making and selling handmade sweets for more than 100 years. The brightly colored sugar bonbons are pressed on vintage molds into leaf, raspberry, and diamond shapes, and more than 30 different varieties are available.
Fine handcrafted jewelry, watches, and other high-end designer accessories can be found at Bucherer.
Handmade, classic styles of shoes and brogues, mostly from England, Austria, and Hungary, are sold at Budapester Schuhe. There is another shop at Kurfürstendamm 199 and an outlet at Kurfürstendamm 204.
A must-visit for shoe lovers, this shop has an impressive collection of exotic and vintage footwear, including suede heels, leather-trimmed boots, embroidered flats, and men’s work boots—all spanning the last six decades. Because of its diverse collection, the shop also regularly works with film and theater stylists.
One of Berlin's top avant-garde designers, Claudia Skoda's creations are mostly for women, but there's also a selection of men's knitwear.
This secondhand shop, on one of Prenzlauer Berg's liveliest streets, offers a well-curated selection of designer clothing, shoes, and accessories for both men and women. You'll find stylish labels like Acne, Nike, Marni, and Miu Miu. Be prepared for somewhat steep prices.
Berlin’s largest general bookstore, this five-story emporium has two levels of English-language titles, including unusual books, new releases, and classics. The store is open until midnight on weekdays, and until 11:30 pm on Saturday.
Anchoring Alexanderplatz, Galeria Kaufhof is the most successful branch of the German department store chain, with six floors offering more than 600 brands and a gourmet food area. You can find pretty much everything you need here, though expect wardrobe staples, rather than the latest fashion trends.
At the corner of Französische Strasse (it means "French Street" and is named for the nearby French Huguenot cathedral) is the French department store Galeries Lafayette. French architect Jean Nouvel included an impressive steel-and-glass funnel at the center of the building, and it's surrounded by four floors of expensive clothing and luxuries as well as an excellent food department with eateries offering Breton cuisine, Greek-French fusion, and sushi, plus a wine bar; there's also a market with some of the best French delicacies around.
A food-lover’s paradise, this epicurean shop sells a wide range of products, from gourmet, artisanal pantry ingredients and kitchen tools to an extensive collection of cookbooks and food magazines. Handmade breads, pastries, and chocolates are available to satiate your appetite. There's also a nice selection of cheeses, as well as fine wines and craft beer. A second outpost is in Charlottenburg, at Wilmersdorfer Strasse 102/103.
The Sunday Grosser Antikmarkt am Ostbahnhof market is made up almost entirely of antiques and vintage treasures, so it takes little effort but a bit of money to find something truly special to take home. Pre-edited selections of antiquarian books, gramophones, jewelry, and kitschy East German items can be found here.
Tucked behind the tourist-heavy streets of Hackesche Markt, this labyrinth of small galleries, boutiques, and shops offers a wide range of fashion. The outdoor shopping mall links Rosenthaler and Sophienstrasse with big brands like H&M and MAC Cosmetics, as well as independent boutiques and small gift shops.
This iconic record store is run by music veteran Mark Ernestus, who handpicks all the vinyl and CDs with a heavy focus on techno, electronic, and dubstep. On the third floor of a heavily graffitied building, it’s the true essence of Berlin grunge and totally worth a visit for music lovers.
If you want a taste—or rather, a smell—of old Berlin, head to Harry Lehmann. The shopkeeper will greet you in a white lab coat, helpfully explaining the origin and inspiration of the expertly mixed perfumes, which fill large apothecary jars along a mirrored wall. This is definitely old-school—the shop was opened in 1926.
The sleek, minimalist flagship store of German designer Jil Sander carries the newest collections from this iconic, understated brand, including fashions for men.
The Jünemann family has owned this basement shop on Torstrasse for more than 100 years, producing their quality handmade felt hausschuhe, or slippers, for four generations. The shoes come in a variety of colors and two simple styles, a classic backless version or the full slipper. Either is the perfect way to bring a piece of German tradition back home.
With an odd assortment of retro furnishings, this ice-cream café and waffle shop takes over the entire corner of a Prenzlauer Berg sidewalk, especially on sunny days. Head to the second story and you’ll find a shop that captures young Berliner style, with vintage pieces, bold prints, and skinny fits, as well as shoes and jewelry. There's a second outpost on Oderberger Strasse as well as one in Mitte, plus outlet shops in Wedding and Neukölln.
Fine porcelain is still produced by Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur, the former Royal Porcelain Manufactory for the Prussians, also called KPM. You can buy this delicate handmade, hand-painted china at KPM's manufactory, where you can learn about the brand's rich history, as well as purchase products directly, with the option to find seconds at reduced prices.
Originally from Tehran, former MTV editor Leyla Piedayesh is one of Berlin’s top design talents. Her popular boutique showcases her high-quality fabric scarves, sweaters, and accessories that use the reinterpreted Palestinian keffiyeh pattern she's become known for.
A favorite of the vintage shoppers in Neukölln, this delightful shop offers a mixture of handmade pieces and high-quality secondhand clothing for him and her.
Just off the lovely Zionskirchplatz, this shop is home to Berlin designers Anna Franke and Janine Weber. Their collection has a whimsical, feminine style and incorporates flowing fabrics and clean cuts. The shop also carries beautiful bags and accessories from Scandinavian and German designers.
The enormous Sunday flea market at Mauerpark, a favorite among hipsters and tourists, is absolutely packed in nice weather, turning the intersection of Bernauer Strasse and Oderberger Strasse (where the unofficial market outside the market begins) into a veritable Times Square of fun- and sun-loving young people. Head out early to find the best pickings, as most of the selection here is junkyard mixed in with the occasional handmade or repurposed product.
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