A friendly guide to shopping in Amsterdam
Because Amsterdam is the opposite of a consumerist city and influenced by regions of reference in the design of accessories and furniture, such as Denmark, Sweden and Finland, the supply of cool shops in the city has to be very carefully curated in terms of products, and at the same time, there is the need to invest in an assertive visual merchandising. This combination, while it attracts the tourist who is willing to buy something here and there, is also tuned to the profile of those who live there, who spend little on superfluous items, but when they spend, they choose pieces that are really worth the investment. The most interesting ones are small multibrand stores dedicated to items ranging from clothing to home accessories and cosmetics. It's where we find an excellent birthday gift for a friend or a treat for ourselves. The ones I like the most and are easy to please different tastes are:
Verse
One that I also met by chance, on an unpretentious walk along Prinsengracht. The owner, an Irishwoman who has lived in Amsterdam for almost 10 years, told me that after working for many years in the retail fashion industry, she decided to open her own place, where she invests in a very high taste selection. Its garments, perfect for those who like sober prints and looser designs, is what stands out. A highlight that makes me happy about this shop: vegan and cruelty-free products!
Restored
Bags, little notebooks, candles, mugs, towels, lamps ... here you will find a little bit of everything. Some pieces are made in Holland itself or brought from Berlin, Belgium and Canada. An easy to find shop, located on one of the nicest streets to wander around in the Jordaan neighborhood.
Concrete Matter
Its philosophy is the opposite of fast fashion and the store only works with manufacturers who preserve a more artisan and conscious approach, with products that last and therefore have a greater added value. Accessories, books, clothes, shoes, beard care items, sports and other outdoor leisure activities gear, besides an exquisite selection of peculiar and rare objects for collectors.
Hutspot
This multibrand store has two units, the one I like the most is in the young and hip neighborhood Oude Pijp. The brand’s strengths are womenswear and menswear, whose curatorship privileges unknown designers who would not have the chance to showcase their work amid the competitiveness of fashion retail. Hutspot's business began in 2012 as a pop up store, until it became big and embraced other services like coffee and a barbershop. Very cool. Today, the store is also present in Rotterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven, and in 2018 it launched its own brand with an e-commerce.
