Amid the many excellent retailers and boutique establishments based in Amsterdam, there are some stores that have refined shopping into an art form. These charming concept-driven stores seamlessly combine retail with leisure and collectively offer everything from evergreen menswear to handcrafted jewellery.
This effortlessly cool department store curates goods created by young or up-and-coming designers alongside products from more established brands, bringing together a whole host of new, trendy and evergreen items under one roof. Hutspot centres its collection around modern, urban living and tends to stock minimalistic items with touches of colour or eye-catching geometric designs meant for everyday use. The store regularly updates its selection and shoppers can expect to find an impressive range of high-quality clothing, cosmetics, accessories and homeware items inside its showroom, often made by studios or designers based in Amsterdam. The store also features a spacious lunchroom equipped with a high-end espresso machine and an on-site barbershop with two chairs.
This stylish vegan clothing store’s rather difficult-to-pronounce name translates to ‘The Goat Wool Shop’ in English. While this might seem somewhat confusing to English-speakers – considering the store exclusively stocks vegan products – the title actually refers to a common stereotype surrounding eco-conscious individuals in the Netherlands, which pigeonholes them as people who wear thick, goat’s wool socks. Geitenwollenwinkel’s owners chose this name to show their solidarity with other like-minded shoppers and appeal to people that also embrace vegan, eco-conscious lifestyles. The store only sells fair-trade vegan items made from sustainable materials and its collection tends to lean towards simple and modern clothing decorated with block colours or down-to-earth prints.
Although the products on offer at Concrete Matter can be classified as vintage, the minds behind the store maintain a forward-thinking business model and only purchase items that are built to last. The store has an eye for durable and timeless menswear designed to withstand years of wear-and-tear. Its well-curated clothing collection features many classic vintage items and modern pieces that are inspired by 20th-century workwear, such as 11oz jeans, thick flannel shirts and army surplus gear. There are many other well-crafted items available inside Concrete Matter, including men’s grooming kits and Japanese pocketknives made from carbon steel.
Droog has played an important role within Dutch design for the past two decades and has produced many iconic products over the years, including several signature pieces made in collaboration with leading international designers, which are still available inside the studio’s headquarters on Staalstraat in Amsterdam. The studio is renowned for its innovative approach towards design and challenges standard industry practises by creating functional items with unusual twists, often made from found objects. Aside from housing a showroom with sections for clothing, interior products and homeware, Hôtel Droog also features a spacious cafe furnished with the studio’s latest and greatest creations and a one-bedroom design hotel.
Founded by Anna de Lanoy Meijer and Nina Poot, the namesakes of this popular chain of concept stores, their goal was to showcase their handmade jewellery alongside accessories created by other brands. Since then, ANNA + NINA has developed into a respected jewellery studio in its own right and now designs many other products aside from earrings, necklaces and rings, including charming interior items that are inspired by Indian and Balinese wildlife. ANNA + NINA currently has three locations in Amsterdam, each of which stocks a wide range of decorative products that were either designed in-house or by other reputable international brands.
T.I.T.S. (which stands for This Is The Sh*t, by the way) curates Instagram-ready womenswear ranging from on point velour tracksuits to basic branded tees. The store easily ranks among the best places in Amsterdam for women’s streetwear and lines its shelves with items created by leading modern brands working in the field, including Stussy and Lazy Oaf. Aside from streetwear essentials from other brands, the store also stocks its own line of clothing, designed in-house and stamped with T.I.T.S.’ millennial pink logo. Although the store mainly caters to women, T.I.T.S. has a small section known as ‘the boyfriend corner’ dedicated to men’s streetwear.
COTTONCAKE presents its collection inside a white-washed showroom with exposed brick walls akin to a trendy contemporary art gallery. COTTONCAKE’s handpicked selection of clothing, jewellery and art prints are arranged on simple hangers or on other almost industrial looking fittings that match perfectly with the store’s overall aesthetic, creating a charming space that simultaneously feels exclusive and welcoming. Its collection almost always includes items that were made by local artists and generally centres around clothing that combines comfort with style. After browsing through COTTONCAKE’s current stock, visitors can relax upstairs at the store’s cafe, which serves healthy lunch meals and excellent coffee roasted by local java specialists, White Label.
