Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [69]
PUB (Map; 402 16 11; Drottninggatan 72-6; 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat, 11am-5pm Sun) Until recently, historic department store PUB was best known as the former workplace of Greta Garbo. A major revamp has since turned it into Stockholm’s hottest new fashion and lifestyle hub. Bag yourself fresh Nordic labels like Stray Boys, House of Dagmar and Baum & Pferdgarten, refuel at the slinky cafe-bar or check out the edgy art space.
Ekovaruhuset (Map; 22 98 45; Österlånggatan 28) With a sister shop in Manhattan, this enlightened concept store stocks fair-trade organic products, from cosmetics and chocolates to trendy threads and too-cute babywear. Expect anything from Edun T-shirts from Peru to in-the-know labels like Zion and Misericordia.
Chokladfabriken (Map; 640 05 68; Renstiernas Gata 12; closed Sun) For an edible souvenir, head straight to this savvy chocolate peddler, where seasonal Nordic ingredients are used to make heavenly cocoa treats. There’s a cafe for an on-the-spot fix, and smaller branches in Norrmalm (Map; Regeringsgatan 58) and Östermalm (Map; Grevgatan 37).
DesignTorget Götgatan (Map; 462 35 20; Götgatan 31, Södermalm); Sergels Torg (Map; 50 83 15 20; Basement, Kulturhuset, Sergels Torg) If you love good design but don’t own a Gold Amex, head to this clued-up chain, which sells the work of emerging designers alongside established denizens.
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DESIGN & THE CITY
From cult fabrics to starchitect bars, Stockholm is a design buff’s dream. Most of Sweden’s creative big guns are based here and its league of design shops, studios and galleries are the perfect crash course in crisp, clean Nordic aesthetics. A good place to start is at the permanent design exhibition at Nationalmuseum. Once you’re clued-up, pay homage at stalwart design retailer, Svenkst Tenn (Map; 670 16 00; Strandvägen 5), home to rich, floral fabrics by design legend Josef Frank. Nearby, both Nordiska Galleriet (Map; 442 83 60; Nybrogatan 11) and Modernity (Map; 20 80 25; Sibyllegatan 6) stock cult furniture, as well collectable lighting and glassware.
Further west in Vasastan, Upplansgatan (Map) is a street famous for its antique shops, packed with retro oddities. Close by, gallery-cum-shop Platina (Map; 30 02 80; Odengatan 68) showcases contemporary and cutting-edge jewellery design from Sweden and beyond. For conscientious handicrafts, don’t miss Iris Hantverk (Map; 21 47 26; Kungsgatan 55), where much of the stuff is made by (and to raise money for) the vision impaired.
Across town, Södermalm is home to some superb craft collectives, including ubercool Konsthantverkana (Map; 611 03 70; Södermalmstorg 4) and Blås & Knåda (Map; 642 77 67; Hornsgatan 26), the latter run by around 45 Swedish potters and glass-blowers. On the same street, former model-singer Efva Attling (Map; 642 99 49; Hornsgatan 44) is one of Stockholm’s foremost silversmiths, creating stunning, clean-cut designs with names like Make Love Not War and Homo Sapiens. Södermalm’s main drag Götgatan is also a design mecca, and home to democratically priced DesignTorget (above) and the iconic 10 Swedish Designers (Map; 643 25 04; Götgatan 25). Known in Swedish as Tiogruppen, 10 Swedish Designers hit the scene in 1970 when emerging textile designers (including the famous Tom Hedqvist) decided to spike the Swedish design scene with unapologetically bold, geometric patterns. These days, their eye-catching graphics plaster everything from tote bags and wallets to cushions, plates and napkins.
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Tjallamalla (Map; 640 78 47; www.tjallamalla.com; Bondegatan 46; noon-6pm Mon-Fri, noon-4pm Sat) Raid the racks at this fashion icon for rookie designers like Hot Sissy, Papagaio and organic Malmö streetwear label, Kärleksgatan. Graduates from Stockholm’s prestigious Beckmans College of Design School sometimes sell their collections here on commission.
For your all-in-one retail therapy, scour department-store giant Åhléns (Map; 676 60 00; Klarabergsgatan 50) or its upmarket rival NK (Map; 762 80 00; Hamngatan 12-18).
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