The leathery scent of Santal 33 is like a drug. Bitter sweetness of Bergamote 22 is a sensual refreshment. Neroli 36 feels like liquid memoir of an Italian summer. I’m speaking of Le Labo, a brand that’s not just about (already) desirable branding, but powerful fragrances. Heralded as one of the best niche fragrances brands in the world, Le Labo boasts a core selection of unique fragrances and exclusive scents available in nine cities. Their newly opened store in Berlin‘s Mitte district is as delightful as the products available there. Those old tiles on the walls, heavy wooden counters, vintage sofas… honestly, wouldn’t mind staying here for much longer.
Concierge Coffee, Benjamin Pates’s and Namy Nosratifard’s baby, is there for you to serve the best flat white in entire Kreuzberg, just along the canal. Fresh pastries and house juices are here, too, nicely displayed on the counter (with some quite tongue-in-cheek taxidermy pets in the front). But it isn’t only coffee that attracts Berliners to Concierge, Kreuzberg’s best kept secret. It’s the atmosphere of this low-key spot that makes it so undeniably cool. The coffee bar is hidden away in an old gatekeepers room, while the beverages are served through a small window in the back. Sit with the locals on matching the cups, blue stools, and enjoy the street view!
Cocolo Ramen X-Berg is said to have the best ramen in Berlin. I guess the huge queues for a seat are the best evidence for that. I ate the Wantanramen with shrimp wontons and it was the actual 7th wonder happening in my mouth. Ramen often tends to be too fatty, but this one was just perfect for me – light, but with its recognizable essence. Gyoza dumplings are also worth a try. The industrial interior with long, wooden tables is as charming as the outdoors space. Sitting there on a sunny day and observing the diverse street life of Kreuzberg is something I can do everyday! While sipping Cocolo’s home-made, signature lemonade, of course.
That’s not your average market. This one specific market, located along the Spree river, takes place every Tuesday and Friday and booms with the unbelievable diversity of Berlin‘s Kreuzberg district. Cultures and ethnicities clash on the stalls in form of vegetables, jewellery and even oriental bread types. The people here are so unbelievably beautiful. Sellers talk, laugh and are absolutely open for any kind of bargaining. The market-goers buy and pack everything neatly into their stylish baskets. It’s chaotic, but in a very organic way.
Entering Ann Demeulemeester‘s spacious store is like approaching the church alter. The Belgian fashion designer’s dark romance oozes from the lace vests, fragile headpieces and Victorian frocks with absorbing power, while the multi-storey boutique has a sacred charm about it. The white-wall backdrop makes you look at the details of the clothes with great scrutiny, breathless. Ann’s fashion used to be pure poetry with a Flemish twist, and fortunately, Sebastian Meunièr, the current creative director, successfully conveys the Demeulemeester codes in his collections. And with the help of the Antwerp flagship store – which also holds the studio and atelier – Ann Demeulmeester appears to be one of the finest of Belgian fashion.
Other than Ann Demeulemeester, there’s also Dries Van Noten and A.F. Vandevorst, who make contemporary Belgian fashion so crucial. The building, in which you see the Van Noten boutique, is fully owned by the designer and is gracefully called Het Modepalais (‘fashion palace’). The name might sound quite over-the-top, but the store is far from that term. It’s like Dries’ fashion – refined with an edge. It feels like an apartment that is currently ‘furnished’ with the designer’s mesmerising clothes and accessories from his 100th collection. Fresh bouquets of hydrangeas bring even more chic to this (literally) fashionable townhouse. What’s interesting, Dries Van Noten really is a local treasure of Antwerp. That’s evident from the moment you start observing the clients – the crowd of mature, aware-of-themselves women trying on floral dresses and passionately advising on their purchases with their patient (and equally stylish) husbands is surprising. Observing this scene is beautiful and heartwarming in its own way. Meanwhile, trying on faux-furs and preciously embellished sweaters at the menswear floor is double the pleasure…
Nationalestraat 16
A.F. Vandevorst‘s store is small, but dynamic. The brand is known for off-kilter, punky attitude – better get your hands on those chunky knits and signature, pointy-toe boots. They sell out quickly. The braver once might want to indulge themselves in kinky, PVC coats and patchwork dresses coming from the brand’s latest venture into haute couture world.
Design & Culture by Ed 