Today we’re sharing three of the city’s choice boutiques. Despite all being relatively new on the scene, these imaginative enterprises have resonated with both the global fashion community as well as with their neighborhood locals. And interestingly, all three owe their early success to a passionate and creative duo at the heart of each of the intrepid ventures.
Sing Blackbird Vintage Coffee & Clothing sits quietly nestled in its Neukölln neighborhood and is the collective dream of Diana Durdic and Tasha Arana. German and American respectively, the pair is stylish and was totally candid when we visited. Their good nature and exquisite taste is reflected in the charming and light-filled space. It is hard to imagine it in its former life as the office of a seedy phone sex line.
The shop’s café offers a simple, but enticing daily vegetarian menu with vegan options that include a tofu scramble and classic American-style pancakes. Delicate one-of-a-kind sugar bowls grace the tables around which a menagerie of found chairs gather, all smartly recovered in matching grey upholstery. Sing Blackbird also hosts weekly movie nights (we were in attendance for the memorial showing of Elizabeth’s Taylor’s hilarious and tragic Butterfield 8.) The hand-chosen garments for sale in the boutique are often retrofitted on a small sewing machine by the team to breathe life into potentially dated pieces, while trips to Tasha’s native California afford the opportunity to import exclusive, gently worn goods from theUSA.
We love not only the tasty treats and unique clothes for sale, but the altogether relaxed, hip, charming atmosphere, which masterfully avoids being cliché or pretentious. And apparently we’re not the only ones… Sing Blackbird has already appeared in the pages of Vogue Italia (yet again we’ve been one-upped by the wily Franca Sozzani) and courted by the likes of Dutch Elle, garnering an international following that is yearning for a taste of Berlin cool.
Sanderstraße 11 – 12047 Berlin
Daily 11:30 – 19:00 Weekend Breakfast Menu 11:30 – 15:30
Victoria met Albert is an ultra-charismatic concept store located on a sunny corner of Prenzlauerberg. The name, cleverly taken from the timeless love story of the British monarch and her prince, also charmingly refers to the Anglo-German love story of shop owners Will and Ilka. The couple, with years of prior experience in both design and retail, values the direct customer interaction that being in the new store affords them. As Will said, “It has changed our 9 to 5 to 12 hours a day, but it’s a lot more fun.” The retail space evokes a truly dreamy atmosphere, in which their lovely, colorful curiosities are presented alongside scrupulously curated collections of men and women’s clothing. Original Penguin, Farah, French Connection, Black Lily and many, many more international brands are brought together by the tireless team, who are constantly researching trends and seeking inspiration around the globe.
Dunckerstraße 81 – 10437 Berlin
Monday – Saturday 11:00 – 20:00
VOO Store occupies a 300 m2 former locksmith’s shop in the colorful and diverse neighborhood surrounding Kottbuser Tor. Founders and brothers Yasin and Kaan Müjdeci opened the concept store in the fall of last year. Their intention was to have VOO serve as more than just a storefront, “but also a gathering point of creative ideas, integrated within the existing Kreuzberg surroundings,” according to Yasin. It is the responsibility of Ingrid Junker, VOO’s creative director and her team to arrange readings, concerts and shows for designers and other artists on top of managing the store’s eclectic inventory. Some of our favorite brands including Surface To Air and Don’t Shoot The Messengers, and many more, are all available alongside a rotating selection of classic novels, luxurious body care products, and interesting design objects. This remarkable boutique tucked away from the street, seemingly a world away from the city’s traditional shopping destinations, is definitely worth a visit.
Oranienstraße 24 – 10999 Berlin
Monday – Thursday 12:00 – 21:00 Friday – Saturday 12:00 – 22:00
Styling Michael Rothleutner
Photographs Adolfo Luna
Model Nicole N. is wearing vintage pieces courtesy of Sing Blackbird Vintage Coffee & Clothing.
Michael Rothleutner
Want more stuff like this? Show love below.