8 1/2 concept store

Formerly only pop-up stores for eight and a half weeks around Berlin and other cities, 8 ½ now has a permanent home - a concept store for young designer fashion and accessories, mostly from Berlin. The shop is gorgeous and stocks some really talented young designers, such as Esther Perbandt, Clarissa Labin (wonderful knits) and juliaandben, as well as an array of art books, vinyl and cds.

I had fun with the salesgirls and bought a 3D print dress, for summer and post-baby, by London store Beyond the Valley. Come on spring, let's bring on the sun and new life!

Kollwitzstrasse 42, 10405 Berlin-Prenzlauerberg
Open from 11.00-19.00

Cydwoq shoes

I have owned a much-admired pair of these gorgeous, handmade, ergonomic and uniquely stylish Cydwoq shoes for many years. That's one beauty - they last and last!

Available worldwide and still made by hand, using in-house vegetable-dyed leather, in a large factory in California, the Cydwoq company is a fine example of staying true to self. The founder Rafi Balouzian comes from a line of shoemakers and continued his family tradition out of his simple passion for walking and nature... and every foot deserves to walk in utter comfort and style!

http://cydwoq.tumblr.com/ (blog)

Nutsa Modebadze

Thanks to one of my favourite blogs, Simply Olive, I discovered the stunning work of Russian designer Nutsa Modebadze, who makes my ideal leather bags and shoes. Goody, now I don't need to make my ideal bag!

Das Neue Schwarz

My lovely friend David Ramirez and one of his business partners Tanya Bednar, run the chic and oh so stylish underground boutique Das Neue Schwarz (the new black), for vintage designer clothing, accessories, books, collectibles for the home and jewellery. It's on the very hip Mulackstrasse in Berlin Mitte and is a must-see on this strip of all that's hot in fashion and style. Check out the online shop if you're not Berlin-based and you can still enjoy the yummyness.

Mulackstrasse 32, 10119 Berlin-Mitte
0177 138 97 88

Mimi Antique Textiles & Dress

I love this city for its endless treasures tucked in side streets, and so I say one must discover Berlin by bike. I was riding past this beautiful little Schöneberg boutique for antique clothing called Mimi today, and had to stop for a peep. It is filled with a serious step-back-in-time collection of clothing which is commonly sought after by film and theatre people, including the likes of Quentin Tarrantino for Inglorious Bastards, for example...

They sew clothing & accessories from historical models, buy, sell and hire costumes, wedding clothing & vintage clothing.

Goltzstrasse 5, 10781 Berlin Schöneberg
Open Mon-Fri: 12.00-19.00
Sat: 11.00-16.00

Shusta, Berlin

You would be forgiven for thinking I had disappeared lately from lack of blogging... Truth is, life has been juicy and exciting and now that the sun is out, the urge to be outside when possible takes over! This means that my list of things to blog about has been steadily growing by the minute and so I will put a few out there on this first day of June!

Recently I discovered a funky new shoe store in Mitte Berlin called Shusta, where they have yummy coloured desert boots - honestly still one of my favourites from childhood, fair-trade Brazilian sandals, and young labels making shoes and accessories, all impeccably chosen. The store is located at Rosentaler Straße 72, near the well-known internet café Sankt Oberholz on the corner of Torstraße.

Elsa

In anticipation of my visit this weekend to the fashionable city of Antwerp to see the 20th Anniversary exhibition of Maison Martin Margiela, I am going to link to one very fine shoe shop ELSA that I will poke my feet and head into, just to look - the budget does not allow for a shopping escapade, but as my Mama always says, "a cat can look at a king"! Els Proost was responsible for the shoe designs of many a favourite label (including MMM) and is now doing her own in conjunction with a partner in crime Angelo Penazzato. Long live these kind of collaborations! I have my own in the making... more later...