In a bid to bag the biggest fashion bargains and seek out the most unique attire the city has to offer, YLC’s Victoria Hussey went to Söder to delve into the island’s treasure trove of vintage boutiques.
There is so much more to Stockholm fashion than big high-street brands and luxurious designer labels. Shopping on Södermalm is a unique experience. Amongst rockabillies and hipsters is a vintage scene not to be missed. Prices may vary dramatically but there are certainly bargains to be had.
British vintage clothing chain Beyond Retro is a hipster’s paradise. The brand has two stores on Södermalm – one on Åsögatan and another on Brännkyrkagatan, Zinken – and both provide a heady mix of vintage tea-dresses, printed shirts, bowler hats and tailoring (for boys and girls) from every decade as well as trendy brogues, canvas backpacks, caps, dungarees and Ray-ban-style sunglasses.
“Half of our customers are buying for costume parties, the other half just want great, unique clothing,” store assistant Niklas told YLC.
“We do everything from hipster to 70s party”.
Beyond Retro has a team of fashion forecasters and designers that produce the brand’s own line of clothing made or inspired from vintage pieces and fabrics such as floral jumpsuits and panelled denim dresses. You’ll also find ‘unisex’ items amongst the rails so don’t be afraid to wander over into the boys section (and vice versa) to find well-hidden gems.
Prices start from around 49 SEK but most items are around the 199 SEK mark, and be prepared to pay 399 SEK or above for special, attention-grabbing pieces.
Retro-heaven, Pop on Skånegatan is a step back in time: expect rock ‘n’ rolls tunes, psychedelic prints and plenty of colourful vintage frocks, pop memorabilia and mod-style garb circa 1962. The store is charmingly flamboyant and with its strong retro theme, it’s definitely one for the purists. However, Pop does offer something for the less daring but equally retro-loving-lot.
“We work closely with British brand POP,” co-owner, Björn explained. “So we also stock a line of brand new vintage-inspired clothing too”.
If you prefer something a little more low-key try Lisa Larsson on Bondegatan.
“It’s one of my favourite places to shop second-hand in the area,” shopper and local resident Julia, 24, told YLC.
“The clothes are of good quality and there’s a nice range of things to buy.”
While Cissi och Selma on Bondegatan is one of Sofo’s vintage boutiques that offers recycled clothing using fabrics from the 60s and 70s, the charity organisation, Stockholms Stadsmission is certainly well worth a peek if it’s a bargain you’re after. Similar to Beyond Retro, they have a Re-made section re-using old fabrics to create modern and unique including dresses made from upside-down men’s tailored trousers. Prices are on the whole cheap and cheerful; t-shirts, blouses and skirts can be purchased for less than 99 SEK and it’s possible to find classic pieces from big Swedish designers Whyred, The Local Firm and Tiger here for a snippet of the original ticket price.
The best thing about Södermalm’s second-hand scene? With vintage boutiques offering an increasingly wide selection of retro and re-made clothing from every recent decade, finding a gem is almost a certainty!
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