It’s Berlin! It’s vintage! It’s addictive!

By admin Friday May 22, 2009

Stacey is currently enjoying her semester in Germany. Meanwhile, she explores vintage stores and tells you where the hidden gems are.

Granted it may be the German capital, but Berlin should really also be the Vintage capital of the world.

If you’re familiar with vintage shops in Singapore, it’s hard to ignore the differences between the shops here and the ones in Berlin.

It lacks two of the ‘qualities’ I’ve always attached to the vintage shopping experience in Singapore. Despite my love for vintage, I’ve never been able to stay in any shop for long, given the smell (food goes bad faster in a tropical country; the same goes for vintage). In Berlin, that unmistakable smell of vintage is thankfully not as pungent. Secondly (and happily!), the exorbitant price tag is nowhere to be found.

It would be impossible to visit all the vintage shops scattered all around Berlin; the only neighbourhood you really need to visit to get your Vintage fix is the borough of Prenzlauer Berg, which is a little ways away from the city centre.

You will need to make two trips (I recommend one weekday and one Sunday) in order to cover all the vintage shops this neighbourhood has to offer. It’s not an exaggeration.

In Germany, almost all the shops are closed on Sunday, but every Sunday in Prenzlauer Berg you’ll find Mauerpark flea market, the largest flea market in all of Berlin.

Mauerpark Flea Market

Although you may have to rummage through piles and piles of clothes to actually find a piece of vintage, there is no lack of vintage accessories and shoes. Granted that some of the clothing may not be vintage pieces, for example a Mod H & M dress I spied amidst the pile, but if you’re lucky you might just find something like a colourful high-waisted skirt.

“How much is this?” I asked a girl, not older than 15.

“Five €,” she said.

Not willing to buy anything without exercising my right to haggle in a flea market, I said: “I’ll give you three, since I’ll have to fix the zipper.”

She was dumbfounded and perturbed by my offer but just then, her grandmother – proud owner of the skirt – came over.

“No, this is my skirt! From the 60’s! Ok! Ok! 3,50.”

I bought it, but overlooked the fact that only someone with a waistline of 18 inches would fit into it. That’s how you know it’s real vintage.

Boots to suit every desire

Alternatively, if you don’t feel brave enough to navigate your way out of the city centre given that the transport network can be very confusing, staying within the central borough of Mitte will do just fine.

It’s amazing how American Apparel pieces (although fantastic) at California Select can be so overpriced, but vintage items there can be so affordable. It is almost as if they jacked up the prices of basics so that they don’t make as much of a loss selling one-of-a-kind, expertly selected pieces at prices lower than what it is worth.

Cocktail dresses range from 40-60 € and shoes (1970s heels for 30 €).

Here's what I snapped up at California Select, pity it will be a little too warm for Singapore's climate.

Dressing vintage is quintessentially Berlin, and Made in Berlin attests to that fact. Located right in one of the busiest shopping district, this establishment boast two floors of Vintage, Vintage and more Vintage. Skirts and blouses from the late 1980s to early 1990s at anything between 15-40 €, retro leather starting at 60 €. In the basement, you’ll find items that that date back to the 1960s as well as something for a boy who shares the same passion for vintage as you do.

Vintage is addictive, so enjoy the shopping experience, and bring wads of cash because you’ll always find a reason to get yourself another pair of oversized bug-eyed sunglasses.