Shopping in Stockholm Sweden
Best shopping hot spots in Sweden's Capital: Stockholm
There's great shopping in Stockholm: from uber-trendy Euro-designers like Fillipa K to Swedish design in the Soder district.
If you want to know where to shop in Stockholm, follow the city’s sweet young things to find the hot spots. They bypass Drottninggatan– the city’s main pedestrian shopping street – except possibly to make an afterwork visit to the turn-of-the-century bathhouse at Central Badet. ($16 will buy you a daypass to old-world luxury with three types of saunas – steam, wet and dry – and elegant swimming pool.) Oh... and if you need a bite before dipping into the shops, read my thoughts on Stockholm's best restaurants.
Scandinavian Simplicity
And they keep on walking over to Grev Turegatan. Like any European capital, styles are trendy, but with a softness that Patrik Kihlborg, General Manager of design house Filippa K (and Filippa’s husband) says is owing to that age-old Scandinavian love of simplicity.
Calling IKEA brilliant and wishing he could come up with a way to sell assemble yourself clothes, Kihlborg says Filippa K’s body-skimming, well-cut basics sell like hotcakes because, like any good Scandinavian product, they work.
“Simplicity is nothing in itself. It’s is the function,” says Kihlborg from Filippa K’s headquarters, overlooking design street, Gotgatan.
“It’s always got to be functional. We design for ourselves and we think, we don’t want to wear something with big logos. It always has to look crisp and clean, without being over decorated.”
Gamla Stan – Stockholm’s Lovely Old Quarter
Simple classic gear – ensuring you’ll look good in a city that, almost without exception, looks fabulous. This is important if your backdrop is to be as lovely as, say, Gamla Stan, the city’s old quarter! The small, central island where the city was founded in the 14th century, is chock-a-block with teensy old squares, narrow, cobbled streets, charming churches and the Royal Palace. Everyone goes. You will too.
But make sure you after your visit to keep on walking. Because Sodermalm, the city’s south island beyond Gamla Stan, throbs with life. A favourite stop on bus tours, Soder has a splendid view of the city and teeny antique wooden cottages dating back to turn of the century Stockholm – so special they’ve been designated culturally listed properties by UNESCO. Soder is residential with lively beer halls and cafes. And it’s got design shops and small galleries galore.
Hot Design in Gotgatan
The main drag - Gotgatan - is where you’ll find Design Torget. It’s home to the coolest tupperware, spices, furniture and pencils you’ll find THAT side of the Atlantic. Down the street are dozens of bold fabrics from 10 Gruppen/Ten Swedish designers. You can pick up your Bjorn Borg underwear across the street at Gotgatan 30. And have a coffee at Wayne’s with the rest of the city’s design cogniscenti. (If design is really your thing, stop off at Sweden House at central Kungstradgarden and ask for the excellent Design GUIDE ’99 which maps out the city’s best design spots.)
At snack time, stop at the nearby Slussen subway shop you can buy herring cooked twelve different ways from what we’d call a “chip wagon.” Try sipping on some “flader” or elderflower juice, too. Or head north to Ostermalm where the swishy market stalls of the city’s Ostermalmshallen will sell you lingonberry chutney, the catch of the day, pickled cucumber, rosehip soup and if you’re lucky, elk meat. Neat-o.
