Tag Archives: Stockholm

Hot on the Highstreet Week 252: Shopping in Stockholm

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This was my second trip to Sweden’s capital city, a place which is dominated by design. We visited for just two days and my mum and I were on a mission to discover the top Swedish designers, produce and crafts. Here are a few of our favourite shops on the Scandinavian highstreet.

Grandpa – This quirky shop sells scandinavian and international fashion, interior, vintage, books and gifts. It is a good place to pick up a local souvenir or gift.

Stutterheim – These brightly coloured handmade raincoats are the ultimate Stockholm accessory. Striking and trendy they will make you crave the wet weather like never before.

Hasbeens – These wonderfully made wooden soled shoes have become so popular that they are now found in shops worldwide. Based on the clog styles from the 70s Swedish Hasbeens creates traditional handmade shoes that will always be in fashion and will last forever.

Nitty Gritty – This chic shop started out in 1991 in Stockholm as a counter reaction to all the mainline clothing department stores dominating the market in the early 90’s. Beautifully curated and thoughtful the shop is a great place to browse through interesting Swedish designers and unique products.

Byredo – This is one of the few Swedish independent perfume brands and produces lovely pure scents. The fragrances are made with only five core ingredients, and smell fresh and vibrant. I fell in love with Mister Marvelous, a unisex scent which has won several awards.

Palmgrens – Established in 1896 by saddlemaker Johannes Palmgren this beautiful and luxurious leather designer is a Swedish institution. I loved the iconic leather-trimmed rattan tote, but there are many more styles and accessories to choose from. Sadly the beautifully craftsmanship comes with a hefty pricetag.

Svenskt Tenn – I wish my home could look like the inside of this shop. This famous Swedish design company has stunning fabrics and designs that would add character to any room. The flagship store also serves a Swedish afternoon tea in the salon upstairs.

Nividas – The word Nividas is Esperanto for ‘we see’. This new brand was founded on the idea that our eyewear should be adaptable to our lifestyle, for various occasions and different moods. The stylish glasses and sunglasses are very wearable and affordable.

Hope – If you want to leave Stockholm looking like a chic Scandinavian head to Hope and pick out a monochrome outfit. Founded in 2001 by designers Ann Ringstrand and Stefan Soderberg Hope has a lovely selection of masculine garments for men and women that were originally based on men’s utility-wear.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 231

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As I get older I look more and more at interiors, I see irresistible wallpaper, sofas, and design features that I want to have in my home with me. Stockholm is one of my favourite cities for attractive homeware, and at the moment there is a surge in interest for Scandi design.

Bxxlght, a design company that creates light boxes in plexiglas with different led light techniques. The company was founded in 2013 by Daniela Upmark in Stockholm, Sweden. Bxxlght is not just a simple product. The light box is a design product, an artwork and at the same time is a stylish disguised lamp. The performance of the light boxes can vary; you could have it standing on the floor, on a bookshelf or place it on the wall.

Upmark came up with the idea in New York in 2011 and the cool product definitely has that ‘Brooklyn look’. She felt something was missing in the Swedish design market, especially at a time when home decor with personal creative touches was so popular. She says: “I wanted to find art that stood out and that did not have to cost as much as an art work from a gallery or from exclusive auctions. For each season we will let a creator interpret a light box, which will be available as a limited edition”, says Daniela Upmark, CEO and designer for Bxxlght.

Buy one of the shop made products with slogans such as ‘You had me at Hello’ and ‘Welcome to Paradise’ (Regular 510 euros 90 x 70 x 13 cm or Small 410 euros 70 x 50 x 13 cm) or design your own to add light and creativity to your home!

Retailers in the UK include Holly’s Home and Astella Hrela. Or check out the Bxxlght website here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 178: An Acne Wardrobe

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Alaska Cloud Blue Oversized Square Scarf

Wonder white linen t-shirt

Spotless off white jumper

Skin 5 pocket jeans

Pistol Short Boots

The Acne emporium on Dover Street is a dangerous place for fashion fanatics like me. This venue is the Swedish fashion brand’s first UK store. Opened in 2010, with four floors of womenswear and menswear, it showcases the very best of this hip brand.

ACNE (Ambition to Create Novel Expressions) offers everything you could need for a suitable and stylish winter wardrobe. Picking from the classics, and the new season’s must haves I have selected my favourites. I rarely wear jeans, or boots, so to find a brand which makes both these to meet my incredibly fussy requirements is quite a feat.

Skin 5 pocket jeans are the essential jeans for every wardrobe; perfect skinny fit with a slight stretch they are flattering and comfortable, available in an array of different coloured washes. Complete the look with the chunky, original Acne black pistol boots, warm and thick heeled, they are ideal for surviving rainy days in London. White t-shirts are the simplest of garments and yet can be unflattering… Acne are masters of the basics and the wonder white linen t-shirt is my favourite from the collection, though there are many to choose from. Floaty and stylish, it falls flatteringly over the body, great for every occasion. There are lovely jumpers in the women’s department at Acne, but I couldn’t resist this gorgeous mens cashmere spotless jumper in off white (but also available in grey), super soft and ultra comfortable, with a useful pocket, it is a beautiful piece of knitwear for day and night. To complete the look indulge in the huge enveloping Alaska oversized square scarf, the cloud blue is most wearable, I think.

I wish I could wear and own everything in the Acne store. The above essentials will be versatile and useful all season, for every occasion. An indispensable winter wardrobe.

www.acnestudios.com