15 November 11

Shop On

Our correspondents across Europe share their favourite stores for gift buying in some of the world's best shopping cities. From the big and bold to the cute and quirky, we've got bags of ideas for you…

STOCKHOLM
Grab a slice of Scandinavian style, with a raft of cool shops for gifts for everyone from babies on up, says Jonna Dagliden.

FOR THE SWEDISH EXPERIENCE

PUB

Founded in 1882 on Hötorget square, PUB is Stockholm’s oldest department store. After being refurbished in 2007, the much-loved shop is now the home to both established and new, up-and-coming designers. On the first floor you’ll find international brands such as Burberry and Hugo Boss mixed with Swedish labels such as Acne, Minimarket and Filippa K. Swedes are well-known for being lovers of functional yet beautiful interior design, and two flights up and you are in a mecca of home styling. The staff at R.O.O.M., Himla and House Doctor will make sure you find the kind of homeware gifts that you’re looking for.

9 GAMLA BROGATAN, TEL: +46 (0)8 789 1930, WWW.PUB.SE

FOR THE RETRO DISCOVERY

GRANDPA

Visiting Grandpa is like discovering your grandparents’ forgotten attic. Retro glass jars, a vintage ruler and a timeworn trunk are just some of the treasures you may come across. Alongside this you will also find carefully chosen men’s and women’s fashion items – all with that old-school appeal. Boys: don’t miss the Grenson brogues paired with vintage Levi’s. And girls: look out for the Swedish Hasbeens clogs alongside pretty frocks from House of Dagmar.

STOCKHOLM STORES AT 21 SÖDERMANNAGATAN, TEL: +46 (0)8 643 6080 AND 43 FRIDHEMSGATAN, TEL: +46 (0)8 643 6081, WWW.GRANDPA.SE

FOR THE FAMILY

GRANIT

“It was really easy to find nice things but never anything to store them in,” the founders of Granit write on its website. They therefore decided to open a shop with trendy storage solutions. With branches all over Sweden, Granit has created a trademark with its stripped down, industrial-looking design. Besides boxes and baskets, you can also find kitchen utensils, flowerpots, jars and lights.

Help your family get organised by giving them the perfect gift: a funky blackboard with chalk.

BRANCHES INCLUDE 31 GÖTGATAN, TEL: +46 (0)8 642 1068, WWW.GRANIT.SE

FOR FRAGRANCE

BYREDO

If you want someone to smell nice this Christmas, pop into fragrance house Byredo while you’re in Stockholm. Founded in 2006 by fine artist Ben Gorham, Byredo focuses on craft and quality, and manufactures all its fragrances in Sweden. The full set of perfumes are available in the Stockholm store, including Sunday Cologne with hints of cardamom and lavender, and Rose Noir smells of grapefruit, rose and musk.

42 MÄSTER SAMUELSGATAN, TEL: +46 (0)8 5250 2610, WWW.BYREDO.COM

FOR THE INDIVIDUAL GIFT

TSHIRT STORE

With new prints every week, this is the perfect shop to find an individual gift with an individual message. Created in 2006 in Malmö, the same successful concept has expanded across Sweden, forming new collaborations with artists, illustrators and

designers for T-shirts as it goes. Produced in 100% organic cotton, these include anything from funny characters to quirky, off-beat slogans.

BRANCHES INCLUDE 28 GÖTGATAN, TEL: +46 (0)8 640 0131, WWW.TSHIRTSTOREONLINE.COM

FOR THE LITTLE ONES

RÖDBROKA

If you’re tired of buying mass-produced, plastic toys at Christmas, the Rödbroka independent toy shop is for you. Founded in 1976, it’s located on the famous “hump” on Hornsgatan, the higher part of the street that runs across Södermalm. Rödbroka has lots of unique and educational toys for babies and toddlers, in materials such as wood, fabric and even sheet metal. The red wooden tea sets for kids are particularly cute.

48A HORNSGATAN, TEL: +46 (0)8 642 1689, WWW.RODBROKA.SE

FOR INSPIRATION

SNICKARBACKEN 7

Snickarbacken 7 is a new hub for art, design, fashion and coffee. The building has never previously been open to the public and dates back to the late 1800s, when horses were still stabled on the lower ground floor. Visit the art gallery, test basins in the bathroom shop Badrummet or check out the Van Deurs Et Al fashion store. If you are after a small gift, buy a bag of freshly roasted coffee by the Swedish roastery Da Matteo from the coffee shop, Kaffeverket.

7 SNICKARBACKEN, TEL: +46 (0)70 738 8394, WWW.SNICKARBACKEN7.SE

FOR SOME CLEVER DESIGN

DESIGNTORGET

Every time you visit DesignTorget we can guarantee you will find a product that you have never thought of before, but now suddenly feel you can’t live without. From sleek kitchen gadgets to cool office accessories and even some bits and bobs for the garden (such as a stylish birdhouse), a host of different products to smarten up your home are sold here. The toy selection, which includes some traditional toys like animal glove puppets, is ace too. For a Scandi design store prices are refreshingly accessible and staff are warm and helpful. They update the space every week by adding more hot new designs, so keep checking back. We particularly like the yellow plastic banana holder.

BRANCHES INCLUDE 16 NYBROGATAN, TEL: +46 (0)8 611 5303, WWW.DESIGNTORGET.SE

MADRID
From a teddy bear to a vintage jukebox, Madrid’s shops are brimming with original gifts, says Pablo Carballo.

FOR SOMETHING EDGY

ROTUNDA WARNING

Shop here for the hipster in your life. There’s a wide choice of urban clothing and cool jewellery by local designers, as well as original, sometimes risqué gifts. Being on the edge of Madrid’s popular gay district of Chueca, the store even has a section aimed squarely at gay and lesbian shoppers.

29 C/HORTALEZA, TEL: +34 915 234 234, WWW.ROTUNDAWARNING.COM

FOR TRADITIONAL TOYS

ASÍ

If you’re after computer games or techy stuff for kids then better look elsewhere – this is the place to come for traditional presents. Wooden toys, doll’s houses, teddy bears and so on are all stocked here. Así also manufactures its own dolls, which are very much in demand come Christmas time. You may even see a queue spilling out onto the pavement come December.

47 GRAN VÍA, TEL: +34 915 482 828, WWW.TIENDAS-ASI.COM

FOR A GIFT-SHOPPING BLITZ

EL CORTE INGLÉS

This has been Spain’s favourite department store for more than a century now, and El Corte Inglés (pictured, left) stocks a vast selection of mid-range to upmarket branded clothing, electronics and more. Perfect if you’ve left everything to the last minute and need to shop for several people’s gifts at once. The planta joven (“young floor”) sells high-end brands such as Ralph Lauren, Diesel and G-Star, but also look out for pieces by Spanish designers such as Roberto Verino, Victorio & Lucchino and Florentino. If you need to keep your blood sugar levels up while shopping, visit the superb deli counter at the in-store supermarket. The oldest and most central of the multiple Madrid locations of El Corte Inglés is beside the Puerta del Sol.

1 PRECIADOS, TEL: +34 913 798 000, WWW.ELCORTEINGLES.ES

FOR A NEW LOOK

EL TINTERO

A shop that sells one product and one only: T-shirts. And they have been selling well here for 16 years now. The quirky designs, printed with eco-friendly ink on cotton only, can make for a rather unique souvenir of Madrid for kids or adults.

5 C/GRAVINA, TEL: +34 913 081 418, WWW.ELTINTERO.ES

FOR SOMETHING FUNNY

REVOLUTUM

You need never buy anyone a predictable Christmas gift again. At this gift shop near the Bernabéu stadium there is something willfully silly about every item. Browse gifts like a clock that runs anti-clockwise (someone must want one), a microphone- shaped shower radio or what appears to be a cereal packet but is actually a security box made of steel.

28 DOCTOR FLEMING, TEL: +34 914 570 337, WWW.REVOLUTUM.COM

FOR A BIT OF COLOUR

AGATHA RUIZ DE LA PRADA

With her tirelessly imaginative and colourful creations, this celebrated Madrid designer puts her stamp on everything from bed spreads and cooking utensils to children’s clothes and womenswear. You’ll find her eye- poppingly bright shop along what the locals call Madrid’s “golden mile” of great stores.

27 C/SERRANO, TEL: +34 913 190 501, WWW.AGATHARUIZDELAPRADA.COM

FOR GOOD TUNES

TONI MARTIN DISCOS

In the era of the MP3 and music streaming, here is a shop that’s a true survivor from another era. Remember the days when you went to the record store for the atmosphere, and to browse in the hope of finding some obscure CD or a piece of vinyl you wanted just for the B-side? Then you’ll love this place.

18 C/MARTÍN DE LOS HEROS, TEL: +34 915 425 020, WWW.TONIMARTINDISCOS.COM

FOR A PIECE OF THE PAST

FUTURAMIC

A vintage pop-culture paradise, full of all kinds of authentic memorabilia from the 1930s onwards, particularly Americana. If you are looking for a 1950s jukebox, an old Pepsi advertising sign or a pin-up girl poster, this is your new place. Don’t get too excited though, not absolutely everything is for sale: the rare nature of some objects means that they are for rental only. Customers here often include those who are sourcing props for feature films, as well as general fans of retro kitsch.

5 C/VÁLGAME DIOS, TEL: +34 915 316 357, WWW.FUTURAMICS.COM

LONDON
From the fashion mothership stores of Regent Street to the quirky boutiques beyond, London shops have it all, says Sophy Grimshaw.

FOR A BIT OF EVERYTHING

LIBERTY

Founded in 1875, Liberty – with its floorboards, rugs and wood-panelled lifts – is perhaps the world’s most characterful department store. The wooden beams of the building’s famous exterior were salvaged from two great ships. Inside, you can not only shop for designer clothes, shoes and accessories from European labels such as Dries Van Noten and Comme des Garçons, but also for Diptyque candles, Nars make-up and Rococo Chocolates. Don’t miss London’s other iconic department stores, including the more contemporary Selfridges.

REGENT STREET, TEL: +44 (0)20 7734 1234, WWW.LIBERTY.CO.UK

FOR BOOKS AND MORE

MAGMA

Covent Garden boats two branches of Magma: one selling books only, and the other selling a range of gifts. For the latter, head to 16 Earlham Street, where you’ll find everything from a Moomin origami kit to novelty homewares such as a ceramic notepad. T-shirts and cushions are by hot designers like Donna Wilson. In the bookstore at 8 Earlham Street, read up on everything from Russian criminal tattoos to fashion icon Isabella Blow.

ALSO AT 117 CLERKENWELL ROAD. WWW.MAGMABOOKS.COM

FOR JAPANESE GENIUS

MUJI

A place to pick up everything from stationery to candles, soap, toys, clothes and furniture, Londoners have taken this minimalist Japanese chain to their hearts. Muji sells a host of beautiful stocking stuffers for Christmas, too. The do-it-yourself dioramas with little wooden animals are a favourite.

STORES ACROSS LONDON, INCLUDING 187 OXFORD STREET, WWW.MUJI.EU

FOR MAKING MOUTHS WATER

FORTNUM & MASON

The street-level food shop at this upscale department store really comes into its own in the run-up to Christmas. This is quality food in pretty packaging that you can give as a gift – from a tin of florentines or marzipan fruits to ribbon-wrapped German stollen cake or a box of rose and violet cream chocolates. The own-brand honey comes from beehives on the roof of the store.

181 PICCADILLY, TEL:+44 (0)207 734 8040, WWW.FORTNUMANDMASON.COM

FOR BATH AND BODY

KIEHL’S

Founded in New York’s East Village in 1851, this high-quality bodycare brand is stocked in some of the bigger London department stores – but you can’t beat a visit to the cosy Covent Garden HQ, complete with a vintage motorbike and model skeletons. Attentive staff will find the right product for you or your loved one. You can have a gift beautifully wrapped in store, ready to pop under the tree. Buy someone the Creme des Corps moisturiser: an iconic Kiehl’s product because it’s so darn good! Look for the bottles with limited edition packaging, which has included the art of Jeff Koons.

29 MONMOUTH STREET, TEL: +44 (0)20 724 0241, WWW.KIEHLS.CO.UK

FOR FASHION FANATICS

TOPSHOP FLAGSHIP STORE

Fashion fans can’t exit Oxford Circus Tube station for a shopping spree without finding themselves sucked into the mammoth Topshop opposite. It’s literally the world’s largest fashion store. Stars including Beyoncé have been seen shopping here, and there’s an in-store café, nail salon and even a blow-dry bar so you can leave with perfectly styled hair. The accessories floor is perfect for hunting for gifts.

36–38 GREAT CASTLE STREET, TEL: +44 (0)844 848 7487, WWW.TOPSHOP.COM

FOR SOMETHING PRETTY

LUNA & CURIOUS

New at the Sanderson hotel is the Luna & Curious boutique. It’s the second branch for the brand, whose original location is in Shoreditch. Products range from tableware to womenswear and baby accessories, such as a cute knitted sleeping bag that looks like a mermaid’s tail. There’s exotic jewellery, too – co-founder Rheanna Lingham incorporates hand-dyed feathers in her necklaces. Prices range from £6 into the hundreds.

SANDERSON, 50 BERNERS STREET, TEL: +44 (0)20 7300 1400, WWW.SANDERSONLONDON.COM; WWW.LUNAANDCURIOUS.COM

FOR SOMETHING OLD-FASHIONED

CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS SHOP

The shop at this museum near Buckingham Palace is packed with interesting gifts, many of which are recreations of World War II-era products. Shop for a stylishly old-fashioned looking radio, telephone or teapot. For children, the sweets (newly made from old recipes), games and wooden toys are surprisingly timeless in their appeal. Slogans like “Eat Less Bread” and “Keep Calm and Carry On” are printed on a variety of products, and you can shop online too.

CLIVE STEPS, KING CHARLES STREET, TEL: +44 (0)20 7930 6961, WWW.CWR.IWM.ORG.UK

MILAN
Armani goodies, chocolates, bespoke perfume — Milan has indulgent gifts galore, says Karen Glaser.

FOR SMELLING SWEET

L’OLFATTORIO

It looks like a high-end bar, but the only liquid on sale here is perfume. The glass vials lining the floor-to-ceiling shelves of L’Olfattorio – located in Excelsior Milano, the city’s newest shopping emporium – contain handmade scents from all corners of the Earth. An expert “bartender” will guide you through them to create your own unique fragrance.

EXCELSIOR MILANO, 4 GALLERIA DEL CORSO, TEL: +39 02 8907 0546, WWW.EXCELSIORMILANO.COM, WWW.OLFATTORIO.IT

FOR THE TOY BOX

CITTÀ DEL SOLE

This colourful shop has an unrivalled selection of educational and made-to-last toys: a welcome antidote to computer gadgetry. Brands like Brio and Galt vie for your attention with lesser-known names. The helpful and patient staff, many of whom speak English, are happy to gift-wrap.

BRANCHES INCLUDE 13 VIA OREFICI, TEL: +39 02 8646 1683, WWW.CITTADELSOLE.IT

FOR FEEDING THE MIND

HOEPLI

This six-floor monument to reading is the biggest bookshop in Italy. Its 500,000 titles include a good range of English and German texts and, this being Milan, design and fashion tomes galore. In addition, Hoepli’s labyrinthine corridors and staircases will take you on lots of unexpected reading adventures: a 1904 edition of the Divine Comedy, anyone?

5 VIA ULRICO HOEPLI, TEL: + 39 02 864871, WWW.HOEPLI.IT

FOR SOMETHING TASTY

PECK

Combine Italy’s flair for design with its passion for food and drink and you get Peck – an upscale delicatessen that has been tickling Milanese taste buds since 1883. Gourmands from across the globe head here for beautifully packaged speciality foods like green-pepper vinegar, toasted hazelnuts in acacia honey and expensive white truffles from Piedmont.

9 VIA SPADARI, TEL: +39 02 802 3161, WWW.PECK.IT

FOR LABEL LOVERS

ARMANI MANZONI 31

If you love all things Giorgio, you will probably want to move into this gargantuan store, which sells everything from the designer’s high-fashion creations to its own chocolates at Armani Dolci. You could well spend an afternoon here flicking through the rails, sipping coffee in the café, browsing the well-stocked bookshop and trying out the latest perfumes – before popping to the on-site florist’s. Armani Casa, its homewares brand, is just a few doors down.

31 VIA MANZONI, TEL: + 39 02 7231 8600, WWW.ARMANI-VIAMANZONI31.IT

FOR DESIGN DELIGHT

HIGH TECH

It’s not easy for an interiors store to stand out in this capital of design, but High Tech does just that. Located in a former ink factory, the shop sells everything from candles and cutlery to bags and bathroom accessories. In short, more present ideas for the design-conscious than you could throw an Alessi corkscrew at.

12 PIAZZA XXV APRILE, TEL: +39 02 624 1101, WWW.HIGH-TECHMILANO.COM

FOR STATIONERY

FABRIANO BOUTIQUE

Selling linen pencil cases, perfumed paper, origami sets, drum-dyed calf leather wallets, traditional Venetian rulers and hand-bound notebooks, this high-end stationer’s is packed

to the rafters with stocking-fillers. Everything is made in Italy, so this is a great place for a gift or souvenir from your trip.

17 VIA PONTE VETERO, TEL: + 39 02 7631 8754, WWW.FABRIANOBOUTIQUE.COM

FOR CHOCAHOLICS

CIOCCOLAT ITALIANI

Since it opened two years ago, this chocolatier has taken Milan by storm: no mean feat in a city whose cup overfloweth with chocolate houses. The centrepiece of the urban cool interior, also home to an ice- cream parlour, is the open-plan laboratory where you can see the shop’s trademark 1kg ingots of chocolate and spiced bonbons as works in progress.

6 VIA SAN RAFFAELE, TEL: +39 02 8909 3820, WWW.CIOCCOLATITALIANI.IT

PARIS
Paris is at the cutting edge of shopping, whether you’re looking for gourmet food or designer clothes, says Marie-Noëlle Bauer.

FOR GOURMET TREATS

LA GRANDE EPICERIE

Sure, rival department stores like Printemps or Galeries Lafayette are famous for their spectacular holiday window displays, but the food hall of Le Bon Marché – La Grande Epicerie – is an unmatched emporium of fine wines, exquisite sweets and fare from around the world. So get ready to do a bit of heavy drooling. And should you discover you’re hungry for fashion you can always have a whirl upstairs through the store’s killer selection of clothing and accessories.

38 RUE DE SÈVRES, TEL: +33 (0)1 4439 8100, WWW.LEBONMARCHE.COM

FOR SUSTAINABLE CHIC

CENTRE COMMERCIAL

This warm, handsome space – the brainchild of the people behind French fair-trade trainer brand Veja – offers a tight selection of ethical and environmentally friendly fashion for men and women, made in France, the UK and Denmark. It encompasses labels such as Leaf, Grenson, and Knowledge Cotton Apparel. Also worth checking out are its second-hand bikes, vintage furniture and cool DVD and book collection. Fiercely green French actress Marion Cotillard is a fan.

2 RUE DE MARSEILLE, TEL: +33 (0)1 4202 2608, WWW.CENTRECOMMERCIAL.CC

FOR A BIT OF CULTURE IN YOUR LIFE

OFR.

Discreetly nestled in a corner of the Marais is Ofr., a library/gallery that showcases art, fashion, architecture and photographic coffee-table books, as well as magazines with plenty of panache. Equally eye-catching are the fashion accessories by emerging designer labels regularly on display. Sundays are extra sweet with tea and cake on offer.

20 RUE DUPETIT-THOUARS, TEL: +33 (0)1 4245 7288, WWW.OFRSYSTEM.COM

FOR AN ELEMENT OF SURPRISE

MERCI

This breathtaking mega concept store keeps notoriously fickle Parisian shoppers coming back in droves courtesy of its expertly sourced selection of so-trendy-it- hurts fashion and interior design. It also has an uncanny ability to continually renew itself through rather spectacular temporary in-store events – so expect the unexpected. And don’t forget to check out the mind-boggling selection of second-hand books in the library, the fun and fabulous baubles at the jewellery stand, and the funky vintage furniture. Those who’ve shopped till they’ve dropped will enjoy the respite of the scrumptiously organic Cantine Merci. Definitely worth a visit.

111 BOULEVARD BEAUMARCHAIS, TEL: +33 (0)1 4277 0033, WWW.MERCI-MERCI.COM

FOR IMPRESSING THE LITTLE ONES

ANTOINE ET LILI

As you walk along the Canal Saint-Martin you’ll inevitably come across the trio of iconic candy-coloured boutiques housing Antoine et Lili’s outlets for clothing, interiors and children’s goods. Although all three exude an unabashed bohemian charm, it’s the latter that’s the most magical – so magical in fact that you don’t even need to have a child to fall under its spell. There are costumes, animal masks, cute but not overly cute clothes for toddlers and babies, and toys galore. An unbeatable treasure trove for wannabe Santa Clauses.

OUTLETS INCLUDE 95 QUAI DE VALMY, TEL: +33 (0)1 4037 4155, WWW.ANTOINEETLILI.COM

FOR COOL MUSIC AND CLOTHES

KITSUNÉ

It seems rather fitting that Kitsuné’s logo should be a fox, because this creative duo has proven wily enough to win over the Parisian hipster crowd with their music label (which brought us Klaxons and Hot Chip), as well as a prep-tastic clothing line. Their mini fashion boutique is currently a very male affair. No doubt the smart Kitsuné boys will soon be conjuring up some chic casual womenswear to make girls’ hearts go zing. The top HQ for urban dandies.

52 RUE DE RICHELIEU, TEL: +33 (0)1 4260 3428, WWW.KITSUNE.FR

FOR CATWALK LOOKS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES

MAJE

Despite its international success – including two new stores in New York – the French little-label-that-could remains the very paragon of contemporary Parisian style. The bywords here are rock and roll, glam and chic. So make like a local and grab the sexy leather skirts, trousers, jackets, statement-print dresses and cool motorcycle boots. Give them to a loved one as a gift, or simply ensure you’re the bold belle of the ball at all those end-of-year parties.

STORES INCLUDE 267 RUE SAINT-HONORÉ, TEL: +33 (0)1 4296 8493, WWW.MAJE-PARIS.FR