I wrote this blog for a contest on Chictopia and I was announced as one of the winners! Enjoy:
Antwerp Shopping guide:
Welcome to my Antwerp shopping tour! I’m Anastasia, your guide for today! ;)
So first I’m gonna teach you some basic things you ought to know about Antwerp (Belgium)!
Antwerp city is one of the hidden secrets of Europe. It’s THE perfect choice for a short city break! It’s full of European charm, with its beautifully preserved narrow streets, ancient buildings and mysterious alleyways…
Internationally, Antwerp is known as the world’s diamond centre (and diamonds are a girls best friend! ;) ), but the city is also a top destination for innovative fashion design.
You’ll probably heard something about ‘The Antwerp Six’. Those designers put the city on the world fashion map.
The Antwerp Six: Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Bikkembergs, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Van Saene, Marina Yee.
If you are not interested to buy diamonds, Antwerp is a wonderful place to do some serious fashion shopping! We all love to do that, girls! =D You will discover many exciting, up and coming young fashion designers too!
Ow, by the way, I’m standing in front of the The MoMu Fashion Museum. It is housed in the Mode Natie. It’s a huge 19th century building. The museum is a contemporary centre for Antwerp’s creative fashion industry.
Ok, so now you know the basics! Time for some fashion addresses!
Antwerp’s Hotspots:
First of all: Pedestrians Meir. It’s the main shopping street. You can compare it with the Ramblas, but less crowded and smaller.
Meir is lined with national and international stores. There are about four H&M stores, a Replay store, Puma,…
For more individual and alternative shopping, browse the alleyways of the Historic Centre and certainly try Kammestraat! You will find some awesome stores over there! For example BeYouK or Fish and Chips! Those are great stores!
If you really want some exclusive clothing you should go a little further than the heart of Antwerp. For example: Wilrijk. This is an Antwerp village with lovely clothing!
Brings me to what I’m wearing on the photograph!
I found this amazing Harem pants! It’s such a wonderful fabric, it’s made entirely out of silk. And it doesn’t stops there! You can also wear it as a jumpsuit! =D
I bought it in a store called l’apostrophe. They always have lovely collections, every piece of clothing is an artwork, I think.
Another shop in Wilrijk I visit often is Luna. They sell shoes and boots (I’m wearing my last thrift on the photograph ;) ). I wanted to show you a different pair of shoes, but it was raining all day… So I couldn’t wear my beautiful sandals…
Let’s talk about accessories! =D So I’m wearing Nature. I absolutely LOVE this brand. The jewelry is made out of wood, feathers, stones, crystals and other things you’ll find in nature. So nothing ‘fake’ about that! =D You can score some Nature bracelets and earrings in a shopping center called Inno.
The colossal bag I’m stepping out is from a little shop near my home. I’ve only spent 25 euro! =D My friends call him Mister Bag. Yes, it’s a living thing. =P
The last thing I can tell you about my outfit is the leather jacket. I love to combine different fabrics, like silk and leather. It’s not from a secret store, just H&M… Sometimes, I just can’t resist buying something in an international store. =P
Thank you for your attention! Have a nice shopping day! =D
