Kalverstraat – highstreet fashion in the heart of Amsterdam
If
you love shopping and you want to get the best Dutch and international
highstreet brands in town, head to the always lively Kalverstraat, just a few
steps off Dam Square.
Amsterdam has it all when it comes to
shopping. Your favourite international brands can be found here: River Island, the
British highstreet fashion has a huge two storey shop in Kalver Street. Zara, Mango and Desigual, the Spanish chains
with high quality clothing for all styles are also present here. Vero Moda,
Danish design at affordable prices and H&M, the Swedish giant with over
three shops in Kalver Street are some of the places where locals love to shop.
Morgan, le
chic français can also be
found in the city of Amsterdam and the always edgy Italian Miss Sixty (and its
men’s line, Energie), are just some of the labels you will come across in
Kalver.
But let me tell you about Dutch high street
fashion, which by no means is less varied than the international chains we just
mentioned. If you love highstreet fashion, you will love Amsterdam’s
Kalverstraat! These are my top picks:
Mexx
, located on 178, is a fantastic shop where you can find classy and
casual clothes made with great fabrics and the best cut. Fantastic place to
find that perfect black blazer, skinny jeans or the elegant dress you have been
searching for. This shop has men’s and women’s collections as well as great
accessories.
In need of the perfect lingerie for you or
for someone else?
Hunkemoller is by
far my favourite Dutch brand when it comes to underwear. The staff is welcoming
and knowledgeable and the shop is feminine and beautiful. They have a great
collection, always modern and hip but without forgetting the basics such as push
up brassieres, shapewear, stockings, cute socks, gorgeous pyjamas and sports bras.
Besides basics, in Hunkemoller you can also get pretty basques for special
occasions as well as dazzling matching sets and swimwear. They are located on
number 162 in Kalver.
Claudia
Sträter
is fine Dutch design at reasonable prices.
If you are looking for designer quality but you cannot afford having a suit by
Chloé, pay a visit to Claudia Sträter for the finest business clothing, summery
dresses and colourful accessories.
Steps
was one of the first high street shops I discovered 10 years ago
and still one of my favourites. When in need of a special dress, Steps never
fails. Not a place for basics, but rather something outstanding and colourful,
not for the
white t-shirt and jeans
kind of gal. You will find their Kalver
store on number 107. Another excellent place for distinctive pieces is
SPS Superstar, located on numbers 102.
They have great fitting jeans, shirts with bold prints, lovely dresses and
striking accessories. The Dutch love colour, and that is one of the things most
of their shops have in common: Colour, colour, colour!
Didi
, also belonging to the Coltext group (together with Steps and
Superstar) is a must-visit store while you are in Kalverstraat. Youthful and
romantic, Didi always has cute strappy tops, capri trousers and dresses to fall
in love with.
While in Dam Square, you have to drop by
Peek & Cloppenburg.
This is a huge multi-brand store with clothes for everyone: men, women and
children. I always find something there, whether is a basic t-shirt or a fun
pullover. The great thing about Peek & Cloppenburg is that it offers
clothes and accessories for all budgets, so you can find great quality sweaters
for 30 Euros, but also pricier pieces like cashmere jumpers for 130. Brands
like Esprit, Gaastra and Gerry Weber are also available at P&C. It is just
next to
Madame Tussauds, so very
conveniently located. Why not checking it out after your visit to the Wax
Museum?
For casual clothing,
The Sting and
Lady Sting are one of the most popular shops in The Netherlands. It
is a multibrand store with casual and modern clothing at different price
ranges. You can find here men and women’s clothing from brands such as Miss
America, Red Rouge, Royal Chicks, Company Cotton Club, Rivalry, Bien Bleu,
Brood and Ashes to Dust.
Enjoy
your shopping day in Kalverstraat!
