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Dara • Monday, May 7, 2007 •
Dutch designer, Cora Kemperman, has been whipping up wearable works of art for the past decade. Famous for dramatic, multi-layered silhouettes like the signature (meter-wide) “falda” skirt, her frocks are fluid, feminine and frequently combined with Indian-infused elements like sequins, beaded embroidery and gold jacquards. Your best bets for the season: jet black bubble skirts, white blouses accented with ruffles, wide-legged, pin-striped pant suits and stunning Kimono-inspired tops. With stores solely in Belgium and the Netherlands, you’d be foolish to ponder over any purchase.
Photography © Cora Kemperman
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Dara • Monday, May 7, 2007 •
- Sprmkt
- avant-garde clothing, accessories and furniture
- SPRMRKT collection, Martin Margiela, Chie Mihara (shoes), Acne (jeans), Marc Jacobs, Christian Dior and more
- sprmrkt.nl
- Rozengracht 191-193, Amsterdam
- (31)-0-20-330-5601
- info@sprmrkt.nl
- .50 – $14,000 Euros
- Click here for a store map!
DISTRICT: THE JORDAAN
This artsy area is brimming with avant-garde shops, street-side cafés, groovy galleries and low-key bars, all nestled on narrow, coble-stoned streets named after local flowers.
Sprmkt
This massive industrial space showcases a dizzying array of artifacts you’d expect to find on a film set. Formerly a supermarket, this super cool store is stocked with retro furniture, ‘60’s style spider lamps, antique mannequins, oval-shaped standing mirrors, couches and shag rugs. Since setting up shop in 2003, owner Nelleke Strykers has also branched out into clothing (Acne jeans are a best-seller), shoes (Chie Mihara is a fave), leather bags, art books, CD’s, vintage fabrics (for pillows, curtains and clothes), sunglasses and old stock designer jewelry. Due to popular demand, “Super Plus” – a new store within the store was set up, which carries pricier labels like the coveted Martin Margiela. The ongoing art and photography exhibitions are also a must.
Photography © Michael Thieberg
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Dara • Monday, May 7, 2007 •
- Bits & Pieces
- cutting-edge international clothing lines
- Acne, Marc Jacobs, Temperly London and more
- Cornelis Schuytstraat 22, Amsterdam
- (31)-0-20-618-1939
- $40-$1,400 Euros
- Click here for a store map!
This residential hideaway is home to the hautest designer labels in the Oud Zuid hood. Fashion junkies frequently flock here for the well-edited mix of mutli-label lines including Acne and Ernest Sewn (butt-firming blues), Marc Jacobs (feminine blazers and skirts), Temperly London and Michael Stars (casual T’s). Be on the lookout for limited-edition items made exclusively for the shop like the jaw-dropping Dutch jewelry. Bottom line: if you see something you like, don’t dare think twice about buying it.
Photography © Michael Thieberg
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Dara • Monday, May 7, 2007 •
After two decades of business, this avant-garde outpost is still going strong. Initially conceived as a graduate school art project by co-owners, Hans Démoed and Geert de Rooij, this “Kingdom of Cool” continues to outshine the competition. A one-stop-shop for eclectic clothing, home décor and cosmetics, it’s the hippie-chic, electric-hued frocks you’ll flip for (think one-of-a-kind hand-printed and hand-died prints inspired by Baroque and Bauhaus). Can’t find what you came for? Splurge on a custom-made creation from shabby chic furniture, curtains, bedding, lamps, leather jackets to wine glasses. The friendly staff even spruces up clients’ home and office spaces.
Photography © Michael Thieberg
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Dara • Sunday, May 6, 2007 •
This contemporary clothing chain carries ready-to-wear items you’ll instantly want in your wardrobe. A cross between H&M and Club Monaco with an industrial twist (think submarine-style glass windows filled with salt water fish and vintage metal vaults stationed by the cash), expect pieces that are pretty, polished and practical for day and night. Some standouts to stock up on: print wrap dresses, knee-length shorts, blouses with bows and faux fur coats. With a limited number of sizes in stock, you’d better grab the goods you’re after.
Photography © Michael Thieberg
