Clothing shopping in Spain
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Nu Sabates
A couple of modern-day Catalan cobblers have put together some original handmade leather shoes (and a handful of bags and other leather items) in their stylishly renovated locale.
reviewed
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Jordi Labanda Store
Uruguay-born and Barcelona-raised cartoonist Jordi Labanda made a name for himself with his colourful pointed portraits of contemporary 30-somethings in top-flight magazines and newspapers, and murals in the Sandwich & Friends fastish food chain. Now he also does original women’s clothes, in which he has toned down the colours but remains playful in design. In all his work there is an element of biting social commentary, so these are thinking-women’s clothes!
reviewed
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Mercado de Fuencarral
Madrid’s home of alternative club-cool is still going strong, revelling in its reverse snobbery. With shops like Fuck, Ugly Shop and Black Kiss, it’s funky, grungy and filled to the rafters with torn T-shirts and more black leather and silver studs than you’ll ever need. This is a Madrid icon and when it was threatened with closure in 2008, there was nearly an uprising.
reviewed
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La Roca Village
For the ultimate discount fashion overdose, head out of town for some outlet shopping at La Roca Village. Here, a village has been given over to consumer madness. At a long line of Spanish and international fashion boutiques, you’ll find clothes, shoes, accessories and designer homewares at (they claim) up to 60% off normal retail prices.
reviewed
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Agatha Ruiz de la Prada
This boutique has to be seen to be believed, with pinks, yellows and oranges everywhere you turn. It’s fun and exuberant, but it’s not just for kids: it’s also serious and highly original fashion. Agatha Ruiz de la Prada is one of the enduring icons of Madrid’s 1980s outpouring of creativity known as la movida madrileña.
reviewed
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L’arca de L’àvia
Grandma’s chest is indeed full of extraordinary remembrances from the past, when young ladies used to put together a trousseau of clothes and other items for their wedding. You might find anything from old silk kimonos to wedding dresses from the 1920s. Some items sold here wound up being used in the film Titanic.
reviewed
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Carrer de Ferran
There's a Custo branch at Carrer de Ferran. Created in the early 1980s by the Dalmau brothers, Custo is the biggest name in contemporary Barcelona fashion and one of its trendiest exports. The company specialises in unique long-sleeved T-shirts, for men and women, with bold and psychedelic graphics.
reviewed
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Snapo
You wouldn’t find Snapo anywhere but in Malasaña, with edgy street wear that typifies the barrio’s rebellious spirit. Imagine a T-shirt of Pope John Paul II with fist raised and ‘Vatican 666’ emblazoned across the front and you get the idea.
reviewed
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Zara
The Spanish name synonymous with inexpensive and good-quality smart casuals (that aren't made in sweatshops) will surely draw you in, if only because the same clobber in your home town probably costs twice as much! There are branches throughout the city.
reviewed
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Custo Barcelona
The chic shop of Barcelona designer Custo Dalmau wears its Calle de Fuencarral address well, because the now-iconic T-shirts are at once edgy, awash in attitude and artfully displayed. It’s not to everyone’s taste, but always worth a look.
reviewed
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Maty
Unlike the not-so-cheap imitations sold in souvenir stores across the capital, Maty sells genuine flamenco dresses, shoes and accessories with sizes for children and adults. These are the real deal, with prices to match, but they make brilliant gifts.
reviewed
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Loewe
One of the classiest (and most expensive) Spanish labels, Loewe is the place to go for fine leather handbags and shoes and elegant fashions that are classical in inspiration and almost as pricey (and prestigious) as Louis Vuitton.
reviewed
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Josep Font
One of the leading women's fashion designers in Barcelona (with branches in Paris, Madrid and Bilbao), Font presents a line of daringly sleek and sexy items in no-nonsense colours. Peer inside for the minimalist décor alone.
reviewed
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El Ingenio
In this whimsical fantasy store you will discover giant Carnaval masks, costumes, theatrical accessories and other fun things. You can pick up some ‘devil’s batons’ to do a little fiery juggling, a monocycle or clown make-up.
reviewed
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Bad Habits
Bowl up to this bunker full of ballsy and original fashion for women unfazed by risk. Blurring the lines between feminine and masculine, colour and monochrome, Bad Habits stocks international labels as well as its own line.
reviewed
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Armand Basi
Armand Basi is the purveyor of hip urban designs for the carefully casual (men and women). Just about anything you find here is well suited to a night out in Madrid, but especially the nightspots of Chueca and Salamanca.
reviewed
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Amaya Arzuaga
Sexy, bold and tastefully colourful, Amaya Arzuaga is one of Spain’s most creative designers. The fusion of black with bright colours (think orange, red, fuchsia or turquoise) is very Spanish and oh-so-stylish.
reviewed
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Flip
Too cool for its own good, Flip is funky and edgy with its designer T-shirts and G-Star jeans, a groovy and often offbeat collection of belts, caps and bags and staff that will let you know how it all looks and fits.
reviewed
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Gili-Gili, Calle Loteria
If you want to know what fashionable young Basques are wearing head for this Casco Viejo outlet of this store for labels such as Lois, Fornarina, Beste Bat and Nolita. You'll find another outlet at Calle Sombrero.
reviewed
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Ekseption & Eks
The catwalklike entrance is the perfect introduction to brand names dedicated to urban chic with Balenciaga, Kokosalaki and Dries Van Noten in art-gallery-like displays; younger, more casual lines are next door.
reviewed
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Purificación García
Fashions may come and go but Puri consistently manages to keep ahead of the pack. Her signature style for men and women is elegant and mature designs that are just as at home in the workplace as at a wedding.
reviewed
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Gili-Gili, Calle Sombrero
If you want to know what fashionable young Basques are wearing head for this Casco Viejo outlet of this store for labels such as Lois, Fornarina, Beste Bat and Nolita. There's also a shop in Calle Loteria.
reviewed
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Sybilla
One of the more original Spanish designers, who combines local and international styles with strong, Spanish colours and deceptively simple pieces with stylish cuts that stand out in the crowd.
reviewed
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Roser-Francesc
Civilised and muted, the men's and women's collections in this store encompass a host of international labels along with local names such as Lydia Delgado, Antonio Miró; and Konrad Muhr.
reviewed
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Piamonte
One of the favourite shoe shops of Madrileñas looking for that special something for an important occasion. This is one of the major standard-bearers for Chueca’s sense of style.
reviewed
