Helsinki offers fascinating design, fashion and lifestyle bargains for enthusiastic vintage fans of home decor, clothing and footwear.
Helsinki’s numerous second hand and vintage boutiques, as well as various flea markets, have both domestic and international brands on offer; you can make discoveries from new or older collections. Quality products often endure many consumers in their life cycle.
Much of the renowned Finnish design since the 1950’s can be found in shops concentrating on pottery or furniture. Finnish design has been versatile and extensive since the last century, and therefore nostalgic items such as china, furniture, or even internationally recognised pieces of home decor are found in the stores of Helsinki.
Korkeavuorenkatu has a Second Hand Helsinki -shop specialising in Finnish kitchenware and furniture. The range includes tableware, cooking utensils, tumbler sets, decorative glassware, and also a variety of interesting pieces of furniture. Numerous ranges of furniture factories and shops are also sold in this huge garage-transformed-showroom hall.
At the Hakaniemi market hall, alongside with the food stalls, deli shops and clothing retailers, there’s also a store Uutta&Vanhaa that sells Finnish tableware design from the 1950’s forward. From the collector’s point of view it’s interesting that they have an excellent selection of moomin mugs, the oldest rarity from the 1990’s.
A fashionista of vintage can make exotic bargains also in the various neighborhood shops and lively flea markets. Some of the venues specialize in collections of Finnish clothing industry. The colourful Finnish clothes have been popular for many decades by natives and foreign friends of Finnish design alike.
Another story are the boutiques selling international fashion brands – for example French and Italian haute couture. These shops also offer rare individual pieces that have been brought to Finland by collectors or top fashion enthusiasts and consumers. It is noteworthy that these pieces with a personal “narrative” can be purchased today also for inexpensive prices.
Amado operates in Fredrikinkatu, offering contemporary second hand fashion. The selection includes unused treasures over the years like bags, shoes and clothes featuring a choice of the world’s top fashion brands. Examples of theses brands include Escada, Yves Saint Laurent or Dior. And it is surprising, too, that the prices are quite reasonable. The products are in the second round, but still unused, the Amado confirms.
The Kallio area has a sympathetic Frida Marina boutique that sells also Finnish vintage fashion . Part of the shop has all kinds of second hand clothes of individual consumers. The other parts consist of colorful clothes, also from recognised Finnish designers waiting to find a new life.
There are several flea markets in Helsinki; stores with modern second hand clothes. At the same time, the flea markets where individual consumers can sell their clothes are popular, and they can be found in different parts of Helsinki. On many fleamarket you’ll find great ambiance as well as top-of-the-line clothes at affordable prices. In the summer, the outdoor sales are especially popular. Many flea markets organize events both on weekends and in the evenings.
Do not miss these addresses:
Artek 2nd Cycle, Kirpputori Bruno, FargoVintage, Fida, MekkoMania, SomaOma, Toisto.
Photos Ideal Helsinki
English edition Mirja Honkanen
