BEST INSPIRATIONAL CONCEPT STORES IN BARCELONA

Shopping in Barcelona is truly amazing and fun because the city offers shoppers a big variety and number of shopping destinations from the high fashion and fast-fashion brands to boutiques and craft shops around its districts and neighborhoods. That's why Barcelona has become one of the shopping capitals in Europe,  set many new trends in the fashion world as well as responded and updated rapidly to new concepts and ideas. Today, SuiteLife introduces the best concept stores in Barcelona where shopping is as much about the experience as what you buy. If you want to have a whirlwind tour of the best shopping that Barcelona offers, check out our ebook Shopping in Barcelona

WHAT ARE CONCEPT STORES ?

Coco Chanel said it best: “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening". Originating in the fashion capital of the world, Paris, a concept clothing store is a retail store that goes beyond simply selling products and instead appeals to a general sense of lifestyle. The customer visit the shops not only for buying clothes but also for having a full emotional and sensory experience. Concept stores usually offer items from different designers and brands to suite different styles: high-fashion, urban fashion, hipster fashion or ecological-friendly fashion. Since more and more people choose to shop online, concept stores have been born to attract more customers to visit the physical stores. Apple and Burberry are the leaders of this experience-focused trend. Some famous concept stores in Europe are Collette (Paris), 10 Corso Como (Milan), Dover Street Market (London), Simple (Prague),... In Barcelona, concept stores are also called "object shops" and are outstanding with exquisite interiors.

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

BOO

Located in the cosmopolitan Gracia neighborhood, Boo is one of the most well-known names in the world of concept stores in Barcelona. The name was borrowed from Boo Radley, a character from the classic novel “To Kill A Mocking Bird”, to fit its retro interior design. The shop has a distinct 1950s air and a definite nostalgic feeling. It is decorated with many interesting things such as rotary phones, cloth bags, glass snow balls, books, flowers, and especially a mounted deer head collection. Basic colors like black, brown, gray, white dominate Boo. Everything is well-ordered and detailed. Boo’s clothes, shoes and quirky accessories are hand-picked carefully by the owner, Àlex González, who has worked in press departments in various fashion labels. Boo sells premium American, British, Nordic clothing as well as local designs. “Simple but elegant” is what the shop brings to its customers. Feature brands are Birds Denim, Nudie Jeans, Filippa K, Gentle Fawn, Penguin, WeSC and Sugarhill,... Address: Carrer Bonavista 2

BON VENT

In contrast with the simple and minimalist Scandinavian style of Boo, Bon Vent is a colorful Mediterranean concept store located in the charming Born district. This shop is perfect for people who are in love with Mediterranean, with its culture, lifestyle and craft industry. Once you enter to this cute little shop, you will see a lot of items reminding you of a sunny beach such as espadrille, straw hats, summer garments, woven baskets,... Hot colors like orange and yellow bring joy to the store and will remind you of warm summer sun. Beside clothes, hats and footwear, the shop also sells handcrafted toys and painted pottery showing local life in Barcelona. Address: Carrer de l'Argenteria, 41

LURDES BERGADA

This is another shop following the idea of simplicity, minimalism and enigma. There are four shops in Barcelona, but the most impressive store is the one located in one of the best shopping mall centers in Barcelona, L'illa Diagonal. The store is  a huge unique timber structure made from about 1000 pieces of wood and assembled together with 2400 screws. The wooden walls are made with irregular triangles making you feel like you're in a modern day cave instead of a clothing store. Lurdes Bergada and its brother Syngman Cucala (for men) conjure a concept: simplicity, purity and industry. In order to simplify the look of the store as well as to emphasize the concept, basic materials such as concrete for the walls and fine cements of the floor were used. The brand's womenswear features a taste for unstructured pieces and simple colors like black, white and grey. Winter is coming soon and this is a great place for those who want to have a new mysterious look. If you have not had time to visit this amazing store, you can check out its new collection on its website. Address: Avinguda Diagonal, 557

COQUETTE

"Born to be beautiful" is a slogan of this shop. Born is definitely the trendiest area of Barcelona and a heart of concept stores. Coquette's interior and clothing design are influenced by French style. Isabel Campelo, a fashion graduate, opened the first Coquette store in Born district in 2005 and it soon received visits from many fashion lovers, which lead to the opening of 2 more stores: one nearby and one in the upmarket area around Turó Park. The shop follows the ware-house style and sells an elegant edit of tailored womenswear to style-conscious Spaniards, as well as an impressive collection of jewellery, handbags and shoes. Coquette stocks the finest elegant and feminine French womenswear brands including See by Chloé, Isabel Marant, Vanessa Bruno, Les Prairies des Paris,...Furthermore, Coquette's collection is complemented with select Spanish and Italian brands such as Masscob, Hoss Intropia, M.Grifoni and especially Vincent du Sartel for leather purses. In Coquette, you can find everything you need for polishing your look. Address: Carrer del Rec, 65

FOOTWEAR

MUNICH L'ILLA DIAGONAL

With the help of Dear Design being a well-known interior design company whose clients include Burberry, Nike, Moritz, Custo and Misako, Munich is always thought of, not only as a flagship brand focusing on sport shoes, but also as unique concept stores around the city. The most talked-about store is Munich L'illa Diagonal. The design of Munich store in L'illa Diagonal focuses on the concept of carefree movement and angular pieces. Dear Design has come up with the idea of "strolling" and being free in a poetic and imaginary set that makes the walker dream again. To let this idea become reality, the design team has transformed many natural elements such as trees, hills, rocks and birds into part of its style. The surfaces are finished with black glass, mirrors, metal trees, hanging cage-like boxes from the ceiling, which carries a carefree, experimental air and an energetic space. Address: Avinguda Diagonal, 557

JEWELRY

TOUS

The prestigious jewelry brand Tous opened its new elegant and spacious concept store in Avinguda Diagonal, the best shopping area in Barcelona.  Its open space of 200 square meters with a wide range of products can satisfy and enhance the experience of any customer. A variety of luxury goods combined with beautiful furniture allows the client to have a greater interaction with the product. What makes Tous unlike  traditional high-end jewelry stores is that it creates original jewels crafted in unique materials: day-to-night jewelry following the latest trends. Address: Avinguda Diagonal 479
We hope that you like this blog and inspire you to visit new shops besides many famous brands. If you know any cool concept stores, leave us a comment ! ~ Trang