The Best Shops & Fashion Boutiques in Ehrenfeld, Cologne

Anna Lederer has made it her business to take items from the worlds of industry and the workplace, and repurpose them into unique homeware objects. At her shop Utensil, Erlenmeyer flasks turn into wine carafes, workshop lights into design lamps and stadium benches into garden furniture. The shelves are stacked with clever ideas that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Over the years, Herrenbude has established itself as one of Cologne’s most popular men’s fashion boutiques. Owner and designer Achim Schmitz offers a combination of casual and elegant clothes and accessories, from classic shirts to custom-tailored suits. Besides small European brands such as Blue de Gênes, Knowledge Cotton Apparel, La Paz and Nowadays, the shop owner sells his label Herrenbude.

Cologne has jumped on the zero-waste movement bandwagon and welcomed the opening of Veedelskrämer this year. The cute shop on Ehrenfeld’s iconic Körnerstraße sells groceries in bulk, as well as sustainable beauty and cleaning products. Customers fill beans, grains, pasta and other daily foods into reusable jars and pay for each item by weight.

This spot was borne of a group of Cologne illustrators and designers coming together a few years back and creating a treasure chest for artistic handicrafts. Their work embellishes postcards, calendars, porcelain, clothes, fabrics, stationery, posters and other pretty things and are available at their lovely studio MerkWürdig. Over the years, prints, products and accessories from international designers have been added to the selection.

Simrockstrasse 5, Cologne, Germany, +49 221 5128 10

If you’re into vintage design furniture and Scandinavian interior, Tøndel is for you. In his beautiful Ehrenfeld showroom, former film set decorator Gernot Thoendel presents high-quality vintage and contemporary furniture pieces and accessories by Normann Copenhagen, Hay, Muuto and more. The in-store collection changes regularly, so it’s worth making repeat visits.

If you’re looking for girly and playful fashion, you’ll strike it rich at Boutique KahrLa. The cute dresses, skirts, tops and accessories are handmade and often inspired by the 1950s and 1960s, with circle skirts and petticoats included. If you can’t find the colour or size you want, you can order it or even have a whole custom-designed outfit made for you.

Venloer Strasse 549, Cologne, Germany

Fashion designer Sabine Berndt’s passion is skirts. What started as a hobby has turned into a boutique known even outside of Cologne. Box-pleated, balloon, denim and wraparound skirts hand from the clothes racks at Rock-it-Baby cater for all tastes. The styles on offer range from feminine and elegant through to sporty and casual, but in all cases are handmade and of the best quality.

Rothehausstrasse 4, Cologne, Germany, +49 221 5103745

Courtesy of Rock-it-Baby

Tonnes of fresh produce are being thrown out by regular supermarkets daily or are being rejected because the shape diverges from the norm – this was the realisation that sparked Nicole Klaski’s idea to open The Good Food. Wonky veggies and lumpy fruits find their way into the store as well as products that have passed the best-before-date and yesterday’s bread and rolls from a local bakery. At the checkout, customers decide how much their shopping cart is worth.

The Drahtflechterei shop brings to life forgotten craftsmanship, showcasing hooks, tea-light holders and other everyday objects made from pliable wire. Other items in the store include furniture timbered from euro palettes, pottery and printed textiles. Workshops for those who want to learn the wire art craft are offered on a regular basis.