THREADS – SHOPPING REVIEW
HABERDASH
words by Koko Ntuen
Besides being a fun name to say, a haberdashery is also an essential port of call for any fashion-conscious gent. It is here that men can purchase both the clothes and the haberdasher’s articles and accents like buttons, ribbons, zips and other accouterments that make a piece fashionable, exciting and worthy of having in your closet.
The sleek, sophisticated bricks and mortar of the aptly-named Haberdash on Upplandsgatan 50 house a store that not only lives up to the name, but also has expanded on the traditional term, selling the items that can make a man’s life complete. As soon as you walk in the store it feels reminiscent of any luxury gym or high-end closet for the man who has everything.
It feels like a man’s man store – shoes, suits, accessories, loungewear and beautiful shirts are incorporated with the interior design, which is made up of beautiful tiles, light finished wood, granite and cacti accented walls. It all makes for an enjoyable atmosphere while shopping.
Today it’s pants for my husband Magnus. I love shopping and going to woman’s boutiques, but sadly I don’t think my husband has the same fascination and lust for a good outfit.
I had heard about the store before I moved Stockholm. They started in Södermalm in 2007 and, because of the carefully curated items they carried and the fun space and vibe they created, gained a cult following. They moved on to Odenplan to occupy a bigger space in 2012, selling some of Stockholm’s finest men’s pieces.
The brands they carry are pretty traditional designer such as Dr Martens, Filson, and Stutterheim, but where the store really stands out is in the emerging designer area as well as their own label, called Carefully Selected by Haberdash.
Brands like Schnayderman´s make wearable yet traditional pieces like the delicately-detailed, red and blue flowered print button-down (1,399 SEK ) that looks perfect for a business meeting or sitting on a bench in the archipelago in shorts and sandals. Indigofera is another brand at the store that stands out, especially in the form of a rust-palette cotton flannel shirt named “The Bryson Shirt” (1,399 SEK). If I could have a crush on a shirt it would be this one.
When it comes to other items and trends Mats Sjöquist, one of the store owners, tells us what we should watch out for.
“We like vague garments, garments you both can use as a jacket and shirt, for example. Brands like Stone Island and Our Legacy are good at presenting these kinds of clothes.”
After about an hour or so of browsing the racks and watching Magnus try on clothes I hardly felt the time go by. What’s great about Haberdash is that it doubles as a place to hang out. The music is wonderful – I think I can hear Beck’s new album lingering in the background and at one point I read an article in a paper I have stashed in my bag. Clearly they get this a lot.
“We have a lot happening in our store this year,” Mats tell me. “We will build a coffee bar and have a number of new partnerships in the store. A really nice surf and bike corner, and a collaboration with Sony and their action cameras. Swedish brands Stutterheim and Uniforms For The Dedicated will also have corners in our store, among other things. Every Saturday we will also have a DJ in the store.”
Well I’ll certainly be going back to hang out – and amidst all the items that make a man’s wardrobe worth having, maybe I can pick up a few things for Magnus too.
