Amsterdam Shops

As gorgeous as the line of paraben-free skin care and bath product is, the true beauty of Marie-Stella-Maris is in its mission: Every purchase of an MSM product—be it a gentle body scrub or the deeply cleansing shampoo—provides 1 euro toward clean drinking water projects all over the world. The flagship boutique is an excellent place to get familiar with the offering and stock up (the line isn't widely available in the U.S. just yet). And if the name sounds familiar, it's because the Marie-Stella-Maris brand of natural mineral water is served at most local restaurants.

A Dutch brand through and through, Love Stories chose a well-loved, bi-level canal house as its only stand-alone location; inside, the setup is equal parts punk and French boudoir. You can easily cobble together matching bra-and-pantie sets, but the real fun lies in playing with different combinations of gauzy bralettes, cheeky panties, and silk pajama shorts. As of late, designer Marloes Hoedeman has been trying her hand at loungewear to great results.

The name “pocket” couldn’t suit the tiny sliver of a space better. The neat little shelves are stocked with a tight edit of the requisite striped tees, candy-colored wallets, and heart-adorned PLAY sweaters. And while there are dozens of Pocket shops around the world, each one with its own personality, this one stands out for its fragrance selection. In addition to the cult classic Wonderwood and Play Green, there are many hard-to-find scents and limited editions.

It’s likely you’ll get a whiff of Gerda’s freshly picked blooms while bumming around 9 Streets before you actually see it. Whether you’re looking to pick up a quick hostess bouquet or elaborate centerpiece (these guys provide florals for tons of fashion events all over the city), beautiful results are guaranteed—high praise considering flowers are serious business in Amsterdam. While they make really great use of wildflowers, the selection of orchids and other exotics is excellent, too.

Although the shop itself is rather small, it’s easy to burn an entire afternoon here. The walls are decked out from floor to ceiling with framed curiosities of all kinds, from brilliant blue butterflies to delicate beetles and stick bugs. And while we won’t pretend to know anything about bringing taxidermied goods through customs, there are plenty of other items worthy of suitcase space, like antique globes, unique cutlery, and stationery.

This is Amsterdam’s grandest shopping street, where all the usual suspects—Chanel, Valentino, Cartier, Prada, and more—are well represented.

This little two-story shop specializes in brands that fit owner Rena Noordermeer’s easy-going aesthetic and produce their wares responsibly. Some are familiar (Juniper Ridge bath products and Herschel backpacks), and some, like color-happy prints from Likeland and the Hear Hear house line of beautiful ceramics, are totally under-the-radar. The best part is that the hanging and potted plants scattered throughout the shop are also for sale.

While the location is slightly out of the way, this modern, dizzyingly beautiful interpretation of a gardening store is well worth the walk, whether you’re a green thumb or not. The goal here is to encourage city dwellers to try their hand at gardening by providing everything they need—from tools, to planters, to actual plants. While you’re here, grab a coffee and a slice of homemade cake and enjoy it under a canopy of hanging houseplants before perusing the selection of plant-inspired jewelry, art, and books.

Sprawling, stylized, and impeccably curated—this candy-colored boutique (it’s designed to resemble circa 1980's Miami) is exactly how we picture a Dutch concept store. The brand assortment includes men’s and women’s picks from Maison Kitsune, Norse Projects, and Won Hundred among others, so nothing too experimental but envelope-pushing nonetheless. In addition to a coffee-and-snack bar there’s a pop-up corner dedicated to showcasing individual lines for a month at a time.

Situated right in the heart of the city center in Dam Square, the elaborate facade of De Bijenkorf’s flagship store is kind of impossible to miss. This is a traditional European department store, meaning you’ll find everything from fashion to home décor to skincare all in one place. There’s also a great café, a hair salon, and a very respectable art gallery.