10 secret addresses
At WGSN, we trawl the globe, always on the lookout for interesting and inspiring places, from hip hotels, restaurants and bars, to undiscovered vintage stores and markets, and hidden retail gems. Here is our top 10.
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B-6/A-1 Prithviraj Road, C-Scheme, Jaipur 302 001 Tel: +91 (141) 2364 863AKFD, Jaipur, India
Husband-and-wife team Geetanjali and Ayush Kasliwal run this design studio that specialises in linking talented craftspeople with design professionals. The pair not only make products for Western brands, but have their own label.
www.akfdstudio.com -
Second floor, 653-11, Shinsa-dong, Kangnam-gu, Seoul Tel: +82 (05) 516 1878Papergarden Hall, Seoul, Korea
Tucked just off "Coffee Street" in Seoul's trendy Shinsa-dong neighbourhood, it can be easy to miss this boutique hidden above the store's cafe. The beautifully decorated space is Korea's sole stockist of Comme des Garçons perfume. Carefully edited fashion and accessories (we had our eye on a pair of princess sunglasses by Bless) serve to complement the scents.
www.papergarden.co.kr
Seoul city guide -
66 Fulham High Street, London, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7610 6558Old Hat, London, UK
A specialist vintage menswear boutique is a rare and beautiful thing, and one such destination for dandies-on-a-budget is Old Hat, run by the sartorial uncle of Chap magazine, David Saxby. From 1920s frock coats to 1940s trilbies and beyond, it's ideal for the gentleman-about-town.
Vintage shopping guide -
66 rue Les Almouhades, Tangier Tel: +212 (39) 938 892Boutique Majid, Tangier, Morocco
Founder Abdelmajid has been collecting antique brocade kaftans, embroidered textiles, ceramics and other gems for decades - he hoards them in this treasure trove of a store, hidden in Tangier's dusty medina. Ask him to show you the tiny roof terrace and his collection of wooden pieces.
www.boutiquemajid.com
Morocco cities -
Hong Kong city guide
Sham Shui Po wholesale markets, Hong Kong
Stalls overflowing with trims, buttons, fabric, beads and vintage finds hidden in backrooms and down dust-filled alleyways make this market a true local resource. Start at Sham Shui Po MTR, and walk around the station across Fuk Wa, Fuk Wing, Apliu and Yu Chau streets.
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35 rue du Faubourg Montmartre, ParisA la Mere de Famille, Paris, France
Need a last minute gift, an authentically Parisian experience and an instant trip back in time? This sweet shop, established in 1761, sells bonbons from another era - chocolate truffles, nougat, fruit jellies and honey drops - all made by an order of nuns.
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33 via Zamboni, 40126 Bologna, Italy Tel: +39 (51) 209 9398Palazzo Poggi, Bologna, Italy
Enjoy the unusual displays inside this hard-to-find museum, including anatomical waxworks used to instruct 17th century medical staff in the art of childbirth.
Museo Palazzo Poggi
Bologna city guide -
6 Clearway Street, Boston Tel: +1 (617) 421 1550Bodega, Boston, USA
Located behind a vending-machine-turned-trapdoor in a local convenience store in Boston's Back Bay neighbourhood, Bodega is an upscale skate store that caters to sneakerheads looking for one-of-a-kind, limited edition and vintage footwear. The store's merchandising combination of new and old, luxury and thrift, makes it popular with local Bostonians and in-the-know tourists alike.
www.bdgastore.com -
56 Largo Goldoni, 00186 Rome Tel: +39 (3) 4773 37098La Residenza Napoleone III, Rome, Italy
This guest house is home to just one suite, with three rooms and a personal butler. Hidden in a 16th century palazzo, the opulent rooms feature antique walnut furniture, hand-stencilled walls, antique tapestries and concealed technologies for the ultimate in luxury.
www.residenzanapoleone.com
Rome city guide -
4F Show 4F-A Daikanyama Techno Bldg, 2-9-9 Ebisu Nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Tel: + 81 (3) 5459 2584
Torso, Tokyo, Japan
Members of the very trendy Torso have their own keys to the cozy, low-lit space with antique interiors. If you're not one of the chosen few, the venue is open to the public by day and their homemade curry is delicious.
ksense.co.jp
