Archives for “Neukölln” tag

The flea market culture is something particularly wonderful in Berlin. But with so many people wanting to partake in this experience, popular flea markets like Mauerpark and Boxhagener platz have become something of a battle to walk through in the past few years.

As all of these markets started getting more and more crowded and rent prices started going up in the neighborhoods of Prenzlauerberg, Kreuzberg, and parts of Friedrichshain, many artists and international students moved their creative bohemian lifestyle down to the Neukölln streets. This little migration has changed the face of Neukölln drastically.

There are new ideas flowing and shops and bars popped up everywhere. And with these new additions came the ‘Nowkoelln Flowmarkt.’ It’s still small enough to have a very meticulous look about it and still local enough to find your next door neighbor selling homemade chocolate cake and coffee. But it’s hipper than other flea markets since its participants and visitors are mostly that wave of international creative types. You can still find odd little things like old 1950′s ornaments or modern locally hand-made trendy products. And all for flea market prices.

It only happens every third Sunday of the month, so check their blog for details. It’s always a nice, relaxed atmosphere – sometimes with street performers and ‘bio’ food stands. But most importantly, without the big tourist traffic jams.

On one of my many walks through Neukölln, I stumbled into ManduTrap. It was initially the ribbon belt on the window that struck my fancy. When I wandered into the little Flagship store, the designer, Min-Wha Chung, welcomed me with a big smile as she worked on the sewing machine. As I looked around, I realized that it was the combination of colors and fun/elegant design that attracted me.

There is no lack of independent clothing shops around Berlin, and of course they all suit many different tastes, but for me it can be sometimes hard to find items that I can be….playful with. This is what I liked about ManduTrap. It’s a mix between summer comfort and urban elegance or, as it says on the website, ‘inspired by life on sea and Metropolitan Berlin and Seoul.’Most of the items lend themselves to many different combinations with the use of bright colors, flower stamped textiles, and stripes.

She also sells lovely accessories like scarves, diadems with big colorful bows, earrings, and wonderful brightly colored belts that you tie around with thick ribbon. It’s all lovingly handmade, right there, in the Pflügerstrasse shop, and of course all the items are either part of a very small batch or one of a kind. Prices vary, but range from about € 10 for smaller accessories to about € 65 for dresses.