Scandinavia: Street and Stores

I just got back from a fantastic vacation in Scandinavia. In addition to seeing all the sights you associate with Scandinavia, for me, an additional interest is street fashion and what is being shown in the stores! My long-term career in fashion lingers forever. I simply cannot help myself from checking everything out. I’ve gotten really fast at snapping photos of women who have given thought to what they put on before leaving the house. My camera is always available so that I can capture how women around the world want to dress.

Weather in this area of the world does present challenges. It is an outdoor way of life. People are always outside-walking, hiking, jogging, biking. It gets cold and there is plenty of precipitation (except on this trip…which we were told over and over how lucky we were with the weather we were having) and the best line I heard is “there is no bad weather…only bad clothing”.

On the street the biggest trend is denim which is pretty universal. Midi and maxi lengths were popular. And feminine styles of tulle and lace trims were all over. And it comes as no surprise that sneakers and flats rule! This makes it much easier to stay upright on all the cobblestone, slate, ridiculous inclines and stairs galore.

I did fit into my schedule a little time to see department stores in each city.

In Bergen Norway I visited SUNDF & COMPANY. This store was first established in 1845. I would compare it to Macy’s or Nordstrom. I did not find this location very exciting. It was geared to wool merchandise and nothing in their displays grabbed me. They did have an extensive cosmetic department. Speaking of cosmetics and beauty products, I went into a Lyko. Lyko is a Swedish cosmetic company and a leading Nordic e-commerce company. Their shopping bag reads “Your beauty playground”. I felt like I had walked into a very lively Sephora. Made me want to buy something and I did! I bought a Swedish hair product for hydration from Waterclouds and it is fabulous!

The next department store I stopped in was in Copenhagen. The name of the store is MAGASIN du NORD, founded in 1868. The parent company is Peek and Cloppenburg in Germany. This department store is comparable to Macy’s, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s. I did find a nice pair of striped fingerless gloves that I had hoped to find on this trip. I think this store could be called a destination store. It is a beautiful store and has an entire lower level where you can buy interesting food and wine. There is also an extensive selection of interior design brands.

NORWAY-Bergen Norway-on the street

COPENHAGEN-on the street

On to SWEDEN where I went to Nordiska Kompaniet (NK department store). This is a beautiful department store established in 1915. It is in the luxury category and compares to Bloomingdale’s. I was in this store on a Saturday and it was very active. Great floor displays.

And then I got to Helsinki Finland! I can understand why the people here are so happy if having a beautiful shopping environment plays a part in their lives!! Two magnificent department stores in the city center are Sokos and Stockmann. Sokos is a department store chain founded in 1952. The parent is S group which was founded in 1904. I loved Sokos! They offer the latest trends and have inspiring ideas. They have mid-to-upper price points and can be compared to Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom. Merchandise was beautifully displayed. I was very happy to find a printed silk scarf that was designed in Finland. I also purchased a bracelet from their “pop up” display. The other major department store I went into is Stockmann. Stockmann is upscale and totally gorgeous! It can be compared to Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom. This is the largest department store in the Nordic countries. It was founded in 1862. Seeing this store made me think about adding a piece luggage for my return trip home. There was so many beautiful cashmere items! Helsinki also has other great shopping in the city center. Their indoor vertical malls are quite nice.

Helsinki-on the street