Shopping  :  Les incontournables

Berlin in the Cold War Era may evoke images of functional – even bleak – fashion styles, but the city’s modern incarnation has gone a long way toward remedying that misconception. On par with London, Milan, and Paris, Berlin has emerged as one of the world’s most stylish cities, successfully juxtaposing a tendency for the avant-garde with contemporary cuts by big-name designers. Most stores are open from 9am to 6:30pm except on Thursdays, when many stay open past 8pm, and on Saturdays, when doors usually close before 3pm. The city’s main shopping drag is Kurfürstendamm (known as Ku’Damm) and its Tauentzienstrasse extension, which offer a dizzying mix of exclusive shops, the enormous KaDeWe department store, and shopping centers like Europa-Center. Side streets like Bleibtreustrasse and Fasanenstrasse, meanwhile, provide chic boutiques, many of which carry signature styles you’ll find nowhere else. Other hubs for trendy apparel include Friedrichstrasse in Mitte, Kantstrasse in Charlottenburg, and Kreuzberg’s Oranienstrasse. Major centers like Galeries Lafayette and Quartier 206 give Mitte added appeal.