In this year’s Best of Shopping, a lot of us had the recent uptick in quickly made and cheaper products on our minds — not to mention that it seems like barely anyone has the dough to afford their entire wishlist.
Nevertheless, we have the chance here to celebrate those who operate their shops with intentionality; we cheer on institutions that don’t drop everything for momentary trends, that champion designers and makers in Iceland, that put care into the items they ask you to spend your money on. Whether you’re looking for a statement piece, a gift, or a souvenir, you can find what we’ve chosen as the best of the best.
Best Newcomer
Garg Bookstore (Joint Winner)
Hofsvallagata 16
Garg has existed as various entities and projects over the years, but its latest home has been this cosy shopfront in Vesturbær. “Garg is an important space — not just a bookstore, but also a reading room, an exhibition space, a space to experiment,” one panellist said of it. Opened by twins Helga Dögg Ólafsdóttir and Alma Mjöll Ólafsdóttir, this queer, feminist bookstore is full of self-published and secondhand books.
Swimslow (Joint Winner)
Aðalstræti 9
Swimslow began in 2016, when designer Erna Bergmann began selling chicly designed swimsuits; now, her Swimslow Studio — “A Creative Wellness Space & Conscious Concept Store” — has been open since June. Alongside the swimsuits, you can buy curated wellness products, and the studio regularly hosts pop-ups of acupuncture and yoga workshops. The suits are named after swimming locations in Iceland — are you more of a Vesturbæjarlaug, Nauthólsvík, or Sundhöll?
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