If you have been in Reykjavík for any significant amount of time, you may have taken notice at how (some of the) men’s style is a cut above. Yes, some of them may be watching too much Mad Men (can you blame them?) but most of them are just on board with classic, good quality style, and luckily many places cater to that. The pioneer in bringing old-school Brit gentleman charm to the streets of Reykjavík is Herrafataverzlun Kormáks & Skjaldar, a veritable pot of gold of men‘s fashion.
Now tucked away in a basement on Laugavegur, the shop was first opened by a pair of friends, Kormákur and Skjöldur, twelve years ago on Skólavörðustígur, where 12 Tónar now reside. Originally specialising in second-hand items only, the store closed down to much anguish in early 2001. After a five-year hiatus, they opened again at their current location downstairs from Bónus in the mini-mall on the main drag.
Guðmundur Jörundsson, the dapper young gentleman behind the counter upon our visit, has been working there since the store re-opened in 2006. He says they now have a wide array of customers, from young men to older businessman types. They’ve moved onto selling nearly all first-wear clothing, mostly imported garments from Italy and England, although they also carry the local clothing line Farmer‘s Market. They also carry labels such as DNA and the Swedish brand Red Colour Project, who cross over classic menswear with modern elegance. Guðmundur says they have a lot of variety, from basic items to street wear and collections, but should be able to fit anyone’s budget.
In addition to all the snazzy duds, they have a barbershop corner with a hairdresser in for a few days a week. They have onsite tailoring for basic changes on items they sell, as well as for creating pieces for their online store. Overall, they carry a huge selection of great quality items for the well-groomed male and keep the Icelandic guys that so choose looking well snazzy.
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