Grapevine’s Best Of 2017: Best Clothing Store

While high prices mean Reykjavík isn’t really thought of as a shopper’s paradise, there are still plenty of great local products you can only get here. Whether you’re hunting for a piece of Icelandic design, searching for hard-to-find vinyl by an Icelandic artist, stocking the fridge of your Airbnb, or hunting down the perfect hand-knitted lópapeysa, this guide will get you on the right track. Most of the winners are located in downtown Reykjavík, but a few are scattered throughout the greater Reykjavík area, giving you a good excuse to get out of the city centre hubbub and do some exploring. Happy shopping!

Winner

Húrra Reykjavík
Hverfisgata 50 & 78
Húrra Reykjavík is a white-cube space located on Hverfisgata, a street that’s undergone a huge facelift in recent years. The store has become a fast favourite with locals, including all the members of our panel, who collectively called this one immediately. “Húrra has created a buzz and excitement around fashion never before seen in Iceland,” they said. “They have also single-handedly created a sneaker culture here. Before Húrra, no one had ever camped out to buy a pair of sneakers in Iceland.” The excitement is for people of all ages, they noted: “My boss who is 63 years old just bought shoes at Húrra.”

Runners Up

Herrafataverzlun Kormáks & Skjaldar
Laugavegur 59
This upmarket haberdashery sells top quality menswear and accessories. Their suits are cut to various pleasingly retro fits, and made from sturdy Shetland tweed. It’s an experience to shop there—the service is old-fashioned, and there’s an in-house barber and a tailor for alterations. It’s on the pricey side, but you really get what you pay for here.

Aftur
Laugavegur 39
Aftur is a mecca for Iceland’s stylish gothy fashionistas. Whilst most of the young Reykjavík crowd is wearing baseball caps and 90s throwback pieces, the older ones are often seen in flowing black caps and dresses. If you want to get this particularly distinctive Reykjavík 101 look, go here.

Previous Winners

2016: Geysir
2015: Geysir

You can buy a copy of the full Best Of Reykjavík 2017 magazine, posted worldwide, at gpv.is/buybestof.