Recently Natasja Derwort, founder of the stylish handbag label, Trut, selected five of the most fabulous women’s fashion boutiques in the city for ExploreUtrecht. That’s great, of course, but what is the outlook for men’s fashion in Utrecht? An article published on fashionunited.nl pointed out that “market share for menswear is currently growing faster than that of women’s clothes, which is quite a significant shift in the fashion industry. Men are becoming more conscious about brands and in defining their signature looks.” In this article, FashionUnited took a closer look on men’s fashion and featured an infographic with fun facts and figures.
Complementing large brands, such as H&M, Pull&Bear, Superdry, and so on, we hereby present six (yes, six!) of the dandiest men’s fashion stores in Utrecht.
Oeben’s Mercantile
At Oudkerkhof 34 is Oeben’s Mercantile, which opened its doors mid last year. “Founded to supply today’s men with menswear, denim & tailoring, and service that is sometimes forgotten in the modern-day world,” says their Facebook page. In this stylish shop, you’ll find well-selected fashion items and accessories from various leading brands. The shop owner, Thomas Oeben, is a purist with a taste for unusual brands with a unique background and, preferably, labels that are yet to be discovered. This is the store for men who prefers quality and craftsmanship above all else.
Cris Mannenmode
Cris at Mariaplaats 3A, has been around for quite some time in Utrecht, and is the place to shop for those who prefers the more exclusive and trendy men’s clothes. The shop has a special atmosphere. The store’s simple, yet modern, interior properly shows off its wide range collection of top brands, including Hugo, Bikkembergs, Diesel, Porter and Girbaud. Cris’ founder, Chris Ravenhorst, has been building his business for over 15 years by offering timeless fashionable items, underlining an impeccable taste, rather than age.
Quadrat Menswear
If you like Scandinavian fashion and lifestyle, then Quadrat Menswear at Zadelstraat 11 is the shop for you. Store manager, Lars Verkroost is also a photographer, who contributes to Explore Utrecht, by the way! Quadrat offers you a great selection of Scandinavian style clothes, shoes and accessories from brands such as Mads Norgaard, NN07 and Royal Republic. Quadrat is a trailblazing high fashion concept store in Utrecht, and right across the street, at number 14, is their affiliate store, Square Streetwear.
Cavallaro Napoli
Cavallaro Napoli at Mariastraat 41 offers luxury Italian-style fashion at affordable prices. The shop offers a selection of men’s daytime fashion – casual, but stylish. At Cavallaro, you’d find a great variety of luxury shirts, well-cut denim and other stylish men’s accessories. Guiseppe Cavallaro started his business in 2004 by selling silk ties and his signature style men’s shirts. Today, Cavallaro Napoli has grown from a family-run business to the Italian fashion label in the Netherlands, with 15 flagship stores and more than 350 sales points across Europe.
Daen’s
Not limited to men’s fashion, but worth visiting is Daen’s at Korte Minrebroederstraat 13-17. Besides fashion items from top brands, you should also drop by at their café, which is housed at a former fire station. Besides serving great coffee, food and wine, Daen’s recently opened a one room hotel. But let’s get back to fashion – if you are looking for something unusual, from brands such as Anecdote, Denham, Bellerose, Paul Smith and GoodPeople, you may want to browse around here. They have a great mix of contemporary fashion items, displayed in a warm and inviting interior and with great service – the way it should be!
Image Wear
The last one, but not the least is Image Wear, which we featured last year. With four stores across the city, Image Wear is an important name is Utrecht’s urban fashion scene. It offers a broad range of contemporary fashion brands for both men and women, for all occasions. And while it sells international brands, such as Kenzo, Goosecraft and American Vintage, Image Wear is originated in Utrecht, and proud of it! Click here to read their story.
Photography Quadrat Menswear & Square: Lars Verkroost Photography
Photo Image: Susanne Sterkenburg
Photo Oeben’s Mercantile: www.soulstores.nl