Shopping in Basel

Need a little design to chase away the winter doldrums?  If so, there’s never been a better reason to go shopping in Basel.  Set & Sekt and Handmade in Basel are located just around the corner from each other, and conveniently just across the middle Rhein bridge from White Line’s member hotel Krafft.

The elegant Set & Sekt serves up Swiss and international fashion designs.  There are enough independent labels here to make any fashionista salivate.  The principle behind Set & Sekt, which is both a boutique and a coffee bar, is to provide a small array of personally selected designs.  With men and women’s wear from brands like German label Haltbar and the whimsical and chic Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, the unconventional boutique dresses those in the know in Basel.

Handmade in Basel has a different feel, but a similar concept.  As well as international labels like Comme des Garçons, Handmade in Basel carries a range of inspired design products from lesser-known designers.  Among the favourites are the Numbers are Aware LED clock from Jonas Damon and the very cool Flex Lamp from Droog.

Handmade in Basel is also involved in a number of guerrilla projects and uses uncommon approaches to shopping – such as a temporary installation from architect Fumiko Takahama of Basel’s celebrated Herzog & de Meuron. For the installation Takahama replaced the mirrors with photographs reflecting the interior of the store. While some of the products at Handmade in Basel have whimsical uses, they are all serious design, carefully singled out by the stores purveyors.

www.h-made.ch

www.setandsekt.com

Contributing writer: Alicia Reuter