Travel

Düsseldorf is the most underrated vintage city at the moment

By Marijn Vincente | #!31Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:31:52 +0200+02:005231#31Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:31:52 +0200+02:00-4Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202631 02pm31pm-31Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:31:52 +0200+02:004Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam2026312026Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:31:52 +0200314317pmThursday=9#!31Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:31:52 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam7#07-02-2026#!31Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:31:52 +0200+02:005231#/31Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:31:52 +0200+02:00-4Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202631#!31Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:31:52 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam7#

Are you someone who prefers to dive into a vintage shop rather than a bookstore during a city trip, walks just a bit faster for a perfect leather jacket than for a magnet costing €4.95, and spends more time browsing through racks full of designer pieces than in the new collection from Zara? Take notes.

During my trip to Düsseldorf, I quickly discovered that this city is a paradise for vintage lovers. Not only because of the shops themselves, but especially because of the whole atmosphere around it. Düsseldorf feels stylish, as if Copenhagen and Paris come together in one city. I study at the Artemis Academy, where much revolves around fashion, art, design, and trends, so perhaps that explains why I get so enthusiastic about it here. Especially in Flingern, Unterbilk, and around Ackerstraße, you want to keep wandering around. Among stylish coffee spots, galleries, and small boutiques, you discover one shop after another, all equally delightful.

These are the seven coolest vintage (design) stores I visited during my trip.

Elementary particles

A store where you really want to take your time. Everywhere hang special vintage pieces: from leather jackets and vintage dresses to jewelry and designer items that you won't quickly find elsewhere. The atmosphere feels creative and personal. Not a standard second-hand store, but more a place where fashion and character come together. Even the dog matched the interior.

koko selected

If you love both minimalist fashion and striking colors, you want to here step inside. It feels simple, Scandinavian, and perfectly curated, as if you are walking into a boutique in Copenhagen. koko selected was founded by three friends from a shared love for fashion and sustainability. Here you will find a mix of carefully selected second-hand clothing, beautiful basics, and vintage pieces from brands like COS, ARMEDANGELS, and Zara. Among the clothing, you will also find jewelry, sunglasses, and small design items, making it a nice mix of goods.

The Vintage Store

When you here once you step inside, you get the feeling as if you are going back in time forty years. Here you can pick enough affordable vintage pieces from the racks, but you might also stumble upon a special designer item, which comes with a matching price tag. The entire collection has been carefully curated by the couple who have been running the store for years. You don't know where to look: everywhere hang jackets, belts lie around, shoes stand, and racks are full of unique clothing items. Wonderful for anyone who loves to browse and make unexpected finds.

Flight attendant

Walk a little further from The Vintage Store and you will come across a shop that at first glance seems quite inconspicuous. Hidden in the street lies Flight attendant. First, you walk through a small gate and a small courtyard, but behind the door opens a shop full of hidden gems. Truly a paradise for lovers of striking vintage. Think of feathers, glitter, rows of high boots, mannequins in striking outfits, and racks full of special pieces. A bit edgy, almost as if you are walking into a costume shop, but in the best possible way. Just to look around, this shop is worth it.

Walk

Here my heart really skipped a beat. I truly think this is one of those shops you must have seen at least once. I have never walked into a place that was simultaneously so absurd, chaotic, and amazing. Everywhere were stacked furniture, lamps, mirrors, dishes, and random vintage finds as if someone had put together the contents of a film set. You literally don't know where to look, because behind every corner something new is hidden.

And now I say “as if,” but the owner told me that he collects his pieces from all over the world and that many items are actually used for film sets, theater productions, and special interiors. You can here rent, borrow, or buy things, which makes the shop even more special.

Every room felt like a new space in a gigantic dollhouse where you keep getting lost. I encountered Disney figures, vintage dressing tables, statement jewelry, gigantic mirrors, dishes, old medicine jars, perfume bottles, high bar stools, cinema equipment, mannequins, too much to mention.