The Dutch capital’s retail scene has gone leaps and bounds the past two decades. But although a slew of luxury and premium brands continue to set up shop, Amsterdam lacks high-profile multi-brand stores that add character to the mix and allow the city – apart from its leading stature in the denim department – to become a distinctive shopping destination. Raising the bar with a hybrid perspective that’s inspired by menswear and urban culture is the newly opened Oallery store smack in the middle of the scenic Canal District. The store has spawned from Osbbat, an Amsterdam-based cult streetwear label which gained exposure and a select following abroad through pop-up venues in Los Angeles, Shanghai and Taipei. The brand’s latest retail endeavour is an audacious one to say the least, nestling in an area that’s better known for its antique stores than peers from the industry.
This trailblazing approach translates into a store concept and merchandise that’s unique in the city, and luckily, Oallery has found spacious premises to sustain it. The retail space occupies three floors of an early 20th century structure, and shoppers will find a different setting and merchandise on each level. Upon entering the Oallery store, a showcase of in-house brand Osbbat unfolds, as well as highlights of the trophies upstairs. Also to be found here is a rotation of pop-up shops and events, and the first one is a collab project with #FR2 from Japan. The second floor is centred around an eye-catching tree installation, and presents Japanese brands such as WTAPS, Visvim, Ambush, and Neighborhood, and most are exclusive to Amsterdam. Shielded by a wall is a built-in wooden cabinet stocked with Medicom‘s coveted Be@rBrick figurines. And finally, one floor up, a dedicated exhibition space can be found. Currently on display here are works by Australian artist Pauly Bonomelli.
Oallery
Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 39 (Centrum)
1017DC Amsterdam
Telephone: +31 6 12345678
Mon 12-7
Tue-Wed 11-7
Thu 11-8
Fri-Sat 11-7
Sun 12-6
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
