An Insider’s Shopping Guide to Cape Town
Along with golden-haired surfer dudes and more hikers than you can shake a walking stick at, you’ll also find some rather glamorous fashionistas roaming the streets of Cape Town – and you can be sure they didn’t source their wardrobe at the V&A! In recent years, Cape Town has become a mecca for incredible home-grown design and craftsmanship, and you’ll find a host of local designs that wouldn’t look out of place on the pages of Vogue or the streets of NYC (and some of them are!). So, if you really want to do some shopping in Cape Town, read on….
Browse the uniquely lovely designer items at AKJP Studio
Start your shop-hopping bright and early on Kloof Street, more specifically in Our Local, a leafy, antique-filled café tucked into an old garage. As well as epic views of the mountain, you’ll find fresh coffee, warm croissants and eggs every way – the perfect start to a day of serious pavement pounding. When you’ve finished munching, make your way down the hill to AKJP Studio. Part concept store, part creative studio, it’s home to some of South Africa’s most exciting new designers and is bursting with bold prints, experimental silhouettes and limited-edition, exceedingly-cool collabs.
Pick out a few pieces from Sindiso Khumalo’s collection.
Meandering down Kloof, you’ll soon arrive at the Lifestyle Centre. A sophisticated one-stop shop, you’ll find a Woolies, The Olive Branch deli (for those craving some fresh Burrata in this part of the world), the best wine shop in town, some excellent, purely South African gift shops, and, the cherry on top, Purr, a clothing boutique that stocks several local designers as well as a smattering of achingly-hip European labels. A left up Park Road to the Longkloof Precinct will take you to Sindiso Khumalo’s stunning showroom and her collection of globally celebrated, sustainable womenswear.
Peruse the simply stunning offerings at Dear Rae
At the end of Kloof, cross over at the traffic lights and, a short hop up the hill, you’ll find Bree Street. Known for being Cape Town’s gastronomic mile, there are a couple of boutiques worth checking out in between the eateries. First up is the super-chic Pichulik atelier, home of the unique rope-style jewellery that adorns the necks of Cape Town’s coolest kids. A few doors down you’ll find Scandi-meets-Cape Town-designer Alexandra Hojer, gossamer-thin gold jewellery at Dear Rae, and Skinny LaMinx for playful fabrics by the meterage as well as ready-made items.
Steel yourself for the hill up to Bo-Kaap and Chandler House, Michael Chandler’s jewel-box of a store where shelves groan with hand-painted ceramics, heritage-inspired textiles and whimsical prints, and then roll back down and into Hemelhuijs for lunch. The dreamy space is full of sculptural vases of fresh blooms and dark, moody furniture offset by gleaming crockery, and the décor is just as artful as the menu. Order a glass of house-pressed mandarin juice, tuck into the legendary smoked trout rösti, and don’t leave without a strawberry-swirled meringue.
Check out the colourful fashions at Merchants on Long
Suitably revived, head to De Waterkant (via Merchants on Long, Cape Town’s original concept store of pan-African design), for something totally different at Maison Mara & Bastille. A Parisian-inspired concept store, international labels mix with minimalist interiors and moody scents. Think Céline, Acne Studios, and edgy local names, all in one impossibly chic townhouse.
Find a selection of South African stylings at the Watershed – perhaps some new favourites.
After a quick browse in NAP, take an Uber down to the V&A Waterfront. The first name on everyone’s lips when it comes to Cape Town shopping, we recommend avoiding the brand names in the mall – unless you packed badly, in which case H&M should solve all clothing dilemmas – and head straight for the Watershed. The market-style hub is a haven for all things South African and the stylish clothing, furniture, gifts and jewellery will keep you occupied for hours. Fashion-wise, must-stops include Hannah Lavery for breezy linens, Asha Eleven for kaleidoscopic colours and Kenyan-inspired fashion, and Jane Valken for handmade kaftans, pretty dresses and trinkets from around the world. You’ll also find old favourite Mungo & Jemima, relocated from Long Street and a nest of elegant pieces by top-notch local designers and accessories to die for – wooden sunglasses and buttery-soft leather clutches anyone? And if homewares are more your thing, try the latest gem, AFRICAA, a gallery-meets-shop space dedicated to collectible African design pieces.
Admire the stunning creations at the Southern Guild Gallery.
If you can drag yourself away, end the day in the Silo District, the V&A’s newest and glitziest shopping quarter centred around the iconic Zeitz MOCAA museum and the pillow-y windows of the Silo Hotel. The Southern Guild Gallery, a multi-faceted hot house of art, design and creativity, takes centre stage, but if you’re looking for luxury fashion and high-end leather, you can’t do any better than Kat van Duinen and her beautiful flagship boutique. Exquisitely designed and filled to the brim with evening wear and expertly crafted leather accessories, you’ll never want to leave! Oh, and did we mention that you’re right next door to The Silo Hotel? We can hear those cocktails calling….
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