Tokyo Picks

A city of quiet insanity. Of hairspray scented metro malls. Rush hour sundays. Men wearing handbags. Rei crossing the street. And all things matcha and wasabi. Irasshaimase!

Best Architecture
PRADA AOYAMA
5−2−6 Minamiaoyama

Retro futurism as trademark and landmark. While a secret staircase tunnel leads directly to the menswear department in the basement, the women's collection is presented on fur coated rails - decorated with multiple video screens attached to long amorphous arms. Barbarella would shop here.

Best Museum
21_21
9-7-6 Tokyo Midtown Garden

Initiated by Issey Miyake, the angular concrete structure is surrounded by the skyline of Roppongi Hills and the Midtown Garden parks. The venue hosts design themed exhibitions with a strong aesthetic focus such as 'The Art of Rice'.

Best Concept Store
DSM GINZA
6-9-5 Ginza

A temple with a temple. The six storey building hosts all Comme des Garçons collections, artworks by Cindy Sherman, the Rose Bakery café and a rooftop garden with miniature shrine.

Best Department Store
ISETAN
3-14-1 Shinjuku

In fact, the best selection of Japanese designer brands: Undercover, Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto. The most established or hyped. The holy fashion mountain of Shinjuku.

Best Deli
MUJI
3−17−1 Shinjuku

Surprisingly, MUJI stores offer small cafeteria serving exquisite little dishes to be combined individually. A warm atmosphere with wooden furnishings and glass bottle chandeliers characterizes this fast slow food retreat.

Best Lunch
APRÈS-MIDI
1-Chome-15-7 Jinnan

Located on the 5th floor of a little tower building, the concrete and leather equipped bar-cum-café offers a modern Japanese lunch menu and a relaxed, intimate lounge feeling.

Best Bar
ROUGE
3-Chome-20-6 Shinjuku

The bar owned by no one else than Nobuyoshi Araki strikes with a sinister, almost contemplative atmosphere and very devoted barkeepers. A bondage set and little book corner invite well-informed visitors into the Araki world.

Best Schnitzel
TONKATSU MAISEN
4-8-5 Jingumae

Tonkatsu or 'katsudon' is a classic rice dish topped with a sliced breaded cutlet. Japanese schnitzel, sort of. A must-eat. Anyday. Or everday even.

Best Gay Bar
DRAGON
2-Chome-11-4 Shinjuku

Topless waiters on Friday night deliver the prime reason for a visit. Add disco ball, laser lights, iconic pop diva songs and reasonably priced drinks and the night is set.

Best Souvenir Shop
DON QUIXOTE
1-Chome-16-5 Kabukicho

The 24h multi-store, fondly called 'Donki' by locals, allows instant late night shopping satisfaction. Coloured contact lenses, tabi socks, phone cases. You want it, you can have it.

Best Antique Books
COW BOOKS
1-Chome-14-11 Aobadai

Rather gallery than boutique, the space is equipped with small library-esque tables to read and study. On display are monumental works by Bruce Weber, Robert Mapplethorpe or Irving Penn.

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Tokyo Diaries XIII

A mental travel preparation.




Artworks Roy Lichtenstein

Around 1996 something changed. Viewing the 'other' side abruptly infused 'another' kind of painting: ink-screen printing. Dotted brush strokes that turned American pop art Japanese.
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Empty Pockets

1. Fendi Fall/Winter 2013
2. Prada Spring/Summer 1999
3. Yohji Yamamoto Fall/Winter 2004

The pocket as exaggaretd means of space and transport. Enough room for the globalized psyche of a world traveller. Multi-minded, try-sexual, jet-sad. Unable to keep anything and take everything with himself.
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Antwerp Picks

A concise guide through the city that almost sleeps - had it not been for the Antwerp Six who called this city 'home' and sparked an avantgarde awakening beyond all borders and within the world of fashion.

Best Shop
Ann Demeulemeester
Leopold de Waelplaats

The first floor, a white open space with wooden floors, reminds of an art gallery - long dresses suspended from the ceiling. Following a narrow staircase, the upper level is divided into smaller segments and themes, accented by round black chaiselongues.

Best Restaurant
Renaissance
Nationalestraat 32

An almost clinical, minimalist space dominated by white marble, steel and glass. The kitchen itself is classic with experimental fusion twists and the menue offers a wide range of choices for lunch as well as dinner.

Best Bar
Vitrin
Marnixplaats 14

The triangular space is defined by raw wooden wall panels and an open-plan glass front that allows inside/outside views and nurtures the social atmosphere. A great spot for after-shopping drinks, preferably a glass of Kriek cherry beer.

Best Snack
Haute Frituur
Vlaamse Kaai 66

Fries, croquettes and other deep-fried delicacies are served in this stylish fast food bistro located at Klosterstraat - close to the numerous vintage furniture boutiques. Although the interior looks tasty, a calorie warning is mandatory.

Best Magazine Retail
IMS
Melkmarkt 17

For a collector of the monthly printed matter, this magazine shop holds all relevant international titles - shortly after their original release. Practical: a self-scan terminal displays the item price - ideal to synchronize one's budget.

Best Concept Store
RA
Kloosterstraat 13

RA begins where the Rupocalpse has ended. Visually as entertaining as the closet of a drag queen (exploded), the concept store offers a colourful mix of Japanese design, London graduate collections and conceptual accessories.

Best Shoe Boutique
Cocodrillo
Schuttershofstraat 8

Offering a small but careful selection of designer shoes, it is the first address on the hunt for key pieces from runway collections. Raf Simons, Prada, Balenciaga. The best of the best. Guests are kindly treated with complementary Belgian chocolate.

Best Hotel
Sir Plantin
Plantin en Moretuslei 136

A sinister, postmodern atmosphere with oversized Renaissance portraits printed directly onto the walls. Black hallways, dimmed lightning and bright pop colour rooms call for spending a night in this off-centre but noteworthy location.

Best Café
De Muze
Melkmarkt 15

One of the oldest Jazz cafés in Antwerp, the narrow brick wall building surprises with a multi-storey interior that allows multi-angular views on bar and guests. The outside seating in turn functions as great spot for people watching.

Best Museum
MoMu
Nationalestraat 28

The Belgian epicentre for fashion exhibitions on Walter van Beirendonck or Yohji Yamaoto that are eleborately enhanced with a strong technical point of view - and thus do not soley focus on the visual or seductive quality of clothing.

Best Book Shop
Copyright
Nationalestraat 28

Attached to MoMu, the shop offers a wide range of fashion related publications, alongside its strong focus on architecture and art. Here you will come across classic publications on the Belgian and Japanese avantgarde that might be sold out elsewhere.

Best Vintage Furniture
Viar
Kloosterstraat 65

Art nouveau and postmodern surrealism - the spacious furniture gallery offers beautiful plexiglass pieces, coffee tables and brass palm tree lamps at affordable prices. Theoretically, one could always leave with one new acquisition.

Hamburg Picks

While appearing reserved and distant as a city, Hamburg offers a different view once following the right angles and perspectives, once willing to step out and find them. A fine selection of places, many still to be unveiled.

Best Exhibition Space
Deichtorhallen
Deichtorstraße 1-2

The grande, semi-circular hall hosts contemporary art exhibitions. Amongst others Anselm Reyle who took over the space and divided it into a light and a dark half. Even equipping the entry hall with blinking, shiny and rusty 'atelier trash'.

Best Shop
Werkhaus
Große Elbstraße 146

Alexander Wang, Dries van Noten and SILENT Damir Doma for men, Helmut Lang and Acne Studio for Women. Situated directly at the sea side in an original red brick style 'Kaufmannshaus' from 1772.

Best Flagship Store
Jil Sander
Neuer Wall 43

Visiting a Jil Sander store always feels like an exhibition, especially for retail travellers. 'Exhibited' side by side are pieces by Raf Simons for and Jil Sander as Jil Sander. Next to an arrangement of Asian antiques for an ascetic aesthetics.

Best Gourmet Food
Mutterland
Poststraße 14-16

Grey sea salt, chai tea honey or sea salt caramel. Unconventional, original and delicate combinations, products designed for display rather than hiding away. They still do exist.

Best Design Shop
punct.object
Große Elbstraße 68

A marble dining table, wooden chairs, a cubic writing desk. Here, furniture is beautifully arranged, creating geometric lines - almost like a studio-size still life. Again, a retail experience with exhibition character.

Best Spa Hotel
SIDE
Drehbahn 49

Designed by Robert Wilson, the neon light installation pending above the lobby provides a spectacular mood and luxurious 2000s feeling. Perfectly complemented by spa and pool areas as well as a high class breakfast buffet.

Best Architecture
Hafen City
Am Kaiserkai

A piece of water, elevated from its depths into the sky. The Elbphilharmonie Hamburg marks the starting point for a newly constructed, artificial yet mesmerizing city disctrict.

Disposal Diary

One week in New York City, captured in black and white with a disposal camera. Brooklyn, Harlem, Chelsea, Manhattan, Uptown, Downtown, High Line, Coney Island, Grand Central Oyster Bar.
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