Austrian Design Shopping. When back in Vienna, my design wish list is varied. I share some of the best addresses to buy Austrian design below. It includes places to buy original objects that are unique or express the local zeitgeist.
MAK Design Shop
Austrian Design Shopping. Why buy? At the design shop of the Museum of Applied Arts/ Contemporary Art you are at the very source of contemporary design. Located next to the University of Applied Arts the shop collects not only design classics but exciting new lines from young local talent. Above all, the design shop stocks the most exciting Austrian design books in English language, especially on Modernism, contemporary design and Art Nouveau. If you are after unconventional design gifts with an Austrian footprint, go for it.
What's on offer? Designer jewellery; fashion and fashion accessories; crockery; home accessories;
Price category: **
Location: Stubenring 5; A-1010 Vienna
Opening hours: Tuesday 10am to midnight; Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm
MQ Point
Austrian Design Shopping. Why buy? Long established as one of Vienna's top design stores, the Museumsquartier's shop sells unconventional contemporary gifts from Austrian and international designers.
Quite unusually for a museum's shop, MQ Point usually stocks a good selection of contemporary Austrian fashion brands.
What's on offer? Artisan jewellery; fashion and fashion accessories; crockery; home accessories; (product range changes regularly)
Price category: **
Location: hall in main entrance of Museumsquartier, Museumsplatz 1; A-1070 Vienna
Opening hours: daily 10am to 7pm
Feine Dinge
Austrian Design Shopping. Why buy? With their soft pastel hues and evenly 'baked' surfaces some creations look like airy meringues. At the Feine Dinge shop and manufactory, lovers of contemporary table ware discover a new generation of Viennese porcelain.
Each mug, cup, plate, sculptural vase or box is handmade onsite by the 5-strong team of passionate graduates of Vienna's University of Applied Arts and the Viennese School for Design (Wiener Kunstschule).
What's on offer? fine table ware, vases, boxes, lanterns, and lamps;
Price category: **
Location: Margarethenstrasse 35 (flagship store and workshop); A-1050 Vienna
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
Die Sellerie
Austrian Design Shopping. Why buy? Right in the middle of Vienna's design district Neubau this shop hosts a few pleasant finds. For example, Sellerie's team stocks its own locally made paper collection, and sells contemporary ceramics and stoneware by an independent Austrian designer.
What's on offer? Stoneware and ceramics mugs, plates and vases; notepads, calendars, post cards,as well as textiles, wooden homeware, picture frames and gifts from small European design shops;
Price category: **
Location: Burggasse 21/1; A-1070 Vienna
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 3.00 pm; to 7.00 pm; Saturday 11.00 am to 5.00 pm; closed on Sundays and Mondays
S'Fachl
Austrian Design Shopping. Why buy? Ever bought creative gifts out of a vegetable box? This shop embraces the best of local creativity and design. At S'Fachl ('the shelf') small creative start ups each rent a vegetable box to present their wares. The result is a multitude of unique, lovingly made and highly creative local gifts that reflect Viennese zeitgeist like nowhere else.
What's on offer? textiles, ceramics, regional delicacies, fashion jewelry, paper crafts and much more.
My tip: Get a baking mixture of local desserts such as Gugelhupf and even bread rolls filled up in beautiful glass bottles.
Price category: ***
Location: Alser Strasse 43, A-1080 Vienna
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 7pm; Saturday 10am to 6pm;
Mondschein Design
Austrian Design Shopping. Why buy? If you love natural materials and smart design you should head for Gabriele's neighbourhood shop. Named after her great grand parents, the shop sells homeware, accessories and fashion items using traditional Austrian loden and linen.
What's on offer? loden scarves, bags in all shapes and sizes, soft bread baskets, cushion covers, notebooks and baby accessories;
Price category: **
Location: Erdbergstrasse 16-28/R08, A-1030 Vienna
Opening hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
Riess Porcelain Enamel Cookware
Austrian Design Shopping. Why buy? Definitely, Riess is one of Austria's great vintage brands that have managed to reinvent themselves without forgetting their heritage.
My own Riess bread bin at home reminds me of my late Austrian grandma's - it is identical!
Not only has Riess' porcelain enamel cookware been a firm part of domestic local culture, it is also practical and particularly good for induction cookers; read my product review here;
What's on offer? Traditional porcelain enamel cookware as my grandparents used it, including pots, casseroles, vintage-style milk cans, cake tins, and bread tins; and lovely gugelhupf baking tins;
Price category: **
Distributors: Cuisinarium, Singerstrasse 14; A-1010 Vienna; Em.Blasser's Nfg., Taborstrasse 35, A-1020 Vienna;
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm; Saturday 10am to 3pm (Rudolf Waniek); Monday to Friday 8.30am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm; Saturday 9am to 12pm (Em. Blasser);
My tip: There are so many more fantastic shops out there! If you'd like to integrate your bespoke gift shopping into your Vienna sightseeing, find out about Vienna Unwrapped's travel itineraries;
Other great shopping tips:
Shopping in Vienna Austria (private insider shopping tours),
Vienna Culture Shopping (quality and luxury shops),
Vienna Shopping for Luxury (international designer brands)'
Austrian Jewelry,
Austria Fashion Shopping,
Dirndl Dresses,
Evening Dress Shops in Vienna,
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