Lovers of fashion and design are guaranteed to feel right at home in Frankfurt. Here, it’s not just about filling your shopping bags; it’s also about the exciting interplay between fashion and design, both of the past and of the future.

In November 2017, for example, the Museum of Applied Arts will be presenting the first-ever exhibition to highlight the work of the famous German designer, Jil Sander.

Two months prior, on 08^th September, to be exact, the Style Award will be presented to up-and-coming fashion designers in Frankfurt. The FRANKfurtstyleaward is one of most significant international accolades for new designers. For this award, Frankfurt annually plays host to the world’s leading fashion colleges. Some 750 fashion schools from 46 countries are taking part in the talent contest, this year’s theme country being the USA. The Höchst Designparcours (01^st and 02^nd July 2017), a more regionally oriented promotional scheme, provides local designers with a platform for presenting their most recent creations. Visitors of this design fair are afforded unique insights into the region’s creative scene as well as the historical Frankfurt city district of Höchst.

Shopping fans and fashionistas, meanwhile, will find Frankfurt to be a truly first-class shopping destination. The wide range of department stores, retail chains, independent shops and boutiques has something for every taste and every pocketbook. Be it stylish, elegant, individual or handmade, Frankfurt offers visitors a colourful variety of shopping opportunities.

Goethestraße, with its array of chic boutiques, is known to be Frankfurt’s absolute hotspot for luxury goods. From Armani and Chanel to Versace and Vuitton, all of the world’s most famous designers are represented on this swanky cobblestone street with their own boutiques. The new and exclusive ma’ro office and retail complex in the opera district is equally posh, offering premium shopping and haute cuisine. One Goetheplaza, a building ensemble designed by the Frankfurt architect, Christoph Mäkler, is another luxurious shopping destination. It serves as the geographical entry point to Goethestraße, Frankfurt’s luxury shopping mile.

Conveniently situated in the heart of downtown Frankfurt, the Zeil promenade is Germany’s most profitable shopping street. This pedestrian zone attracts nearly half a million visitors every day. Here, shoppers will find the latest fashion trends and the most important must-haves, from casually chic to sporty and elegant. Aside from the many established brand names and retail chains, the Zeil is also home to one of the very few Karl Lagerfeld flagship stores. Also set on the Zeil, the MyZeil mall presents itself as an architecturally impressive glass and steel construction that also features Europe’s longest freestanding escalator. Starting to get a little tired? Those in need of a coffee break are urged to head to the rooftop terrace of Galeria Kaufhof at Hauptwache with its scenic vistas of Frankfurt’s imposing skyline. Bargain hunters won’t be disappointed, either, Frankfurt being the home of one of only three Zalando outlets in Germany. Nearby, just a stone’s throw from the Frankfurt fairgrounds, the very modern Skyline Plaza provides visitors with a particularly memorable shopping experience. The mall comprises countless shops and stores as well as a number of cafés and restaurants, a children’s playground, various recreational facilities and a rooftop garden with impressive views of downtown Frankfurt. What’s more, it is also home to the elegant MeridianSpa, which invites tired shoppers to spoil themselves with a relaxing wellness programme.

Away from the mainstream, one also finds many smaller labels and independent shops selling unusual one-off pieces and unexpected treasures. The stores on Berger Straße in Bornheim and those of the Bridge Quarter (“Brückenviertel”) in Sachsenhausen are particularly well worth a visit. They are a true Mecca for those looking for one-of-a-kind items and creative gift ideas. Frankfurt also has a great flea market, held every Saturday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm (alternating weekly between the Schaumankai and Osthafen). Here, browsers and bargain hunters are sure to find plenty of knickknacks, rare gems, antiques, bric-a-brac and other second-hand goods of every variety.

Finally, even if you are only landing in Frankfurt for a brief stopover, you’ll still have the chance to enjoy the unique shopping pleasures of Frankfurt Airport. Open 356 days a year, the airport’s retail range is spread out over 30,000 square metres and consists of a variety of shops, restaurants and service providers, including “Personal Shoppers”.

For a comprehensive overview of the city’s retail spectrum, we suggest you take a look at the “Frankfurt Shop-Finder”

Photo: Tourismus+Congress GmbH Frankfurt am Main