Brussels
Dille & Camille
This cute homewares shop sells a great range of products for the home, kitchen and garden. The emphasis is on simply designed, good quality pieces made from, natural materials.
16 Rue Jean Stas; dille-kamille.be
Idiz Bogam
Arguably Brussels' premier vintage store, and handily situated on the trendy Rue Dansaert, Idiz Bogam is famed among vintage-lovers for its large collection of secondhand shoes, as well as its changing and trendy selection of vintage clothes, with the emphasis on 70s and 80s goodies.
76 Rue Antoine Dansaert
Prive Joke
Loud electro music, well-dressed Brussels hipsters and buckets of super-modern pieces from youth-friendly European labels (Et Vous, Conni Kaminski, Paul & Joe) abound in this large, well-organised space. Shoes from Mellow Yellow and See by Chloe are not to be missed.
76 Rue du Marché au Chabon; privejoke.be
vitrapoint
If you're interested in furniture design, pay a visit to Vitrapoint. Even if you're not in the market for a Ron Arad chair, the collection here is worth poring over for its wonderful re-editions of 20th century classics by the likes of Charles and Ray Eames and Verner Panton.
35 Place du Grand Sablon; brussels.vitrapoint.net
Ramon & Vally
A chic vintage boutique (we loved the artful arrangements of gloves, hats and fans) boasting well-edited selections of both women's and men's clothes and accessories, as well as a smattering of childrenswear. It's the place to snap up a designer classic from Lanvin, Chanel or YSL.
19 Rue des Teinturiers
Leuven
Abattoir Rouge
Newly opened by the super-friendly Valerie Van Espen and Joke Loozen, Abatoir Rouge's hip and minimalist-looking space stocks cool but affordable womenswear from a range of smaller independent labels that have a definite modern, urban slant.
13 Parijsstraat; abattoirrouge.be
Bellini Woman
Oodles of brightly coloured pieces abound in this boutique in the cobbled streets of the old town. Bellini Woman stocks pieces from Belgian designers such as Fillipa K and Natan 5, the likes of Joseph, Coccinelle and Tara Jarman, as well as a small selection of footwear, including plenty of ballet pumps.
27 Mechelsestraat; belliniwoman.com
Mechelen
Paté du Chef
For kitsch retro-look homewares, collectables and gifts – as well as vintage bric-a-brac and accessories – look no further than the cutesy and cluttered surrounds of Paté du Chef. If you find the shop with the cow statue wearing a hat outside it, you're in the right place.
24 Vismarkt
Antwerp
Walter
You wanted fashion? Well, here it is, with a capital F, at the store of two of Antwerp's most celebrated designers, Walter Van Beirendonck (head of the Antwerp fashion academy) and Dirk Van Saene. You walk into the space of a huge former car-park through a garage door, and find more of a jaw-dropping modern art gallery than a shop. Clothes are laid out in little houses with missing walls, an advertising billboard rotates messages promoting world peace, and the space-agey circular till floats dizzily from the ceiling. Clothes range from insane body-stockings to more wearable tops.
12 Sint-Antoniusstraat; waltervanbeiren-donck.com
Huis A. Boon
You can't miss a visit to this unique, old-fashioned, tiny – but justly famous – Antwerp fashion institution. At this family-run glove shop in the heart of the fashion district, you'll find the finest leather gloves for sale from €100, many hand-sewn in small workshops. Staff can tell your glove size just by looking at your hand.
2-4 Lombardenvest
Donum
This lifestyle emporium stocks a cornucopia of design-led treats for the home, from furniture to fragrances. Don't miss Anna Torfs exquisite glassware and jeweller Georg Jensen's minimalist cutlery.
47 Hopland; donum.be
Dries Van Noten - Het Modepaleis
This is the flagship store
of the most famous Flemish designer and the only DVN store in Europe catering for men as well as women. At €235 for a sweater, it's not for the faint-hearted.
16 Nationalestraat
Maison Anna Heylen
This has got to be Antwerp's most charming high-end designer boutique. Even if you can't afford the clothes, you have to come here just to meet the vivacious Anna and soak up the tranquil and intimate atmosphere. It's more salon than shop, in a charming 1904 house and garden, with private consultations upstairs, exquisite occasional ceramics and furniture for sale, and an odd collection of couture-clad dolls.
16 Lombardenstraat, Antwerp; annaheylen.be
Ghent
flamant
A veritable mecca for fans of the shabby chic aesthetic, this beautiful interiors shop mixes old-world charm with modern standards of luxury and comfort in a style it calls "the past reinvented". It stocks everything from furniture to accessories, plus a paint palette to give Farrow & Ball a run for its money.
41 Henegouwenstraat, and stores globally; flamant.com
Patricia Vintage
In the heart of Ghent's network of shops is this small but ultra-glamorous vintage boutique run by a true fashionista. You'll find a hand-picked collection of high-end women's designer clothes from the 1950s to the 2000s, featuring Marni, Chloe, Sonia Rykiel, Prada and Miu Miu. Prices start at €300 and go sky-high.
75 Henegouwenstraat
Eva Bos
Eva Bos's small women's boutique sells various vintage luxury labels, as well as the designer's own mid-20th century-style collection inspired by Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy. Prices range from €100-€1000 plus. Customers can get clothes tailormade or commission a design from scratch.
66 Vlaanderenstraat
Glasjuweel
This engagingly kitsch opaque glass jewellery shop, situated in a cute little street, is run by a father daughter duo who are both artists. Together they make original, funky handmade jewellery in bright primary colours with a very fresh feel – liquorice allsort rings or blown-glass anemone-like necklaces are worth looking out for.
7 Bennesteeg; glasjuweel.be
Bruges
L'Heroine
This established boutique stocks the latest catwalk collections from Belgian designers, including Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten and Christophe Coppens, hat designer to the Belgian royal family.
32 Noordzandstraat; lheroine.be
Chine belgian design
Successful Belgian designer Tim Van Steenbergen is artistic director of Chine Belgian Design. His twice-yearly collection includes simple daywear pieces, as well as showstopping, one-off dresses. Prices can be eye-wateringly expensive, reaching the €2,500 mark, but the high quality fabrics are worth every euro.
Geldmuntstraat 26; chinecollection.com
Essentiel
Created in 1999 by designer Esfandiar Eghtessadi, this Belgian fashion brand combines glamour and femininity with comfort. There's something here to suit every mood, from well-cut jeans to suitably on-trend floaty floral dresses.
42 Noordzandstraat; essentiel.be
Olivier Strelli
Eponymous designer Olivier was born in the Belgian Congo and remains inspired by his African upbringing. Packed with original prints in technicolor shades, this large, bright shop is bursting with colour and the creative collection is graceful, sophisticated and casually chic with something to offer women of all ages.
3 Eiermarkt; strelli.be
Frederiek Van Pamel
This warm and friendly design-focused interiors shop is run by designer Frederiek. The seasonal collection changes four times a year but always focuses on the truly special, with only a couple of pieces of each design for sale. The welcoming, laidback atmosphere makes this a relaxed place to find that perfect finishing touch for your home.
6-7 Muntpoort; frederiekvanpamel.be
Flemish coast
Guapa
This is a laidback, seaside boutique offering a range of top brands – shop for everything from Liu jeans to Furstenburg dresses, just made for stylish strolling along the nearby promenade.
27 Koninklijke Baan, De Haan; guapa-dehaan.be
