Design Travel in 2026: Concept Stores, Iconic Studios & Cities Where Design Lives

From Berlin vintage archives to Faroese wool, from Helsinki ceramics to Danish lamp workshops — where to find the design world in person, and the small studios our writers actually visit.

10 Design articles

8 Cities profiled

20+ Studios visited

6 Concept-store guides

From our writers

Where design lives — in workshops and small studios

Second hand and vintage shops are a big part of Berlin's identity. Here on the streets, among countless bars, cafes, "Spätis" and empty beer bottles, you'll find some true gems — vintage archive stores where you can discover something truly unique.

— its.zina in Berlin's Best Vintage Shops, Designer Archives & Concept Stores · Berlin

The Orca Lounge Chair by Gudrun & Gudrun, an eco brand from the Faroe Islands, is more than just a chair — it's a piece of art with a story. Designed by Guðrun Ludvig, inspired by her childhood in Greenland, it mimics the sleek silhouette of an orca whale's fin cutting through waves.

— Locals Insider Team in Orca Lounge Chair: Cozy Artistry with Faroese Wool · Faroe Islands

Editor’s quick picks

A handful of editor-chosen articles to start with — each tagged with why we picked it (new, unique, trending, local, or just one we like).

Local · craft Ellipse oak lamp by Kirk Studio Danish elegance in delicate oak layers — handcrafted lighting Unique Larissa Hadjio's shrimp clutches The London accessories designer we keep watching We like The Rico Lounge Chair by ferm Living A bold Danish design statement you can actually sit in Designer wardrobe Luke Edward Hall's Green Man crewneck Merino wool vest from the boundary-breaking British designer Shopping list Best independent fashion boutiques Where to actually buy the designer pieces we cover

From the 2026 lists

The independent design world we keep visiting

Twelve picks across cities, studios, and individual objects — the design world our writers actually buy from, sit in, and travel to see.

Berlin design circuit Vintage archives + concept stores its.zina's complete guide Avant-garde boutiques Antwerp, Tokyo, Paris, NYC Worldwide concept-store list Independent design ethic Ethics + Aesthetics edit Our favourite independents Statement bag of 2026 Martine Rose foldable London · £90 · sold-out repeatedly Statement chair Ferm Living Rico Lounge Danish design you actually sit in Maddest gadget Teenage Engineering Wooden Choir Stockholm · pricey, pointless, perfect Faroese wool Orca Lounge by Gudrun & Gudrun Tórshavn · sustainable, hand-knitted Danish lamps Tom Rossau, Copenhagen Workshop visit + buying guide Oak lamp Kirk Studio Ellipse Copenhagen · delicate oak layers Statement clutch Larissa Hadjio Shrimp Clutches London · hand-stitched leather Helsinki ceramics Giggeli Project Hand-made penis candles + soaps Knit vest Luke Edward Hall Green Man Merino wool · cult favourite

Off the beaten path

Not-so-obvious picks

Two of our most-read editorial deep dives in this category.

Helsinki · taboo-breaker

The Giggeli Project: hand-made penis candles in a Helsinki studio

A small Helsinki studio making one of the most quietly subversive design objects in Scandinavia — hand-poured candles and hand-cut soaps in unmistakable shapes, sold in small numbers, photographed beautifully. The Giggeli founders treat the work as design, not joke; the result lands somewhere between Finnish minimalism and a private grin. Worth a visit if you're in Helsinki and want to bring back something that won't be in anyone else's flat.

Locals Insider review Read the full Giggeli Project guide → Copenhagen · workshop tour

Tom Rossau's lamp workshop is hiding in plain sight

Tom Rossau makes some of the most distinctive handcrafted lamps in Danish design — wood veneer twisted into sculptural ribbons, prices that go from manageable to museum-piece. The workshop in Copenhagen welcomes visitors, the store is steps from there, and watching a piece take shape is the best argument for buying one.