Best Shops in Ghent: Fashion, Vintage & Independent Boutiques
Shopping in Ghent at a glance
Ghent is a great city for shopping if you love Belgian fashion, vintage finds, pre-loved clothing and independent boutiques. You’ll find plenty of interesting shops within walking distance of each other, particularly around Brabantdam, Kortedagsteeg and the historic city centre. There are also several lovely places to discover around Gent-Sint-Pieters station.
For Belgian fashion: Les Soeurs and Bellerose
For pre-loved fashion: Katastrof
For bags & accessories: Au Bon Marché
Best shopping areas: Brabantdam, Kortedagsteeg and the historic centre
My tip: combine shopping with Ghent’s coffee bars and restaurants
Looking for a hotel? Read about my stay at Hotel Chamade
The best shops in Ghent
Ghent is a wonderful city for shopping, especially if you like to venture beyond the familiar high-street stores. Over several visits, I’ve discovered more and more lovely places for Belgian fashion, pre-loved clothing, accessories and independent boutiques.
In this guide, I’ve brought together my favourite shops in Ghent, from second-hand fashion and Belgian labels to bags, books and interior design. I’ll also show you the best streets and neighbourhoods for shopping during a city break in Ghent.
Atlas & Zanzibar – travel books and maps
What a wonderful travel bookshop. Atlas & Zanzibar is all about travel and discovery, with an extensive collection of travel guides, maps, travel writing and topographic maps. It’s the kind of shop where I can easily spend much longer than planned and inevitably leave with inspiration for my next trip. For anyone who loves travelling as much as I do – and still appreciates a proper travel book or map. This is my little dream shop.
Au Bon Marché – bags and accessories
Au Bon Marché is one of those shops where it’s very easy to spend longer browsing than you intended. There’s a wide selection of bags, jewellery, accessories and small gifts, ranging from colourful statement pieces to more timeless designs. It’s particularly worth popping in if you’re looking for a new bag or unusual accessory while shopping in Ghent. You’ll find the shop on Hoornstraat, right in the city centre.
Bellerose – Belgian fashion in Ghent
Bellerose is another must if you love Belgian fashion – and personally, I’m a big fan of the brand. Bellerose is known for its relaxed, contemporary style, beautiful fabrics and great use of colour. Alongside clothing, you’ll also find shoes, bags and accessories. The Ghent store is on Kortedagsteeg, right in one of the city’s best shopping areas. I’d combine a visit with the shops around Brabantdam before continuing towards the historic centre.
Billie Rose – fashion, design and coffee
Billie Rose is a beautiful concept store combining fashion, jewellery, childrenswear, tableware and home accessories by young and local designers. Its minimalist aesthetic and carefully curated collection make everything feel like it belongs together. There’s also a small coffee bar, making it easy to combine browsing with a coffee break. A lovely address if you’re into smaller brands, design and unusual pieces for your home.
Boekhandel Limerick & Limerick 2.1 – books and coffee
Limerick and Limerick 2.1 are two independent bookshops next door to each other, and it’s exactly this combination that makes them such a lovely place to visit. Limerick offers a carefully selected collection of books, while its little sister Limerick 2.1 focuses on second-hand titles. You can also stop for a cup of coffee. A great place for a browse if, like me, you enjoy discovering independent bookshops while travelling.
Depot09 – vintage design and antiques
If you love vintage interiors and unusual finds, allow yourself a little more time for Depot09. Set inside a former textile factory, this enormous 1,400 m² space is filled with vintage furniture, industrial design, antiques and home accessories. The industrial setting makes browsing here even more fun. This isn’t somewhere you quickly pop into – it’s the kind of place where you wander between furniture and objects hoping to uncover that one special piece.
helen b en vrienden
The shop of Ghent-based illustrator helen b is filled with ceramics, prints, cards, illustrations and gifts from creative makers in Belgium and beyond. It’s playful, slightly cheeky and almost impossible to leave empty-handed. The wonderfully quirky illustrations by helen b alone are enough to put you in a better mood.
Katastrof – pre-loved fashion in Ghent
Katastrof is one of my favourite shops in Ghent for pre-loved fashion. Its carefully curated collection includes second-hand clothing, shoes and accessories from well-known labels such as Ganni, Isabel Marant and Max Mara. As a result, it feels much more like a contemporary fashion boutique than a traditional second-hand shop. Katastrof is located on Kortrijksesteenweg, within walking distance of Gent-Sint-Pieters station, making it a great first stop on your way into the city centre.
IDA – fashion boutique in Ghent
IDA Store is a lovely fashion boutique stocking Scandinavian and French brands. Its contemporary womenswear selection makes it exactly the kind of shop I enjoy discovering in Ghent: somewhere you can pop in and come across brands or pieces you don’t see everywhere else. Combine IDA with some of the other fashion boutiques in the city centre for an afternoon of shopping.
Les Soeurs – Belgian fashion and accessories
Les Soeurs is one of my favourite stops for Belgian fashion during an afternoon of shopping in Ghent. The Belgian label combines clothing with jewellery and accessories in a feminine, contemporary style. The shop is located on Brabantdam, a great area for visiting several boutiques in one go. From here, you can easily continue towards Kortedagsteeg and the historic centre.
Maaike Kleedt – colourful womenswear
Maaike Kleedt is a lovely Ghent boutique for anyone who likes feminine fashion with plenty of colour and character. Its collection of clothing and accessories from different brands feels more personal and individual than the larger fashion chains. A good place to visit if you enjoy discovering smaller boutiques and are looking for something you’re unlikely to see everywhere else.
Pand 13 – fashion by Belgian designers
Pand 13 is an interesting stop for anyone who loves Belgian fashion and independent designers. The shop has a carefully curated collection of clothing, shoes and accessories and is particularly worth visiting if you want to discover labels you won’t find in the big high-street stores. It makes a great addition to shops such as Les Soeurs and Bellerose if Belgian fashion is high on your shopping list.
Piet Moodshop – design, interiors and gifts
Piet Moodshop is one of those stores where you’ll almost inevitably spot something you want to take home. There’s a colourful mix of design, interior accessories, stationery, books and gifts from different brands and designers. It’s a great place to find an original present – although slightly dangerous if you don’t actually need anything. Particularly good for lovers of interiors and design.
Sans Style – fashion near Gent-Sint-Pieters
I discovered Sans Style during my stay at Hotel Chamade, which is practically opposite the shop. It’s a lovely fashion boutique to pop into if you’re staying around Gent-Sint-Pieters or walking from the station towards the city centre. You’ll find a changing selection of womenswear and accessories, ranging from easy-to-wear pieces to more eye-catching designs. As it’s outside the better-known shopping streets of the historic centre, Sans Style is a nice extra tip for anyone who enjoys discovering lesser-known addresses.
Sessùn
French fashion brand Sessùn is back in Ghent. Its collections are feminine yet relaxed, with beautiful fabrics, soft colours and prints that stand out just enough. It may not be a tiny local label, but the store fits perfectly among the smaller fashion boutiques on Brabantdam.
Wunderkammer – vintage interiors and plants
The location alone makes Wunderkammer worth visiting: this vintage interiors shop is housed inside a former church in Muide-Meulestede. Beneath the high vaulted ceilings, you’ll find an eclectic mix of second-hand furniture, decorative objects and plants for both indoors and outdoors. The collection doesn’t feel overly styled or predictable, which makes browsing all the more fun. A great address if you like combining fashion shopping in Ghent with vintage and interior finds.
Best shopping streets in Ghent
You’ll find many of Ghent’s best shops within walking distance of each other, particularly around Kouter, Brabantdam and Kortedagsteeg and in the historic city centre. The area combines Belgian fashion labels, independent boutiques and established brands with plenty of cafés and restaurants, making it easy to turn shopping into an afternoon out.
Kouter, Brabantdam and Kortedagsteeg
One of my favourite areas for shopping in Ghent is around Kouter, Brabantdam and Kortedagsteeg. There are plenty of fashion stores and boutiques close together. Les Soeurs and Sessùn are on Brabantdam, while Bellerose can be found on Kortedagsteeg. From here, it’s an easy walk towards the historic centre.
It’s a particularly good area if fashion is your priority, but you’d also like to stop for coffee or lunch along the way.
Around Gent-Sint-Pieters
If you’re arriving in Ghent by train or staying near Gent-Sint-Pieters, take some time to explore Kortrijksesteenweg too. This is where I discovered Katastrof for pre-loved fashion, while Sans Style is close to Hotel Chamade, where I stayed. From this neighbourhood, you can continue towards the city centre.
Historic centre & De Post
Around Korenmarkt, you’re right in the heart of Ghent’s best-known shopping area. Head towards Veldstraat and Langemunt for the major high-street stores, although personally I think De Post is a much more interesting stop.
Set on Korenmarkt in the historic centre, De Post occupies Ghent’s impressive former post office, close to Graslei and Korenlei. The building alone is worth stepping inside, but you’ll also find several shops here, including WE ARE LABELS for contemporary fashion, Sissy-Boy for fashion and interiors, and Skins for niche fragrances, skincare and beauty. Its central location makes De Post an easy addition to a walk through the historic centre.
Onderbergen and Linkeroever
Onderbergen and the streets around Ajuinlei are also worth exploring during an afternoon of shopping in Ghent. This part of the city feels a little quieter and more creative than the main shopping streets, with a mix of fashion, art, galleries and independent shops. On Sunday mornings, you can also combine a wander around the neighbourhood with the book market on Ajuinlei.
Vintage and pre-loved shopping in Ghent
Ghent is also a great city for vintage and pre-loved shopping. For fashion, Katastrof is one of my favourite addresses. It feels more like a contemporary fashion boutique than a traditional second-hand shop, but with a carefully curated selection of pre-loved and outlet fashion.
If you’re more interested in vintage interiors, furniture and unusual objects, add Depot09 and Wunderkammer to your list. This means you can hunt for second-hand treasures for both your wardrobe and your home while in Ghent.
Sunday shopping in Ghent
Some shops in Ghent are open on Sundays, but the first Sunday of every month is the city’s official shopping Sunday. Many shops in the centre open their doors and there are often additional activities taking place around the city. Not every shop participates, so it’s worth checking individual opening hours before you visit.
Another bonus: public transport on De Lijn buses and trams in Ghent is free during the monthly shopping Sunday. You could also combine your shopping day with the flower market on Kouter or the book market on Ajuinlei.
Frequently asked questions about shopping in Ghent
What are the best shops in Ghent?
My favourite shops in Ghent are a mix of Belgian fashion labels, independent boutiques and unusual specialist stores. Try Les Soeurs, Bellerose and Pand 13 for Belgian and contemporary fashion, Katastrof for pre-loved clothing, Au Bon Marché for bags and accessories, and Atlas & Zanzibar if, like me, you love travelling and travel books.
What are the best shopping streets in Ghent?
Brabantdam and Kortedagsteeg are great places to start shopping in Ghent. You’ll find several fashion stores and independent boutiques in and around these streets, and from here it’s an easy walk towards the shopping streets of the historic centre.
Where can you go vintage and second-hand shopping in Ghent?
Ghent has several places for vintage and second-hand shopping. For pre-loved fashion, Katastrof near Gent-Sint-Pieters is one of my favourites, with a curated selection of clothing, shoes and accessories from well-known brands.
Is Ghent good for shopping during a city break?
Yes. Ghent’s city centre is compact, so it’s easy to combine shopping with sightseeing, coffee bars and restaurants. For an afternoon of shopping, I’d start around Kouter, Brabantdam and Kortedagsteeg before continuing towards the historic centre.
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