Discover the best vintage treasures in Oslo
Just like in the rest of Scandinavia, Oslo can also boast about a fashion scene. From exclusive designer boutiques to vintage and second-hand - these are the places where you can find truly special clothes and accessories.
Oslo is a little treasure chest of pre-loved clothes and vintage finds. From high-end to retro, here's a list of the best vintage stores if you're hunting for a bargain.
MA Vintage - Oslo's Best High-End Vintage Shop
MA Vintage in Frogner is a vintage lover's dream. Here, you can find rare pieces of clothing from both past and present, as well as popular bags and jewellery from the biggest fashion houses.
Not only does it have a vast selection of quality products, but the prices are also excellent.
We meet Siri at her shop in Briskebyveien 28. She is a cheerful and welcoming woman and is wearing a stylish suit, adorned with a colourful scarf around her neck.
"I've just been to a customer's to collect items for the shop," she tells us as she places a bag of clothes behind the counter.
MA Vintage operates on a consignment basis. That means individuals deliver items for sale, and MA Vintage takes a share.
"I often pick up clothes for the shop when I'm travelling," she shares.
Siri has been running the shop for 13 years and has a deep knowledge of the various brands they stock.
"We guarantee everything in the shop. If I have the slightest doubt, I need to see a receipt, or we won't take it in. We take pride in always being able to deliver quality and authentic products to our customers."
Running a vintage shop is not easy. Pricing and knowing what items to bring in takes a lot of time.
"We now have approximately 1,300 customers delivering items to us. Anything from one item to several bags, and it takes time," Siri says with a smile.
She has always been interested in fashion, and recalls that when she was younger, she often searched through all sorts of things at flea markets or at the local charity shop.
In addition, she's passionate about sustainability, prolonging the lifespan of goods and reducing their carbon footprint.
Her interest in fashion is also likely tied to Siri's fascination with design and clean lines, given that she is actually a trained architect.
Expert Tips for Great Vintage Finds
"Always look for quality fabric and design. I myself am not so much into fashion, but I look at how things are sewn, the seams, and the work behind it. If I come across something from Dior, for example, I know it will always be of high quality. You can then use the item for another 10-15 years, at least," shares Siri. She personally prefers the more avant-garde pieces.
Avant-garde fashion is about existing outside of established fashion norms. The garments aren't ahead of trends - but are completely independent of them. This style of fashion is characterised by entire outfits, large volumes, different textures, and sculptural and monochrome garments. "It's not what we have the most of, as it's not the biggest customer group, but we do have brands like Maison Margiela, Commes des Garcons, and Rick Owens."
The list of brands is long, and we find a range of items from the biggest fashion houses amongst the clothes that are hanging along the walls. Jimmy Choo, Prada, Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Hermès, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana - and even more.
Siri highlights a ring and a pair of earrings from the exclusive brand Van Cleef & Arpels.
"These cost around NOK 120,000 kroner new, here we sell them for NOK 70,000."
The jewellery is in good condition, and all authenticity certificates are included. It's possible to save a lot, and you can certainly find items for less money too. Prices here range from NOK 200 to several hundred thousand kroner.
It's not just Oslo citizens who visit the shop. Recently, there have been more Danes, Italians, and Americans.
"They probably benefit from the favourable exchange rate, which actually makes us somewhat cheaper than comparable shops abroad."
The shop can in fact be compared with the finest vintage shops in Paris, Milan, London and New York. Its selection is wide and varied.
You can find the shop at Briskebygata 28 and 30, right by the Briskeby tram stop.
Frøken Dianas Salonger – Colourful Fun
Grünerløkka houses a number of vintage and second-hand shops, which you could easily spend an entire day wandering around.
Frøken Dianas Salonger is one of the places you should include in your vintage hunt. The shop opened its doors in 2008 and has grown a lot since then.
Here, you'll find handpicked vintage items and patches, jewellery, bags, hats and other fun accessories in playful colours. They also have their own brand, "Diana Vintage", which is ethically produced in China.
In addition, the ladies behind the shop have also written a book about vintage clothes and styling tips.
Frøken Dianas Salonger also has an online shop with lots of great inspiration.
Photo: Frøken Dianas Salonger
Fretex Arkivet – Selected Treasures
Address: Universitetsgata 20
Fretex is Norway's most well-known and largest second-hand shop and is a part of The Salvation Army. Here, Norwegians donate their things from all over the world – clothes, interior items, jewellery, and other small items. There are a number of Fretex shops, but only five are part of its Arkivet line. The largest shop is located in Universitetsgata.
The range here consists of selected products from a variety of designers' previous collections. For Arkivet, iconic items from several decades are selected, clothes with good materials, sought-after brands that have high reuse value, everyday wear and accessories for women and men, as well as selected interior items. The items selected for Fretex Arkivet represent a narrower range than those found in the other Fretex shops, but with more depth.
Velouria Vintage – Band Shirts and Chanel
Address: Thorvald Meyers gate 34
Velouria Vintage is located in Grünerløkka and is a well-known vintage shop. Here, they have items from the 1950s and onwards, both everyday clothes, statement pieces, and finer garments. The shop also has a small selection of exclusive brands like Chanel, Fendi, and Dior - but is best known for cool band T-shirts, vintage sweatshirts, and leather jackets.
Prisløs - Sustainability and History
Address: Øvre Slottsgate 6
Prisløs started up in Trondheim and has had various pop-ups in Norway before launching a shop in Oslo. The name plays on the English word 'priceless'. They handpick each garment and write the story of that garment on the tag that hangs on it. They are very committed to sustainability and have zero waste as an overarching goal and strive to be a full-fledged alternative to fast fashion. Here, you'll find everything from unknown brands to exclusive garments from several decades. In addition to having its own shop, Prisløs can often be found at festivals and pop-ups around Norway.
