People shopping at market ()
Bargain hunters throughout the land are rejoicing at the gradual return of flea markets in Germany. With all that pent-up shopping demand finally finding an escape valve, the desire to purchase anything and everything is understandable. While finding something that fits the bill in terms of color, design, functionality and price is certainly reason enough to snap up an item on the spot, label-conscious shoppers might wish to focus on some of Germany’s upscale brands and most reputable manufacturers. Here’s a handy guide to just a few of the names that are closely associated with Germany’s well-earned reputation for top-quality goods.
Bicycles: Canyon, Cube, FOCUS, Kalkhoff, Prophete, Raleigh, Storck, Silverback; for E-bikes, Reisse & Müller
Cameras: Leica above all; also Exakta, KW, Pentacon, Voigtländer, Zeiss
Christmas decor: For glass ornaments: Farbglashütte Lauscha, Krebs Glas Lauscha, Lauschaer Glaskunst; for smokers: Armin Braun, Crottendorfer, Frank Beyer; for figures: Wendt und Kühn; for pyramids: Jürgen Huss, Katrin Eckert, Richard Glässer, Seiffener Volkskunst; Volker und Heiko Flath, Wolfgang Braun
Fashion: Betty Barclay, Buffalo, Cecil, Hallhuber, Hugo Boss, Jil Sander, JOOP!, Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Cain, Marc O'Polo, MCM, s. Oliver, Schumaker, Street One, Tom Tailor, Ulla Popken, Zero
Glassware: Jenaer, Nachtmann, Schott Zwiesel, Spiegelau
Handbags: Abro, Aigner, Braun Büffel, Bree, Escada, Liebeskind, MCM, Picard
Home electronics: Blaupunkt, Grundig, Loewe, Medion, Metz, Miele, Robert Bosch, Siemens
Jackets and outerwear: Bogner, Fuchs & Schmitt, Schöffel, Wellensteyn
Jewelry: Coeur de Lion, Nina Kastens, Wellendorff, Wempe
Kitchen: BSF (cutlery), Fissler, Rösle, Silit, WMF, Zwilling
Porcelain dishes and figurines: Friesland, Fürstenberg, Gerold & Company, Goebel, Gmunder, Hutschenreuther, Jaeger, Kahla, Konigliche Porzellan Manfaktur (marked KPM), Meissen, Rosenthal, Seltmann Weiden
Sportswear: Adidas, Jack Wolfskin, PUMA, VAUDE
Toys: Bruder, HABA, Hape, Käthe Kruse, Märklin, Playmobil, Ravensburger, Schleich, Steiff
Trachten (Lederhosen and Dirndls): Allgäuer, Chiemgauer, Miesbacher, Moser, Werdenfelser
Watches: Glashütte Original, Junghans, Junkers, Lange & Söhne, Meistersinger, Montblanc
