Veist

Every garment at Veist carries a Kleidergeschichte, a short written story on the tag about where the piece came from and who wore it. It sounds like a small thing. It changes the whole experience of the shop, because you stop reading price tags and start reading the clothes.

Sandra Troegl and Anna Veit opened in November 2011 on Selchower Strasse, opposite Cafe Circus Lemke, three minutes from Boddinstrasse. It is a Kommissionsladen, which means everything is on consignment: nothing was bought in bulk, and each piece arrived because someone specific decided to let it go.

What is on the rails

Designer, mostly 1980s and 90s, and tightly edited rather than piled deep. A white walled room, not many pieces, all of them chosen. Names that have come through: Versace Jeans, a Claudia Skoda knitted wool pullover, Dior scarves, a Cavalli coat.

There is a free box by the door, which tells you something about how they run it.

Before you go

Two things. The hours are short and afternoon only, roughly Thursday to Saturday from two until seven, and the banner on their own site asks you to arrange a time by email. If you are making a special trip, write to them first rather than turning up.

And it is not the cheap option. Consignment on named designer sets the floor higher than the rest of Neukoelln.

Go if

You want provenance, not just a label. You would rather see thirty good things than three hundred maybes. You are willing to work around their hours.

Skip it if you want to browse on a whim on a Sunday afternoon.