In a quiet neighborhood right in the centre of Madrid lies one of the most interesting stores in the Spanish capital featuring mostly men’s fashion. Located in an ancient bookstore, Marché aux Puces stands out for its range of  top quality products and exclusive brands.

It’s a hot September afternoon and your feet are boiling after walking the streets of Madrid, particularly around the neighborhood of Justicia, home to fine shops. After visiting the store by Ailanto, a designer brand that presented two excellent collections this year at the Madrid Fashion Week, we took a look at Lemoniez, another renowned designer in the country, and finished our tour of Calle Argensola, shopping as usual at casualwear brand Stussy. Down the road and turning right to Calle Fernando VI, it was time for us to go for two of the best places in the Spanish capital bearing French names. The first is Mama Framboise where we indulged in fine and exquisite patisserie. But we came to this area in the centre of town for a particular reason. We wanted to know more about one of the best and exclusive shops in Madrid: Marché aux Puces.

Located in an ancient bookstore this men’s fashion shop is well worth the visit for a number of reasons. History and heritage comes to mind when entering this place filled with beige shoeboxes in wooden shelves where once were books. “When I saw the place I decided that I had to keep the traits and leave it unchanged”, said Armin Hildebrandt, owner of this exclusive store. “The place was beautiful and reminded me of the stores around Marché aux Puces and that is why I named it after the Parisian flea market”.

But despite the name Marché aux Puces this is not a second-hand store. But it does bear some resemblances with the place, considering that here you can find uncommon and edgy items from ties to helmets, shirts, perfumes, shoes and further accessories. On the shelves beyond the counter we spot boots from the last collection by Kris van Assche, shoes by Portuguese brand Ramalhoni, sneakers by Balenciaga, perfumes by Arquiste and wonderfully crafted espadrilles by Escadrilles, along with jewellery by Okau Madrid.

What we get to see here is the result of careful selection by Armin Hildebrand, a Swiss-Spanish man who designed merchandising for the Complutense University of Madrid, was the person in charge of the Moda Gallery store in the Spanish capital and later was appointed commercial director of a jewellery firm Trash and Soul. When in Madrid check in at Marché aux Puces and pamper yourself in this store with a continuous inflow of new products, with a good feel and good customer care.