Ida

Ida is an independent multibrand fashion boutique on the Vlaanderenstraat in the centre of Ostend, the coastal branch of a small Belgian business that also has a shop in Ghent. It describes its rails as a mix of Belgian, Scandinavian and French labels plus special editions. Brands named on its Ostend page include Collectors Club, Edited, Gestuz, Samsøe Samsøe, Les Soeurs, FRNCH and Comme des Garçons PLAY, with a few children’s labels such as Tiny Big Sister alongside.

The shop puts a lot of weight on service. It offers private shopping sessions, on your own or with friends and family, with bubbles and bites if you ask, and once a year it launches a small handmade capsule collection of its own. The team calls itself a bunch of dog lovers, so four-legged shoppers are welcome and treats are never far away.

Pick it for Scandinavian-leaning wardrobe pieces you are less likely to find in the chain stores nearby. Ida opens Wednesday to Saturday and on Sunday afternoons, is closed on Monday and Tuesday, and says it is open seven days a week during the holidays.