Turning the corner of Hóża and Emilii Plater, you’ll find a tenement building from the late 1880s that survived the war. Inside, a shop offers curated treasures, feeling almost like a fashion art gallery. The space features painstakingly restored original tiles underfoot and massive wooden beams overhead, evoking the sense of being in the hull of a ship. This unique atmosphere sets the stage for a truly distinctive experience in Warsaw’s city center.

Walking in for the first time, you might feel as if you’re intruding into someone’s living room through an open door. However, after speaking with co-owner Alicja, you realize this is part of their philosophy and name: Independent House.

The “Independent” part of their name is more about their choice of items that they collect independently, regardless of trends, from the secondary market, vintage, and past brand’s collections. Alicja and her partner Magdalena act more like curators of fiercely elegant and sophisticated items. Their love for big brands as Jil Sander, Celine, Yoshi Yamamoto, The Row and many more is evident in their inventory, with selected dresses displayed on the walls like art. The shop also features real art from young Polish artists, such as colorful abstractions by Małgorzata Widomska and organic sculptures resembling the human body by Magdalena Szmydtke.

While this setting might seem intimidating to some, the shop caters to a select group who truly appreciate its offerings. Over the past 5 years, this discerning clientele has become a sort offamily that created a kind of society that visits this place regularly almost like an extended family visiting a realtive’s home.

If you love having something less obvious in your wardrobe, are willing to invest in looking and feeling good, and appreciate owning timeless pieces, this is the place for you.

Independent House

Hoża 61,

instagram: independent_house_official