A city famed for its creativity and innovation, Amsterdam is home to number of well- established and promising fashion talents. From the dazzling club scene to the vibrant catwalks, the city acts as the spring of inspiration for the trendy and stylish individuals.

For those restricted by budgets shopping for exclusive designs, there are number of affordable ways as well to soak up the fashionable vibes of Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Fashion Week

The primary Dutch fashion event, Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek Amsterdam (AFW) takes place twice a year, in the months of January and July.

It's a showcase for the young and talented fashion designers. The FashionWeek has got its own unique twist: apart from the catwalk shows, there are a number of spontaneous parties and events downtown for the average passerby to mingle with the fashion elite.

Red light fashion

One instance of Amsterdam's quirky fashion sense is the initiative called 'Red Light Fashion'. Since 2008, few of the former prostitute's windows in De Wallen (Amsterdam's infamous Red Light District) have been converted into exhibition studios and spaces for trendy clothing, shoes and streetwear designers. The goal is to provide the city's skilled fashion designers a platform to show their creations to the public.

Best Stores

De Bijenkorf - A popular choice for men, women and children clothing, it is believed to be the swankiest store in the city. Address - Dam 1, 1012 JS Amsterdam.

Leidsestraat - Leidsestraat has number of clothing and shoe shops along its stride like H&M along with Replay, Jack & Jones, Sissy Boy and other stores. Address - Leidsestraat 23, 1017 NT Amsterdam

PC Hooftstraat & Van Baerlestraat - A fancy shopping street where you can find shops like Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Cartier, Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton.

Some of the other major shops include Waar, Weekday, Cottoncake, Pauw, Vanilia and Denham.