by Viktoria Rajnak
We all felt the pressure to find the perfect gifts for our loved ones for Christmas.
Let me introduce you to two of my favorite shops in Geneva that share a similar concept: Hot Box and Butterfly, both of which were great for gifts, and now that the January sales are here young people will be heading back through their doors.
Hot Box
Once you’ve passed the doorstep it’s difficult to leave empty-handed unless your wallet is anorexic.
My friends and family know that if they get me something from here they cannot get it wrong. I believe this is the case for many young people.
As I enter the shop, several different events present themselves in my head: cozy sweatpants for home, jackets for the ski slopes, dresses for a party, or jeans for just an ordinary day. Sporty, elegant, chic—you name it! You can go for any style you like.
The shelves are packed with well-known jeans brands all the way up to the roof. The tags include 7 for all mankind, Citizens of Humanity, J Brand, Blank NYC and many more. The rest of the shelves are neatly filled with Juicy Couture sets, Scarlett sweaters in all the colors of the rainbow, as well as funky t-shirts with text. Latest item in is the Alberto Bini cashmere sweater with the words “Love” or “Dream” written on the back.
On one hanger there’s fur, on the next one you see glitter. Sparkling party tops and dresses, beautiful tunics with studs, sequins or Swarovski crystals. Suspended are Moncler and Parajumpers jackets and vests. The small goodies around the cashier’ s desk look very tempting to the eyes: Hanky Panky lace thongs, fun bracelets, and unique belts.
And that’s not all! The other half of Hot Box is for men. I recommend the beautiful shirts from Drunkenoala. The shirts have either an accent color, or a pattern on the collar, the end of the sleeves and on the seam down the middle. Very classy!
The clothes are very popular among students. Despite that they only have a number of copies of each item, I ran into a friend dressed in the same top I was wearing at last year’s New Year’s party in the mountains. We both burst into laughter, taken by surprise.
An extra little detail that I love is the fragrance of the shop that follows you home in the paper wrapped around the clothes. There is a certain magic of scents. They can evoke memories and feelings. Sort of a discrete marketing trick – reminds you of the shop.
Addresses in Geneva:
Hot Box: 1st floor, Confédération Centre de Genève
Butterfly: 4, Rue du vieux-collège
Viktoria Rajnak is a business student at HEC in Geneva, where she has lived since 2003. She writes a blog, Remove Before Flight Blog and she will be contributing occasional guest posts here on a variety of topics including nightlift and shopping in Geneva.
