Melanie “Mel” Schmitz studied fashion design and worked her way up to senior designer at Esprit. Then €9.90 jeans arrived, and she was out. On July 19, 2009, she held the first Weiberkram flea market in a 200 m² artists’ studio in Wuppertal with zero budget. Seventeen years on, her team runs vintage and second-hand fashion flea markets across North Rhine-Westphalia.
The name is a cheeky nod to “women’s stuff”, and Mel’s idea was simple: a proper flea market for like-minded people, without the dusty junk tables. Everyone is welcome to browse, whatever their gender. Expect clothes, shoes, jewellery and accessories from private sellers, from rarely worn favourites and wardrobe slip-ups to vintage pieces and small DIY projects. One person’s wardrobe mistake is another person’s best find. The team keeps the bar high: everything has to be washed, fakes and new fur are banned, and stalls selling only €1 items aren’t allowed.
At its peak, Weiberkram ran markets in 18 German and three Dutch cities. Today the calendar centres on NRW, from the RheinRiff in Düsseldorf to Neuss, Paderborn and Herford, and it is growing again. Alongside the classic Weiberkram, look out for Kinderkram for children’s items, a dedicated plus-size market, and the NachtYard format.
Looking for a second-hand fashion flea market in and around NRW? Entry usually costs €5; children up to 12 go free, and the fee covers staff, venue rent, and organisation. Doors usually open at 11:00 and the market runs until 16:00 or 17:00. No need to queue at opening time: according to the team, the best deals often happen near closing, when sellers would rather not carry anything home. Street food trucks, drinks and DJs turn a quick browse into a proper afternoon out.
Want a stall yourself? Sellers apply online and rent space per metre, but be quick: the team needs to turn down at least two in three applications, cause many markets are fully booked weeks ahead. Decorating pays off too, because every market crowns the prettiest stall. Discover the next dates in your city on the Weiberkram calendar.
