INSIDE DOVER STREET MARKET: WONDERLAND FOR GROWN UPS

INSIDE DOVER STREET MARKET: WONDERLAND FOR GROWN UPS

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At the corner of 30th street and Lexington avenue sits a large stone building. From the outside, you might expect it to be a bank, an office, or a government building, but the inside could not be more different. Seven small floors of beautifully designed merchandise in an equally beautifully designed space come together to form Dover Street Market.

 

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With locations in London and Ginza, the New York flagship store opened in December 2013. Designed by Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, Dover Street Market offers a completely new take on designer shopping. Kawaku- bo said, “I want to create a kind of market where various creators from various fields gather together and encounter each other in an ongoing atmosphere of beautiful chaos: the mixing up and coming together of different kindred souls who all share a strong personal vision.” 

And Dover Street Market is a vision indeed. With a large number of brands being carried under one roof, you could call it a department store, but art gallery would be more fitting. Throughout the seven floors of the space, artistic installations are everywhere to give a unique feeling to each section, while also providing a backdrop that highlights the product within.

 

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While this blend of display and merchandise will remind some shoppers of a grown-up Urban Outfitters, DSM is miles more sophisticated, and Kawakubo’s brand of “beautiful chaos” never feels cluttered or overwhelming. In fact, most styles are shown in only one size, with DSM only carrying a few sizes of each style. So if you see something you like, you’d better leave with it, as styles can sell-out quickly- custom tailoring and alterations offered by DSM only add to the temptation.

 

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While the assortment is heavy on Comme des Garçons and Comme des Garçons collaborations, DSM carries a lot of top designers, featuring many pieces that are DSM exclusives. Prada, for example, put together a special collection specifically for the New York store based off of textiles from their spring 2008 collection, with exclusive pieces from Gaia Repossi being a major highlight of the jewelry assortment on the ground floor. And while the pieces that they carry from Saint Laurent aren’t exclusive to DSM, the beautiful case in which they are displayed is an exclusive design by Hedi Slimane.

 

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The store is untraditional in many ways. Well-known names like Jil Sander are placed with more emerging names like Daniela Gregis, and high-end Prada dresses share the same floor as NYC’s street-wear label, Supreme. The unique combination of designers and merchandise force you to look at the clothes for what they are and not necessarily who designed them, while also encouraging shoppers to consider new combinations in their daily styling.

 

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DSM is organized in a way that encourages unisex dressing. Yes, some things are obviously menswear, but there is no clear men’s section or women’s section- instead, every floor offers both categories, and sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference. To be sure, a trip to DSM is a bit of a time commitment, as you really do have to explore each floor to see all of the product that might appeal to you. Or, if you’re looking for one specific thing, you can take a look at the extensive designer directory in the glass elevator that you’ll get to know during your journey.

 

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Whether you’ve spent your energy lusting after DSM’s collection of Alaia and Thom Browne, or found something special in their small assortment of housewares, you’re bound work up an appetite. While you may be tempted to re-fuel at DSM’s Rose Bakery on the first floor, for the price and quality, you’ll probably be happier at any one of New York’s celebrated lunch spots, many of which are only a short cab ride away.

Unless you’re looking for a pub, the neighborhood surrounding Dover Street Market doesn’t have a lot to offer, but the market itself is such a unique experience that the trip is worthwhile. If you don’t like any of their current assort- ment (and that is impossible), just wait a few months. Every six months the market closes down for a few days to create what Kawakubo refers to as “the new beginning”- expect a complete metamorphosis each time. Dover Street Market is a place to visit more than once, as you’ll notice new details and more things to love every time you return. 

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Article by Amelia Whitworth for FashionIQ

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