Balenciaga opens Dover Street Market stores in London, New York

By

Cajsa Lykke Carlson

Published
Aug 29, 2016

Balenciaga, the luxury fashion brand now helmed by Demna Gvasalia, is opening two new stores on August 30 at Dover Street Market in London and New York.

The permanent retail spaces will show Balenciaga's Fall/Winter 16 collection and be located on the first floor of Dover Street Market London and the third floor of Dover Street Market New York. Inspired by Maison Balenciaga, they mark a new creative retail concept for the brand.

The spaces feature fabric cabine curtains reinterpreted in polished, corrugated aluminium, creating an industrial yet precious look that's also a nod to the "iron curtain" and Gvasalia's cultural roots. The stores will also have quilted seating in cognac-coloured leather, and panels of mirror.

"This new chapter for Balenciaga within Dover Street Market is extremely exciting and echoes the new vision developed by Demna for the House," said Isabelle Guichot, president and CEO, Balenciaga.

The London store will have the full men's and womenswear collections, while the New York shop will just offer womenswear. Dover Street Market New York will also host an "ephemeral Balenciaga space on the ground floor, introducing the label to the store via a month-long installation." This will feature accoutrements of DIY, incudling a stepladder, presented as objets trouvés and used as unconventional display methods.

"Dover Street Market London and New York are thrilled and honored to feature a special Balenciaga corner concept created by Demna Gvasalia. The first collection was one of the most exquisitely beautiful and deeply conceived collections I have seen for a long time," said Adrian Joffe, President, Comme des Garçons International and Dover Street Market
International