Welcome to the october issue of “The Retail I hope for”.
As you know we are still discovering the avant-garde of the international fashion designers at Dover Street Market London, especially the upper floors.
While I went upstairs I realized that the store was filled with buyers looking for morning satisfactions that could be fitting for a fashion week. The most popular ones are Celine’s coats, but also bags are widely appreciated, followed by Erdem’s dresses and Thom Browne’s shirts. Walking by the Comme des Garcons Women’s display, it appears clear that the talented visual merchandiser cares about details, Kawakubo docet. In terms of colours, everything is perfectly balanced, even the absolute black, shining and not darkening even before the showy colourful sequins of the dresses on two blond-haired dummies. Audacity pervades everything and, needless to say, the spirit and the body take advantage from it.
While I try on the court shoes I have always dreamt of, the sales manager is chatting on her mobile phone with one of their regular customers, but she does not forget about me and is simultaneously in touch with the warehouse to find out whether the Alaia’s high boots have as arrived or not. In two minutes the lady knocks it down via e-mail for 1,100 pounds, coming directly from the Mayfair box delivered at home, which is called express customer service, which is essential to survive to competitors and to the downturn.
Needless to say, I have fallen in love with the aforementioned velvety jacket signed Junya Watanabe, another iconic name strongly linked to DSM. This time I have allowed a Russian customer passing by to have my size, because I already know that I will get even directly in Tokyo Dover Street Market Ginza, opened since the beginning of this year, where I hope I will soon go to investigate. Notwithstanding, DSM’s growth is not limited to the rising sun area, because the opening in New York is planned by 2013. This confirms a winning wholesale model that has grown in eight years and has turned into retail, which, on its turn, has evolved and looks promising in terms of global expansion without borders.
This is the retail I hope for, a place where the mind can travel to discover new cultures and innovative lifestyles, aimed at improving not only aesthetics, but also the relation with ourselves and the boundless world surrounding us.
