January is one of the busiest shopping times of the year. Fall/winter sales are on and most store owners wouldn´t dream of closing their doors just now. Adrian Joffe and Rei Kawakubo, founders of Dover Street Market, opted to do just that – for a whole four days. Dover Street Market underwent one of its biannual Tachiagaris,  the japanese expression for refurbishment. After a grand reopening on January 15th it ´s now set for the new season. And not only does it look all new, but all installation spaces are in tune with the collections they display.

Designer Alber Elbaz, for example, curated the design of his space. The new Lanvin collection sits amidst red laquered, lifesize chessmen and is displayed on dummies looking like queen and king.

Rei Kawakubo herself has designed two new spaces. One called „Instruction Interupted“ on the second floor and a redesign for the Black collection by Comme des Garcons in the basement. „Instruction Interrupted“ is an open wooden-framed structure that creates separate spaces for different collections. Made to look like work in progress this design offers an open and airy solution for separate displays in one large space.

Renowned artist Michael Samuels has designed the new DSM sneaker area and those familiar with his work will recognize it at first sight.

There´s plenty more to discover at the Dover Street Market: Namely a new window for the launch of Paco Rabannes´s iconic le69 bag, egg added to the designers list, a new Hussein Chalayan space inspired by traditional Japanese puppet theatre Bunraku on the third floor and much more. Even if you´re not planning to spend, Dover Street Market is worth the visit: Retail design doesn´t get more creative than here!