Rei Kawakubo and her team have created a space that is part retail outlet, part museum in the MVRDV-designed Gyre Building in Omotesando.

They’ve done it again. Rei Kawakubo and her team have created a space in the MVRDV-designed Gyre Building in Omotesando, Tokyo, that surpasses all trends. Comme des Garçons’ Trading Museum is part retail outlet, part museum. In the words of director Adrian Joffe, Kawakubo’s purchase of several beautiful antique wooden display cabinets from the V&A Museum was ‘perhaps the moment that the idea of the trading museum came about’. Kawakubo transformed the cabinets and, inspired by the originals, created new ones. At first glance, the brightly lit space, featuring giant cacti by English set designer Michael Howells at the entrance, could be mistaken for a modern art gallery. Inside, however, shoppers find not only edited CDG collections, but a creative selection of old and new fashion items, accessories, jewellery and objects, including the recently launched ‘Beatles by Comme des Garçons’ range. Selected vintage CDG pieces are showcased, but not for sale.

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