Dover Street Market

 

Dover Street Market works more like an exhibition space for Japanese design than a shopping experience, it's has bare walls and metal construction on show, and as you walk around there are things that obstruct your view across the whole of the top floor, which is unusual compared to Urban Outfitters and even Bluebird, as everything is pretty much on one level without interruption. Currently in stock is Comme Des Garcons, more of the tailored and outlandish stuff than the t-shirts and cardigans they have in Bluebird, as well as a lot of Junya Watanabe downstairs.

This shop was probably the one where I had to keep reminded myself to look for specific things instead of getting lost into the shopping experience. It wasn't even that I really enjoyed the format of the shop, I think I just got sucked into looking at how unique a lot of the clothes they stocked were, often just one piece instead of several of the same thing.

 Much like Urban Outfitters, Bluebird, Oxfam and Topshop, Dover Street Market had a couple of bits that you would pick up on your way out as extras, things like magazines and what were essentially Japanese toys. This could be in place to make sure they at least make a small sale even if the customer isn't buying an expensive designer jacket, and the extra £10 magazine on top of a jacket is probably extremely helpful after a whole day or week of sales.