Hussein Chalayan Lauches a New Retail Space

Hussein Chalayan has been busy expanding his business this year, with the launch of a pre-collection and resort line and now, for the first time, a shop-in-shop space at Dover Street Market. It seems like there's no designer that Comme des Garcon designer Rei Kawakubo isn't able to accommodate in her conceptual retail space, making this London store a one-stop shop for top labels.

For Chalayan, this permanent DSM space is a change of direction, but he's taken to it with enthusiasm, putting five worldwide exclusive looks from the A/W 08 Grains and Steel collection on sale along with other key pieces from the collection. Sadly his famous mechanical dresses won't be making an appearance, but highlights include a multi-coloured knitted silk wool dress that makes intarsia knit look simplistic and a lacquered silk dress with an alluring sheen. The space, intended to give the feeling of being both outdoors and indoors, was created in collaboration with British design team Block Architecture, with whom Chalayan has worked previously on his flagship store in Tokyo.