Dover Street Market Dips Toe in Paris

PARIS, France — Dover Street Market is opening a small beauty store in Paris, BoF has learned. The shop will be the Comme des Garçons-owned retailer's first dedicated beauty space. The name of the new concept has not yet been decided, but the 2,150-square-foot store will open towards the end of May in the Marais district of the French capital and will be designed by Rei Kawakubo, the founder and creative director of Comme des Garçons, who owns the vast majority of the company.

The new beauty store will sell the complete range of Comme des Garçons fragrances, consisting of about 60 scents, 40 percent of which are licensed to Spanish group Puig, as well as perfumes and beauty products by other brands in a curated assortment in the "spirit" of Dover Street Market's existing fashion emporiums in London, Tokyo, New York, Beijing, Singapore and Los Angeles, according to Comme des Garçons chief executive Adrian Joffe. These large-scale stores are known for their playful interiors, sharp edit and status as cultural destinations. Dover Street Market accounts for 30 percent of the overall Comme des Garçons business, which generates about $320 million in annual revenue. Beauty currently drives just under 3 percent of total sales.

The news comes amidst speculation that Dover Street Market has been eyeing a larger presence in Paris since the shuttering of beloved Parisian boutique Colette, which closed its doors in December 2017 after 20 years as a temple of cool. Newcomers have since popped up, including Nous on Rue Cambon, opened by former Colette staffers. But some believe that Dover Street Market is best positioned to fill the gap. Comme des Garçons denied that such a move is currently in the cards.

The world’s top ten fashion capitals account for about one-fifth of all luxury points of sale. And, however you slice it, Paris ranks near the top of the list, worth between five and six percent of the overall global luxury market.

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