Saturday
Jan162010
INVENTORY @ Dover Street Market
Posted on 
January 16, 2010 by Ryan Willms
January 16, 2010 by Ryan Willms 
Dover Street Market reopens today and we're incredibly proud to announce that INVENTORY now has a small area in the basement. To begin with you'll be able to pick up both covers of the magazine, as well as our navy Gitman oxford, Alexander Olch ties, Mark McNairy Bucks and Inverallan cardigan. New items will then be released over the course of the season. We're surrounded by some of our favourite brands and it's a huge honour to be involved with DSM and Comme des Garcons in general. It's definitely something we didn't expect, but it's made for a great start to 2010. I'd like to say a massive thank you to Dickon, Alex, Richard, Mia and Mimi for all their help. If you're in London over the weekend, make sure you pop in, there's new collections throughout the store so it's well worth a visit.
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Reader Comments (55)
American Classics is a well respected store from years gone by and I was pointing out a store that has been around specializing in American classic brands while they where nonexistent here in the States. I must admit that the website does not quiet reflect that compared to the actual store. Nowadays I wouldn't consider them a key retailer but they deserve respect for the brands they've carried over the years. Posting American Classics doesn't have much to do with this particular conversation I just happened to think about it and feeling nostalgic.
@Wayne... I got where you were coming from and liked the reference. Adam continues to do some great bits and pieces, and has stuck wholeheartedly to his Dad's vision through thick and thin.
I still cant quite grasp the hate on all this,what other space dose anyone here see as making sense to place a concession?in Albam it would be pointless as in theory it would bring nothing new to the store that they couldnt already do within their own model?same for garbstore and presents, the choice of DSM basement in its current guise is perfect surrounded by relevant product and reaching a new group of people,theres nothing about the presentation of the store that takes away form the product it in fact sits perfectly alongside the other brands in the basement,
I think for Inventory as a whole the products need a physical presence as these are things that cant really be appreciated online,they need to be touched and looked over to see the real value,and with a online presence this can only be communicated so far,I for one would want to feel a Inverallan cardigan before buying one so being able to in my own city is great.
I just wish I had money enough to shop in a place like DSM. But I guess you need a well paid job to be able to do that.
DSM is a "gallery" where you go to LOOK and TOUCH clothes. Nobody goes there to actually BUY anything. Besides everything is marked up much much more. DSM is pure eye candy. For a real wardrobe go to Liberty. Congrats on the set-up at DSM - you guys are moving along! - but I do think Liberty would have been better for your set-up.
I'm going to have to side with the naysayers on this. DSM is not a store of the working man and that's not a crisis of 'confidnence or strength of character' as you (somewhat patronisingly) put it, just my experience of the store.
Having been to 10 Corso Como and Colette I would say it's that unique a shop either either.
As an aside I feel Oi Polloi always manages to strike the right chord of non-fashion and staff you feel are into what they sell.
DSM is nothing but an elitist concept. If you want to show love for the brands then why don't you start by making them accessible at a honest price ? Jacking prices up isn't really a way of respecting the designers and their message... just sayin. If the readers of this blog (who seem interested in clothing and OK for spending money on clothes) can't afford to shop there for the brands they like then who can ??? Elton John, celebs, and rich kids ? What's the point ?
so simone why would i go to dsm and buy something from inverallan when i can ring them up and get it for a quarter of the price, i know for a start if i were to buy your hat from inverallan direct it would cost me £ 16.
DSM isn't a shop for the working man? What kind of argument is that? Can a regular working man even afford any of these brands that we obsess over?
Wow. Really? Okay so here it is: If you like something, or if you see something you like, and you can find it for the price you would like, or expect to pay, then just fucking buy it. If you are able to do so at a store that you love, respect, and wish to support then great. If it's only available in a store that you don't, and you refuse to give your hard-earned penny then I guess you're out of luck.
Do people really think that a small independent label, working solely by collaboration, with a staff of three, really get's to pick and choose where there product ends up? Sure they're not going to take an offer if they don't support that location's ideals, and aesthetic, but to assume, for example, that they should have maybe gone with Liberty instead...
Do you think they were given the option?
Now I know almost nothing about DSM apart from that it is pretty much a well respected global phenomenon, and that they carry other brands that the guys at Inventory clearly support and respect, and to be given the chance to have your own little space within that environment would be not only flattering but also a smart business decision. If a store I loved had wanted to work out the same deal with me I'd be over the fucking moon.
I think people need to pull their necks in. Do you guys have magazines, and brands, and clothes you're trying to grow and develop from a seemingly honest stand-point? If you did maybe you'd feel differently when an opportunity like this came up...
If this had happened in New York, I'd be thrilled to, at the very least, have the chance to go look at the stuff, try it on, and then, if I felt so strongly, go and buy it from the guys direct.
If you want to buy a hat directly from the company for 16 quid, then go right ahead. You are however missing the point. These things weren't made to dupe you out of your money. Or at least I don't think they were... Do you only ever buy straight from the source? Must mean a lot of leg work when it comes to shopping for dinner...
Robbo, you could even save a bit more by buying wool and knitting the hat yourself. This way you'd be busy and would give us a break.
Post of the year from RUPTUREreport.
I'd love to know what he does for a living.
I think commenters are being fussy about nothing. Maybe it's different in the UK but scenesters, hipsters and everyone and their mom is wearing this aesthetic. It's been sold in every Urban Outfitters in the country and has been for some time now. Regardless you can't knock off the soul of brands and history behind the garments featured on Inventory. With regard to Wayne's statement, DSM sells really expensive garb, and so does inventory, this might come as a shocker but like Wayne implied this is not a style for the common person, quite the opposite. If you could afford the stuff in the Inventory shop the begin with, the "hypothetical" mark up at DSM wouldn't stop you. As far as the elitist thing, I'm pretty sure we can all agree that 99% of this community is elitist, which is why we are so picky and judgmental about what fits into our standards of authentic and not authentic.
Anyway, Simon summed up all important points anyway. Read his comment if you have any doubts about the integrity of Inventory.
Hmmm...interesting debate. I think there is obviously something vaguely 'threatening' to people about a wanky store such as DSM getting hold of what seemed to be a niche and taking it to the likes of Elton and David. It's a bit like when you used to stop liking a particular band because they hit the top ten.
I passed by Folk and Albam's new stores over the weekend and thought that their new location has opened up their 'nicheness' (if that were a word) and now you get all kinds of punters passing by and coming through the doors whereas you had to seek it out a bit more before. Not great if you like to think you're the only one wearing their gear but these people have worked hard on their products and they do need to make a living even if it means that wearing their gear doesn't seem to be as cool as it used to be.
Brands come and go. Look at how Stone Island and CP Company used to be the business and now you can buy it on the market. I don't think brands or shops are really about style. However being yourself and wearing what suits you is.
For the record, I think Inventory are doing a great job in exposing cool gear and getting people thinking about their own style.
Peace!
With regard to my initial post (that started this raging debate) I must point out that since I met Elton in DSM I now dress only like him from his 'Tommy' period and bumped into him on Sunday rambling over Windsor Great Park. He was dressed like Chris Bonnington and was wearing, you'll be pleased to know, the worlds hardest bag to actually get into, a Duluth pack.
i don't buy inverallan, cause it is shit, the wool is shit. Only made popular by the japanese who are crazy about any woolen mill from scotland or ireland. I pay what i think something is worth not some hipster telling me it is cool
@Robbo, what brands do you wear? I'm curious to know. If you think Inverallan is crap then you must have a high quality standard which would mean you probably pay a good deal of money for something to begin with. If this is the case I don't see what bashing DSM has to do with it in regards to their pricing. It's like Amazon, you have choices in the price you want to buy something.
It's your choice.
There are a lot of people that are bitter or disgruntled about their monetary situation and take it out on the blogs. A lot of people who shop at DSM work there asses off for their cheddar and if they want to reward themselves buy purchasing something at DSM I don't see how that makes them elitist. You can't paint DSM and it's customers with that broad of a brush. My wife shops at DSM or Corso when she's in Tokyo for business which is usually the last day of the trip because the rest of the time she's there working here ass off, going to boring ass four hour dinners and jet lagged.
If you can't afford something that's not Inventory's fault and it's not DSM's fault so refraining from bitchin' and moaning to the rest of us would be appreciated.
being one of the "naysayers", and with all this talk of elitism, Niche-ness, Expensive things, I still believe my argument is ONE OF the most valid points, as it dealt with none of these subjects.
To Brian, I'm a freelance Brand Strategist
The day of niche brands being "hidden" and only available for the chosen few are dead. Get over it. A kid in the middle of Nebraska can be up on the latest, before average joe in Brooklyn. The Net has erased the boundaries and accelerated this trend curve to hyperspeed. You can either enjoy your brands and "niches" and be happy with that or you can move on. Best believ that they'll be right on your tail after you move on though.
Good Job to Ryan, owen, simon and the rest of the team. Keep it coming.
I think out of respect for a nation that's been brought to it's knees by forces beyond human control we
should all put to rest this rediculous debate. It's the least we can do. There will be another day for us to abuse each other over materialistic nonsense. Perhaps using that money for yet another Chambray
work shirt could go towards something priceless. Here's one of many sites you could donate to.
https://secure.oxfamamerica.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3560&3560.donation=form1
to wayne pate... extremely patronizing post, wayne. If you want to do that, fine. But I imagine there are people who have already donated - maybe even before being prompted by you. In addition, some of those people may even have bought a new shirt as well.
Forget RUPERTreport's (freelance Brand Strategist) POST OF THE YEAR. New POTY by Wayne above.
You are the generation that bought more shoes and you get what you deserve.
"going to boring ass four hour dinners and jet lagged". Shit, I would hate to be her. Traveling the world, going to luxury restaurants, I cant even comprehend the struggle she must be going through.
In all seriousness I think dsm is a great retail outlet. The gallery feeling tricks you to think that its more than just a place of consumtion, which is a good thing, I guess. It is a place were you can feel a little out of place though, but maybe thats just down to me being a "regular working person" that apparently shouldnt wear the brands that I obsess over in first place.