Inside Dsquared2’s New Flagship in London
MILAN — Dsquared2 founders Dean and Dan Caten are returning to London, a city where they once lived for a decade, by opening a new flagship in Mayfair, at 67 New Bond Street.
Moving from its previous expansive location on the corner of Savile Row and Conduit Street, the unit marks the debut of a new interior concept the designers developed specifically for the space with the architectural and design studio StorageMilano.
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“There are four fashion capitals in the world, and you have to be present there. It’s all about the presence,” said Dan Caten, hinting at the strategic importance of the opening and of the English market for the brand.
“And [StorageMilano] kind of know our aesthetic,” continued Dean Caten. “We talked about [creating] different situations and kinds of setups, as well as how we can interchange and move stuff,” he added, mentioning also the installment of a dedicated VIP room.
Spanning two levels, the interior design aimed to mix the concept of a Wunderkammer with cabinets with an industrial vibe and the aesthetics of ‘50s American offices.
Walls covered with hand-applied micro-cement — their texture emphasized by chromatic variations in fossil and dusty tones — contrast with wooden furniture that dominates the space, as seen in the large showcase spanning the entire ground floor that is made of custom lacquered okoumé wood.
In keeping with the industrial mood, tubular elements inspired by the London Underground alternate with dividers in glass, while the modular ceiling grid in aluminum anchors bespoke lamps. Carpeting in different colors separates areas and is complemented by striped curtains and mirrored walls.
Yet the most striking element is the sculptural staircase in polished pressed steel and a rhomboidal pattern that sits at the center of the space to connect the two levels.
“It’s a very warm and cool space, with lots of contrasts,” said Dean Caten. Asked about the key feature a store has to have for the duo, his twin said: “It has to be inviting, not arrogant. People shouldn’t be scared to go into it. It has to [encourage] you to go around its corners, explore it and find out new things. It has to be interesting and intriguing.”
“And that’s where we reflect our personality: we’re very easygoing, friendly and accommodating — not to mention fun,” added Dean Caten.
Incidentally, the bubbly personality of the designers is set to be in full display at the cocktail event planned for March 14 to mark the official opening of the store and which promises to see the attendance of the duo’s London clique.
“We have a lot of memories in [London]. We had a really cute office, too, on top of our old store, which was massively too big. I loved it there. We had a great time and there are lots of things [still] happening,” said Dan Caten.
The designer pointed to the way the brand particularly resonates with the London crowd. “I think the British kind of get where we’re going, like on the recent shows. They are very fashion and they’re appreciating us right now, so it’s actually a good moment for us to salute our public there,” he said.
As for plans to replicate the store concept to other locations, the Catens are still pondering. “I don’t know, because sometimes we like to adapt it to the cities that we go to,” said Dean Caten, while his twin was considering reprising just some of the concepts in smaller boutiques and corners.
The direct retail push is one of the pillars of the brand’s strategy to boost its business. For one, the Catens are looking for locations in Munich and Miami, as they aim to alter their presence in the latter city by eyeing a move from Bal Harbour Shops to the Design District.
“Retail is not the easiest for us, but we have to do the right store in the right place,” said Dan Caten.
The designers underscored the importance of having brick-and-mortar spaces that can immerse customers in the brand’s world, as well as offer them the full assortment of products across all lines, from womenswear and menswear to accessories.
“In our day, we loved to go to the stores. That was fun. This [younger] generation, I think they want to have experienced that, but have been used to online shopping… We’re going to try to make our stores very exciting for them,” said Dan Caten.
At the moment Dsquared2 counts 91 stand-alone stores across directly operated units, franchising and concessions, in addition to six outlets.
The company, which last year generated roughly 300 million euros in sales, is mainly a wholesale-driven business, with the channel accounting for 80 percent of its distribution network. Europe remains key in terms of best-performing market offline, while the U.S. along with Italy and Germany are the top ones for online sales.
Still, the diversification of markets and customer base will be a big focus for the company going forward, with the Middle East and Asia-Pacific areas identified as the ones offering the most opportunities for growth.
The brand will additionally focus on maximizing its omnichannel strategy, further enhancing long-term wholesale partnerships rather than moving away from the channel. Customization in customer experiences will add to the strategy.
While relatively flat business is expected for 2024, also in light of the macro-economic scenario and global uncertainty, growth is seen in following years, boosted not only by distribution plans but also by a stronger push product-wise, especially in accessories.
The Catens underscored that, conversely to other fashion houses, their sales are mainly driven by ready-to-wear, leaving room for growth in the shoes and bags categories.
On the licensing front, a new fragrance launch is scheduled for early September, thanks to the ongoing partnership with Euroitalia.
“But there’s a lot of untouched things that we still could tap,” said Dan Caten. “We’re interested ourselves about lifestyle. We have a restaurant, we have a gym, those kinds of things intrigue us a lot right now. We have something in the works, but we can’t really talk about it. It’s been two years [in the making] and it will be amazing,” he teased about a project, likely in food and beverage.
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