Dot Comme Collection

Fashion collector Octavius La Rosa has an archive of three-thousand-plus avant-garde fashion garments, which includes pieces by Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake and Walter Van Beirendonck. A rotation of these garments can be purchased online, but much of his personal collection has seldom made it to public viewing in the past. The importance of archiving, documenting and viewing fashion is core to Octavius' practice and reflects the increased cultural importance of fashion in the collections and exhibitions of museums and galleries.

In order to make the high-end of his archive public, Octavius commissioned Sibling to design a new space, Dot Comme Collection; a gallery to display a unique collection of garments that are artworks themselves. Bringing the collection to the new space gives the public an opportunity to view, try on and purchase the pieces. The space is also home to curated shows exhibiting the collection and collaborations with artists.

The neutral territory of the white cube is transformed through texture. Undulating bulbous white walls hide changerooms behind. Dimpled stainless steel creates depth and reflects light. Not everything is out in the open at Dot Comme. Most of the archive is concealed behind one of the doors, but shoppers may scroll through the online store of Dot Comme at table by Gaetano Pesce and Memphis Milano, which is from owner Octavius La Rosa’s personal collection. Once selected, pieces are then brought out for display.