Dover Street Market (DSM) isn’t just celebrating a milestone; it’s rewriting the rules of what an anniversary can be. The retailer, founded by COMME des GARÇONS visionary Rei Kawakubo, has spent two decades as the epicentre of avant-garde fashion and innovative retail experiences. To honour its 20th year, DSM has teamed up with Italian outerwear trailblazer Stone Island for a collection that’s as forward-thinking as it is steeped in history.
At the heart of this collaboration is a resurrection of Stone Island’s COMPACT jacket, a Paul Harvey-designed gem from the brand’s Fall/Winter 2003-2004 archive. Back in the early aughts, this piece was a revelation: a functional design inspired by military aviation suits, complete with a lace-up string-and-loop system meant to adapt compression to atmospheric conditions. Now, it returns, reimagined through Stone Island’s modern fabric technologies but retaining its original ethos—part utility, part statement piece.
The Materials Tell the Story
This time, the COMPACT jacket comes in three distinct fabrications that each offer a unique take on innovation. The Panama Recycled Oxide Plating version features recycled cotton with a subtle patina, blending sustainability with rugged elegance. The Glass Cover-TC variant is all about contrasts, showcasing a polyester mesh encased in a glossy, semi-transparent polyurethane film that feels futuristic yet unmistakably Stone Island. For fans of ultra-lightweight outerwear, the David Light-TC edition offers dyed tela fabric treated under high-pressure heat for a sleek yet durable finish.
More than Just a Jacket
This isn’t just a drop—it’s an event. The jackets launched on November 29 alongside an art installation by Ken-Tonio Yamamoto, whose abstract visual language perfectly complements the experimental nature of the release. The collaboration sits among DSM’s roster of celebratory drops, which recently included Nike’s glow-in-the-dark Vomero sneakers. Expect more to come—probably in DSM’s signature black-and-minimalist aesthetic.
Why This Matters
Stone Island and Dover Street Market have long shared a kinship in the way they approach design. Both push the boundaries of traditional menswear, blending meticulous craftsmanship with bold, unapologetic ideas. Stone Island’s collaborations with Nike, Supreme, and New Balance have solidified its place in the streetwear lexicon, but this collection taps into a deeper narrative—a celebration of not just what’s next, but what has come before.
For collectors and style connoisseurs, the COMPACT jacket is more than just a statement piece. It’s a tangible slice of fashion history, a bridge between two decades of pioneering design. As DSM, the brainchild of COMME des GARÇONS, continues to evolve, this partnership reminds us why it remains a cultural institution: it doesn’t just sell clothes; it creates moments.
So whether you’re braving the winter streets or adding to your archive, this is one collaboration worth investing in. After all, pieces like this don’t come around often—at least, not for another 20 years.
