The resilient world of three multi-brand boutiques keeping independent, curated retail alive
We meet the creative forces behind three multi-brand retailers that are making it work in a world that increasingly favours homogenised shops.
Multi-brand boutiques are an increasingly rare sight these days, as luxury houses opt for tighter control over everything from merchandising to storytelling. Independent retailers have also grown more cautious about buying seasonal stock in a market where competition for customers’ attention has never been fiercer. Whether in Paris, Bangkok or New York, it’s becoming unusual to stumble upon a great shop that offers a mix of labels – some familiar and others less so. In their place, brand-owned flagships have multiplied. But along the way, the thrill of discovery has been lost. When Paris’s Colette closed its doors, only to be replaced by a single-brand shop, it marked more than the end of a beloved retail destination – it signalled a broader shift towards a more homogenised experience.
Yet a handful of retailers continue to defy this trend. Committed to the art of selection, they trust their instincts, invest in emerging talent and build spaces that reflect a distinct point of view. As shoppers seek more meaningful, in-person experiences, these boutiques have become destinations in their own right: places to not only find exceptional clothing but also to engage in conversation, linger over an aperitivo and enjoy carefully considered interiors. From established names in Berlin and New York to a fast-growing venture redefining menswear in Canada, we speak to the founders who are keeping the spirit of the multi-brand boutique alive.
1.
Murkudis
Berlin
In Berlin, Andreas Murkudis is more like a cultural institution than a clothes shop. Sure, the retailer, which occupies a former printworks in the Tiergarten district, stocks an unparalleled selection of fashion brands, from Dries Van Noten and Yohji Yamamoto to Durazzi, Carven and Hodakova, but its broader relevance stems from the regular events and exhibitions that take place in-store. These might be a modular-furniture showcase or a Carsten Nicolai art installation, and reliably draw a bigger and sharper crowd than most galleries.
Murkudis will mark the 25th anniversary of his namesake business next year and is currently lining up a yearlong celebration. “At the moment, so many retail stores are closing,” he says. “It’s important for us to do even more.” He plans to partner with some of his favourite brands to introduce a small, exclusive product capsule each week. Ideas include a sweater in 10 different colours, a special model of Ludwig Reiter shoes and a reissue of an archival Felisi bag. This year Murkudis is also throwing the fifth edition of the Charity Market, an outdoor fair selling donated or deadstock items that typically raises more than €100,000 for local charities. “Every brand we ask will give something,” he says.
In June, also keep an eye out for Murkudis’s first pop-up shop in Paris, which will be selling an edit of smaller Japanese brands – a lifelong dream of the seasoned retailer. While Murkudis might have global ambitions, shoppers still have to head to Potsdamer Strasse to browse the full selection. After almost a quarter of a century in the business, Murkudis still doesn’t see an online shop as a necessity.
andreasmurkudis.com
Andreas Murkudis’s shopping list
1.
Pillings women’s embroidered cardigan
“This cardigan is completely handmade. The embroidered flowers are ribbons in different colours.”
2.
Dressedundressed suit
“This is one of my favourite Japanese brands: suits, shirts and T-shirts of the highest quality. Each collection is just six pieces and all are unisex.”
3.
Norlha scarf
“Each of these scarves is made from 100 per cent yak wool from Tibet.”
2.
Neighbour
Vancouver
Fifteen years ago, Saager Dilawri quit his fashion job in New York and decided to fulfil a dream of opening his own menswear shop. At the age of 26, he moved to Vancouver, leased a courtyard space in the Gastown district and opened Neighbour. “Some friends gave me clothes to sell and then I sat there for two years in a fishbowl,” he says. “People walked past and saw a lonely, confused guy.”
It might have taken a while for Vancouverites to catch on but today Neighbour – which is run by Dilawri and his wife, Karyna Schultz – is a growing fashion empire, known for introducing some of the most in-demand, artisanal labels to the Canadian market.
Neighbour has since quadrupled in size, with standalone womenswear and home shops all within walking distance of each other. When a three-storey retail space became free next to the women’s boutique on West Cordova Street, Dilawri snapped it up. In the renovated space, a warm interior with wooden beams, exposed brick and matte aluminium details forms the setting for about 40 brands, many of which are exclusive to the boutique. Neighbour introduced Our Legacy and Norse Projects to Vancouver early on and stocks Japanese niche brands such as Maatee & Sons and Gorsch alongside local stalwarts such as Veilance. Dilawri gravitates towards unfussy clothes made with materials that improve with age. “I’m really into anything that feels better after a few years of wearing it,” he says. “It makes it less precious.”
Today, Neighbour ranks among Canada’s most influential fashion retailers. Does Dilawri have any wisdom to impart? “If you’re going to run an independent business, it has to come from within,” he says. “We are really into everything that we sell – and that makes it easy.”
shopneighbour.com
Saager Dilawri’s shopping list
1.
Unkruid gardening trousers in kelsch cloth
“These are not what I’d typically wear – they have a brown-white checkered pattern and a drawstring waist – but they actually work with a lot of what I own. The fabric is a kelsch cloth made by a small mill in Alsace.”
2.
Salon C Lundman double-collared shirt
“This shirt has a double collar that can be buttoned up or left undone. It’s a simple, well-made shirt but I like this fun detail.”
3.
Comoli zip cardigan
“Right now, I’m into longer cardigans that are closer to a shirt silhouette than a chunky sweater. This Comoli piece is a lightweight V-neck cardigan with a zip closure.”
3.
La Garçonne
New York
La Garçonne is nestled in quiet Greenwich Street in Tribeca. There’s barely any signage or products displayed in the windows, yet for the past decade the multi-brand boutique has become an essential stop for shoppers looking for collectible pieces. New Yorkers, who know the shop staff by name, drop by almost weekly, while those passing through the city make the trip to Tribeca to immerse themselves in c0-founder Kris Kim’s elegant world – an all-white space with soft lighting and customised wooden cabinetry filled with clothing and accessories by houses including Dries Van Noten and The Row, as well as independents such as Tokyo-based Minä Perhonen or Tyrolean label Bergfabel.
“We have a pretty wide selection of The Row but it’s our interpretation – you’ll never find very dressy pieces,” says Kim. “I like to stay with brands, even as the market changes. Lemaire is another mainstay for us; I remember having appointments with Christophe [Lemaire] when he was on his own in a tiny showroom. Sometimes it’s just about finding practical pieces customers need; at other times it’s about discovery and giving them something to think about.”
While other fashion capitals are seeing their independent boutiques close, La Garçonne has established itself as an institution in Tribeca, opening a dedicated menswear store last year as well as an outpost in Amagansett in Long Island. Achieving longevity comes down to trusting your taste and committing to serving the customer, rather than the brands, says Kim. “Traditionally in retail, there was more focus on getting the vision right or having the right looks but when you have a shop you really have to know everything about your customer, right down to their names,” she adds.
As her business grows, Kim has found herself experimenting more. “I’ve grown up with the shop and I think it gets more fun as I get older,” she says, pointing to beaded necklaces by Greek jeweller Ileana Makri and colourful socks by Italian label Maria La Rosa. “It’s important to offer customers some colour and pattern.”
Kim says that shops need to “keep up with the times” and she’s always keeping an eye on what her teenage children are wearing or researching the trends that are shaping youth culture. “We’re at a moment where we’re craving things that are old and have stories [behind them],” she says, adding that no matter the direction fashion takes, she makes sure that any item she picks up fits her own taste and identity. “It’s a commitment to run your own boutique. I’ve been asking this from the beginning, ‘Why can’t a shop be a beautiful brand in itself? A space that you want to walk into, to experience and discover?’”
lagarconne.com
