Issey MiyakeNew YorkUSA

Located on the ground-floor of 45 Madison Avenue—within the iconic New York Life Building designed by architect Cass Gilbert—the new store honors both the location and the brand’s commitment to architectural collaborations, and is dedicated to continued cultural placemaking at the intersection of design and commerce.

The two-level flagship interior is marked by advanced engineering and superb craftsmanship throughout. At its center is a monumental, yet intentionally transparent staircase, made possible by large-format structural glass designed and fabricated with utmost precision—an architectural feature grand in gesture while not dominating the retail experience or overshadowing the product on display. The original structure of the historic Beaux-Arts building has been purposefully exposed and carefully complimented with new custom aluminum and stainless steel surfaces and fixtures to produce a balance of industrial rawness and refined aesthetics. A titanium panel from the Frank Gehry-designed flagship location at 119 Hudson Street in Tribeca have been restaged in the new store, a symbol of the enduring friendship between the late Frank Gehry and Issey Miyake. Additionally, glass wall panels from the Tribeca store that are now transformed into surfaces for merchandising tables, promoting material circularity.

At the rear of the store, a dedicated gallery space named MADO will host rotating exhibitions, brand collaborations, and special projects throughout the year. As the first gallery space within an ISSEY MIYAKE store outside of Japan, MADO — which means “window” in Japanese — serves as an overseas platform for sharing the brand’s craftsmanship and cultural values. This intimate exhibition area is designed to foster deeper connections between the retail environment, ISSEY MIYAKE’s philosophy, and the global, dynamic art and design community. Both the retail space and gallery are surrounded by large windows that open the store to the energy of Madison Avenue and the neighboring Madison Square Park.