scoute.

store feature
Komakino
Vancouver based guerilla store welcomes you to the darkside

“If the colour isn’t listed, chances are its black”. What Campbell McDougall, the owner and buyer of Komakino, said when listing sale items online actually had more into it than one might think. The racks at the Gastown, Vancouver based boutique are filled with exclusive labels from Europe and Japan that are unified by the dominant colour as well as a rather gloomy style. The aesthetic has somewhat infamously been dubbed as “goth-ninja” by some, and while the term might sound funny, theres a certain coherence to it due to the dark colours and draping cuts portrayed in much of the clothing. McDougall himself prefers to sum up the style in three words; dark, moody and edgy.

When the first Komakino location opened, McDougall had a vision of a guerrilla store concept, where a location is kept open only for a certain period of time before closing or moving it. “I was inspired by Rei Kawakubo’s (Comme Des Garcons) first guerrilla shop and decided to open a multi brand men's store that moved every season or so.” Komakino has stayed true to the concept with the current one being their 5th store location to date. “The idea was the opportunity to continually reinvent oneself”, McDougall explains. “And to chase renting opportunities and cheap deals!” The idea follows in line with the Comme Des Garcons concept as the CDG guerrilla stores are also often opened in odd and even hard to find locations in different parts of the world. The current Komakino location is actually within a gallery with almost no signage of its existence outside.

Komakino’s principal brands have been such as Belgian designers Ann Demeulemeester and Raf Simons, Rick Owens, and Japanese cult labels Undercover and Number (N)ine. A recent addition and one that McDougall is the most excited about has been Croatian-born designer and Raf Simons protégé Damir Doma. another favorite is Julius, a Japanese label which had their first showing in Paris for F/W 08-09 and for which Komakino is actually among the first international retailers, and the only in North America. “The Viridi-Anne is also getting stronger and stronger”, adds McDougall.

01. Komakino V.2, Alexander Street
02. The 5th and current location
03. Signature looks from Julius
04. V.4, Water Street
05. Alexander street interior
06. The 1st location
07. Outside the Water Street store
08. Undercover f/w gear

The very interesting selection of brands and designers is the result of a creative and unbiased buying process. “The shop takes a very narrow viewpoint, we completely disregard trends and what consumers “look for”. Instead I focus solely on what I’m inspired by and think is important and exciting”. When asked about some exciting brands that are not available at Komakino, McDougall emphasizes that a majority of things he finds interesting are already available at the store or on their way there. “I can’t speak much about upcoming brands until they are confirmed in our lineup, but every season brings new talent to the surface”.

"The shop takes a very narrow viewpoint, we completely disregard trends and what consumers look for"

McDougall and Komakino will take a big step this fall when they open a second store, and surprisingly enough it wont be close by, but in Berlin, Germany. “I have been partly living in Berlin for a couple of years, I wanted to move here fully and have a European city to base my company in.” Named Darklands, the store will follow the aesthetic of the original store but will also have some brands not available at Vancouver, such as Carol Christian Poell and Boris Bidjan Saberi. The Berlin store will also carry m.a+; the hard to find label by former Carpe Diem designer Maurizio Amadei.

While opening another store is a good opportunity for McDougall, he assures that it has little to do with the entrepreneurial attraction. “If that would be what I’m after, I’d open a store in Shanghai or Mexico City”. Rather, the store is a result of personal aspiration and the location a lead of love towards the city. “I love Tokyo and Osaka as well, but Berlin is my favorite city. It continues to inspire me - the art, architecture, nightlife, the fashion on the streets..” McDougall seems to be as fascinated with Berlin as scoute is, and Darklands will be another good reason to go there soon.

visit Komakino at www.komakino.ca
and on 109 West Cordova Street, underneath the Back Gallery Project.