On Boulevard Voltaire in Paris, hidden among vintage boutiques and art spaces, dotCOMME ’s newest outpost quietly sits behind an almost deliberately anonymous facade. Its presence in the city is discreet enough that if you didn’t know exactly where you were going, you might easily walk past, unaware of the meticulously curated fashion history hidden within. But for those in the know – the designers, students, historians, and fashion obsessives who make up dotCOMME’s devoted clientele – this small, understated showroom represents a pilgrimage site.
I first met Hugh Barton and Otto La Rosa at their showroom during Paris Fashion Week, a brief encounter in their space amidst a swirl of crowded events. Our follow-up conversation happened later, over the phone, away from the crush and rush, giving them space to reflect on what exactly defines dotCOMME, beyond being just a boutique or an archive. “It’s about filling gaps in fashion history,” La Rosa explains casually, describing their meticulous approach to sourcing key pieces from significant collections, especially from designers who've pushed fashion’s boundaries: Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, Junya Watanabe, Dirk Bikkembergs, Walter Van Beirendonck – names whose work now occupies a distinct place within dotCOMME’s archival universe.
But why these particular designers as opposed to Chanel or Louis Vuitton? La Rosa’s answer is succinct, yet revealing: “They're made with more integrity, in terms of design, and more creativity. [Whereas] Louis Vuitton is just trying to make something that's maybe nice and well-made but more conservative; not really trying to push the boundaries. Rei and Yohji have left a legacy because they created new style avenues, new ways to dress.” Indeed, Kawakubo’s now-famous “Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body” collection – known colloquially as the "lumps and bumps" – captured this spirit precisely, challenging traditional notions of beauty and symmetry. Yohji Yamamoto’s mastery of difficult-to-manipulate fabrics like wool gabardine similarly embodies the intellectual and technical ambition that dotCOMME reveres. Pieces from these designers become collectible precisely because they are conceptual: garments whose very existence challenged fashion’s vocabulary. These designers aren't merely chosen for their aesthetics, but because their work embodies an intellectual and cultural shift in fashion, marking distinct moments when clothes started asking philosophical questions.
dotCOMME’s philosophy of curation extends beyond collecting into an intuitive form of authentication. After years immersed in the nuances of archival fashion, authenticity has become instinctual to La Rosa. “It just comes through years upon years of dedicating myself to collecting and researching the collection, so it's honestly just second nature,” he explains simply, a quiet assurance underscoring his deep familiarity with these pieces. They also highlight the importance of materiality and technique that goes into these garments, resulting in resulting so meticulously constructed that La Rosa insists, with a slight chuckle, that counterfeiters "wouldn't bother. It would be too hard. It's not something that's really replicable."
Since its inception, dotCOMME has always blurred the line between an archive and a boutique, dedicated to collecting and curating pivotal moments in fashion history. Originating as La Rosa’s personal passion project online, dotCOMME rapidly evolved into a physical manifestation of his obsessive collecting in an equally arcane studio in an artist’s block in Melbourne (the only indication the space existed was a bike parked outside with a sign posted on it). Physical locations, Barton argues, reveal the personality and passion behind the brand.
Initially supported by buying trips to Tokyo, La Rosa painstakingly gathered an extensive collection marked by historical significance, rarity, and integrity of design. Though he’s maybe a bit shy to admit it to me over the phone, he’s amassed the largest privately held collection of COMME des GARÇONS outside of Rei Kawakubo’s own archive. Recently though, given the increasing difficulty and rising costs of sourcing directly from Japan, they’ve taken their expertise and reputation within the archiving community to sourcing from private collections more often.
The decision to relocate dotCOMME’s massive archive – some 4,000 delicate, historically invaluable garments – from Melbourne to Paris was strategic, underscoring their vision of integrating the collection within a richer context. Barton acknowledges the logistical enormity with candidness, mentioning that moving large, delicate couture pieces from COMME des GARÇONS runway shows isn't straightforward: “The scale of it all is a challenge. Some of the COMME des GARÇONS couture runway pieces are in huge boxes, which are great for storage but tricky to move.” Still, Paris, with its proximity to major fashion houses, institutions, and academic communities, as well as a more internationally mobile audience, offers unparalleled opportunities for collaboration and exploration. Barton states clearly, “We’ve always felt the archive belongs in Paris, and there’s a real audience for it here.”
What further differentiates dotCOMME from typical archival spaces is its duality as both archive and boutique, a conceptual meeting ground that Barton highlights as central to their vision.
dotCOMME’s new presence in Paris marks both a culmination and a new beginning, physically situating their collection at the heart of fashion’s historical and contemporary dialogues. For those who know, it's a rare portal into fashion’s deeper narratives, stories carefully sewn into seams, woven into fabrics, and embodied in each garment's enduring presence. DotCOMME is a fashion archive, but it’s also a testament to the legacy of the boundary-pushing ideas in fashion.
Yet for all its meticulousness, dotCOMME carries itself with a refreshingly casual demeanor. The conversation with Barton and La Rosa is filled with dry wit and understated humor, particularly evident when we discuss sustainability – a topic increasingly tied to archival fashion. Barton succinctly describes archival fashion as essentially “synonymous” with sustainability, prompting La Rosa to add, with gentle irony, “I think it's a happy coincidence. I don't know a lot of people who are intentionally looking to save the environment. But it does help.” Their modesty belies a deeper truth: archival collecting, perhaps unintentionally, illuminates some key issues with our current fashion system. It quietly addresses modern anxieties around consumption and ecological responsibility not necessarily in the way that, say, thrifting does, but rather by underscoring what good design is and showing how well made pieces are made to last.
The narrative of archival fashion itself, however, reaches far beyond sustainability. Barton and La Rosa consciously position dotCOMME not as gatekeepers but as enthusiastic participants in an ongoing conversation about fashion’s historical and cultural importance. Their curatorial philosophy is intentionally relaxed yet deeply informed; it’s more intuitive than clinical. When asked about how they arrange the pieces in their Paris showroom, Otto admits with a bit of a laugh, “I don't think there's a lot of thought. As much as we try to place them close to pieces that might work together, we just sort of pull.” Barton quickly elaborates, emphasizing their belief that fashion should remain an organic and spontaneous interaction between pieces rather than being rigidly classified or sectioned off by designer or season. In other words, fashion history, as dotCOMME sees it, is best experienced as a living, breathing dialogue rather than a static museum exhibit.
Their Paris space embodies this attitude. Visitors stepping inside will find no austere gallery; instead, they’re greeted by an intimate arrangement, reflecting a personal storytelling approach. Garments hang not simply as items for purchase but as participants in a larger conversation – an interesting mix of fashion’s rebellious, artistic history with La Rosa and Barton’s own personality. Each piece quietly insists on its own historical context, demanding recognition for its aesthetic beauty and for its role in pushing fashion forward, but the space as a whole is reflective of a curatorial perspective that is deeply theirs. Barton emphasizes the store’s function as a place of community, conversation, and education – an inviting hub rather than an intimidating archive.
This community-oriented vision also informs their advice to aspiring collectors, who might otherwise find fashion collecting daunting. Otto warmly advises, “Find what works for your body, find what works for you and your personality, and dress up, I guess, at the end. It’s about having fun.” This inclusive, democratic approach – combining expert scholarship with genuine warmth – is rare and refreshing in the world of archival fashion.
The subtle tension between its seriousness and its easygoing nature, between historical reverence and playful irreverence, is makes dotCOMME exceptional. It’s this precise balance that Barton and La Rosa strike with remarkable ease, navigating carefully between fashion’s past and its present. Indeed, when asked if there was any elusive holy grail piece they still hadn't secured, La Rosa’s response captured dotCOMME’s casual yet passionate ethos perfectly: “There's nothing really that's missing. I'm always just looking for good pieces, but there's nothing that's like, ‘oh my God, I need that.’” Their ambition is less about obtaining specific garments than maintaining an open-ended exploration of fashion history – always curious, never complete. The fun, they emphasized, is in the process itself. Their advice to aspiring collectors – “Find what works for your body, find what works for your personality” – reveals an inclusive and democratic spirit often missing in archival fashion’s sometimes intimidating culture.
In relocating their extensive archive to Paris, dotCOMME not only physically positions itself at fashion’s global epicenter but symbolically commits to preserving and deepening these historical dialogues. Barton openly acknowledges the inherent challenges of such a move, especially when dealing with fragile, rare items that must be preserved carefully for future generations. But the potential rewards – greater visibility, scholarly engagement, and the chance to influence new generations of collectors and designers – far outweigh logistical headaches.
As dotCOMME settles into its new Parisian home, the quietly revolutionary spirit of the place becomes clearer. It isn’t merely a store, nor just an archive; it's a thoughtful, ongoing celebration of fashion’s capacity to challenge, inspire, and evolve. Hidden away from the bustle of more commercial avenues, dotCOMME quietly insists on the importance of intentionality, authenticity, and playful curiosity in fashion. It celebrates garments whose complexity and integrity endure far beyond fleeting seasonal trends. And, above all, it warmly invites visitors – newcomers and seasoned collectors alike – to step inside and engage, genuinely and joyfully, with the remarkable stories sewn into every piece.
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