Issey Miyake To Open New Flagship Store at 45 Madison Avenue

Summary

• Issey Miyake is set to open a sprawling 13,000-square-foot flagship store inside the historic New York Life Building
• The retail space features a monumental structural glass staircase alongside custom aluminum and stainless-steel fixtures
• A selection of exclusive items will be available strictly at this location to commemorate the opening

Issey Miyake is set to officially open its new flagship store at 45 Madison Avenue in New York City this May.

Located at the corner of Madison Avenue and 26th Street, the massive 13,000-square-foot retail destination takes over the ground floor of the iconic Cass Gilbert-designed New York Life Building. Designed by the New York-based architecture firm Solid Objectives Idenburg Liu, the interior establishes a thoughtful dialogue between historic architectural heritage and modern innovation. The two-level layout intentionally exposes elements of the original Beaux-Arts structure, contrasting this industrial rawness with new custom aluminum and stainless-steel surfaces. At the heart of the space, a transparent, large-format structural glass staircase anchors the room. Adding to the location’s conceptual depth, a titanium panel is displayed as a direct tribute to the enduring friendship between the late Frank Gehry and Issey Miyake.

The flagship also introduces MADO, a dedicated gallery space positioned at the rear of the store. Serving as the first Issey Miyake gallery space outside of Japan, MADO — which translates to “window” — will host rotating exhibitions and special projects throughout the year. To celebrate the location’s highly anticipated debut, the brand is releasing a selection of exclusive items, including the FOLDING COAT featuring a hand-pressed Rakkan seal, the abaca fiber UNBOUND HAT, and the SHADE AND SHADED_NY pleated series.

The new Issey Miyake flagship opens its doors on May 8 at 45 Madison Avenue.