Comme des Garçons Guerilla Store (Glasgow, UK)

To be honest, I don't tend to do much high end shopping in the UK. My appreciation for British high street stores such as All Saints, French Connection or Reiss means I usually hit up the mid-priced retail shops I can't find elsewhere in Europe. The reason I ended up finding the CdG Guerilla Store was more of an accident - I stumbled across it on my way to a vintage shop (which I'll write about in my next post). And anyone who knows the concept of these Guerilla stores also knows that they are meant to be stumbled upon, as they're not usually situated in prime locations.

Previous Glasgow Guerilla Store (image: goodwivesandwarriors.co.uk)

The original idea behind the Guerilla stores was to create the exact opposite of your typical designer flagships that are commonly found in fashionable areas. These specific CdG retail environments on the other hand are either further afield or in cities not commonly referred to as fashion capitals. The outlets remain open for only a year and have minimal upkeep due to the spartan interior or the choice of locations such as abandoned warehouses or basement spaces. In fact, I was surprised to discover a Glasgow store still existed, as CdG had previously already opened (and closed down) a Guerilla store in a remote part of this city - an old wedding car factory complete with an actual vehicle decorated in a colorful Paisley print (see above image).

The current store, which opened last October, might not seem as vibrant and exciting, but has its own merits. For starters, the little shed-like building in a quiet back street might look a bit deserted from the outside (without the sign, you wouldn't know it's an actual shop), but once you've set foot inside the store, you'll discover a friendly space with light-colored wood floors and an overall sleek design. The lack of a lavish decor is meant to steer your focus towards the 'spirit and energy' of the clothes. According to a CdG press release it's all about presenting the local population with a seasonless selection of merchandise far from industry standards where carefully designed interiors sometimes count more than the actual products being sold.

The men's collection can be found on the right side of the store coming in, which is where I started perusing various shelves filled with colorful t-shirts and sweaters, many of them store-only exclusives or adorned with the 'Play' motif. Most of the items were still packed in plastic which made me wonder if I was mistakenly browsing the stock room instead. But no one stopped me, so I kept going, taking a peek at sneakers and various accessories. Making my way across the long rack of clothes that goes right along the length of the store area, I found both current and previous season collections (for both men and women) ranging from dark avant-garde asymmetrical runway looks to CdG's more vibrant casual lines. Other sightings included bright Junya Watanabe tops, various perfumes as well as hats by Stephen Jones.

The store-exclusive items for women can be found on the other end of the shop near the windows. This is where I also saw more streetwear appropriate bags, other small souvenirs and additional products featuring the heart-shaped 'Play' design.

The shop isn't huge, but filled with enough goodies to keep you busy for a while. This is the world's only Guerilla store at the moment - the one in LA shut down recently - and some speculate that this will be the last, so if you're ever in town (before October that is) head on over before it's gone.

Edit: As of mid 2009, the Glasgow store is no longer open and there are currently no CdG Guerilla stores in operation. This post will remain published to serve as a reference.

Address: 10 Ruthven Lane, G12 9BG Glasgow
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 9:00-18:00, Sun: 12:00-17:00