Raf Simons opens his historic archive in Tokyo with an unprecedented sale at Dover Street Market Ginza

The Belgian designer offers iconic pieces, original documents and unseen archives spanning nearly three decades of his creative legacy.

Raf Simons is opening a fundamental part of his creative legacy to the public with a historic sale that is already sparking global conversation. The Belgian designer has chosen Dover Street Market Ginza as the setting to release personal archives, stock and iconic pieces that trace almost three decades of fashion history, turning Tokyo into the epicentre of contemporary collecting.

This is not a conventional sale. It is an exceptional opportunity to acquire garments, objects and original documentation that have defined Raf Simons’ career, from his earliest collections to more recent creations. The designer himself will be present on opening day, 29 December, reinforcing the almost ceremonial nature of the event, which will run until 18 January, with new additions introduced weekly.

The brand describes it as “a unique opportunity to acquire a piece of fashion history” — a statement that carries real weight given the value some of his creations have reached on the secondary market. Since closing his eponymous label in 2022, interest in the Raf Simons archives has only intensified, particularly around iconic pieces such as the bomber jackets from the ‘Riot, Riot, Riot’ autumn 2001 collection, which in recent years have exceeded $47,000 at resale.

For this occasion at Dover Street Market Ginza, Raf Simons has personally selected key designs from foundational collections such as ‘Kollaps’ (spring 2002), pieces created in collaboration with American artist Sterling Ruby, and a carefully curated representation of his ‘Twin Peaks’ autumn 2016 collection. The offering is further enriched by an almost museum-level archive: a boxed set containing VHS tapes of his first nine runway shows, original invitations — including the legendary ‘Black Palms’ vinyl from the autumn 1997 show — alongside lookbooks, photographs, posters and editorial material documenting his creative universe.

Raf Simons’ relationship with Japan is deep and enduring. The designer has long enjoyed a particularly loyal following in the country and previously operated standalone boutiques in Tokyo and Osaka, conceived in collaboration with Sterling Ruby and British artist Roger Hiorns. This new project reinforces that cultural connection and once again positions Japan as a custodian of the archive and memory of contemporary fashion.

Currently co-creative director of Prada since 2020, Raf Simons demonstrates through this sale that his influence extends far beyond active runways. Opening his archive is not merely a commercial gesture, but a statement of legacy — an invitation to understand fashion as a cultural document, an object of desire and a generational testimony. For collectors, historians and design enthusiasts, what is unfolding at Dover Street Market Ginza this winter is not simply a sale, but a defining chapter in the recent history of contemporary luxury.