SO-IL transforms New York Life building into Issey Miyake flagship

Brooklyn architecture studio SO–IL has completed a new flagship store for Issey Miyake inside the neo-gothic New York Life building on Madison Avenue in Manhattan. The store replaces the brand's former Frank Gehry-designed location in Tribeca, which operated for 25 years. SO–IL co-founder Jing Liu described the atmosphere as 'clean, precise, audacious,' reflecting the brand's innovative approach to fashion. The design emphasizes the existing architecture, with a continuous aluminium rail spanning grand arched windows and giant studded-steel columns creating rhythm. Most of the floor area is left open, with custom freestanding aluminium rails and glass-topped tables for displaying garments. A mezzanine level at the back is accessed via a suspended doglegged staircase with all-glass balustrades. Several titanium elements from the previous Gehry store were repurposed, including a folded plate above the service counter. The store also includes a gallery where SO–IL will present an exhibition of material explorations starting September 2026. The building, designed by Cass Gilbert, was completed in 1928 and features a limestone exterior.