It’s hard to surprise anyone with a bookstore nowadays. But Climax Book Store is an exception. It’s not just a place that sells books — it’s a New York outpost of independent publishing and curatorial spirit, hidden in a basement in the East Village.
From Fashion Marketing to Art Books and Zines
The store was founded by Isabella Burley, former marketing director at Acne Studios. During the pandemic, she turned her passion for art books, photo publications, zines, and vintage erotica into a business.
Climax sells rare and provocative editions, curates collections, and publishes independent projects. Here you can find books on art, fashion, and counterculture, vintage erotica, small-run periodicals, VHS tapes, posters, and strange but significant printed artifacts. As the store’s website puts it: “We are not a supermarket, but a point of view.”
Climax is more than just shelves — it lives through events such as book launches, signings, collaborations with fashion brands, and capsule collections. Its visitors are artists, style icons, and celebrities, including Sofia Coppola, Mia Khalifa, Tyler, The Creator, Kyle MacLachlan, and many others.
A Store with Character
The interior was designed by Kat Milne and feels more like an art installation than a traditional bookstore. Mirror surfaces and matte steel are everywhere, windows are covered with pale pink vinyl film, and the signature artwork — a green girl in fishnet tights on a mirrored wall — was created in collaboration with Bulgarian-born fashion duo Chopova Lowena.
Addresses and Contacts
Website: www.climaxbooks.com
New York: Climax Book Store / 56 E 4th St, New York, NY 10003
Open Wednesday to Sunday, 12:00–19:00
London: Climax Books / 5 Wardour Mews, London W1F 8AL, Великобритания
