In a world of trends, fast commedesgarconco.com/ fashion, and fleeting styles, COMME des GARÇONS (CdG) stands as a rare beacon of originality. Since its inception in 1969 by Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo, the brand has not only redefined what fashion can be but also what it means to wear art. Its name—French for “like the boys”—signals its ethos: challenging norms, rejecting the mainstream, and carving a path for expressive freedom in design.
Origins and Philosophy
Rei Kawakubo, born in Tokyo in 1942, didn’t begin her career in fashion. With a background in fine arts and literature, Kawakubo worked in advertising before transitioning into design. This non-traditional entry into fashion is central to the brand’s DNA—CdG has never followed the rules. In 1969, Kawakubo began designing under the name COMME des GARÇONS and officially founded the brand in 1973.
From the beginning, CdG positioned itself outside the mainstream. Kawakubo wasn’t interested in dressing people in what was “beautiful” by societal standards. Instead, she aimed to disrupt the very idea of beauty. Her designs often featured deconstruction, asymmetry, unfinished hems, and monochromatic palettes, especially black—a color that would become synonymous with the label.
In the early 1980s, COMME des GARÇONS made its Paris debut, creating shockwaves across the industry. Models walked the runway in torn fabrics and shapeless silhouettes—an aesthetic dubbed by critics as “Hiroshima chic,” a controversial term that reflected both the raw power and the discomfort Kawakubo’s work evoked.
Design as Expression, Not Commodity
One of the defining features of COMME des GARÇONS is its conceptual approach to fashion. Each collection is seen as a statement, often political or philosophical. Rather than focusing on wearability, Kawakubo seeks to explore themes such as identity, gender, aging, and death through clothing.
A classic example of this was her Fall/Winter 1997 collection titled “Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body”. Featuring exaggerated lumps and padding, it distorted the female form in unsettling ways. Critics at the time didn’t know what to make of it—but the collection has since been celebrated as a feminist critique of beauty standards and the objectification of women’s bodies.
This intellectual approach sets COMME des GARÇONS apart from many luxury brands. It’s not about making clothes that sell; it’s about sparking dialogue. As Kawakubo herself once said, “I want to create clothes that have never existed before.”
The Role of Rei Kawakubo
While COMME des GARÇONS has grown into a multi-faceted empire, Rei Kawakubo remains its soul. Known for her extreme privacy and reluctance to explain her work, she’s something of an enigma in the fashion world. She rarely gives interviews and avoids the celebrity culture that dominates much of the fashion industry.
Yet, her influence is immense. Designers like Martin Margiela, Yohji Yamamoto, and even Alexander McQueen have cited her as an inspiration. The late Karl Lagerfeld once said, “Rei Kawakubo is not a designer, she’s a revolutionary.”
Kawakubo’s role as both designer and businesswoman is unique. She’s the president of Comme des Garçons Co., Ltd., overseeing both the creative and commercial sides of the company. This has allowed her to maintain complete control over the brand’s direction—a rare position in the era of corporate-owned fashion houses.
Expansion and Collaboration
Over the decades, COMME des GARÇONS has expanded beyond just the mainline. The brand now includes multiple sub-labels, each with its own distinct identity. Some of the most well-known include:
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Comme des Garçons Homme: A more tailored menswear line.
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Comme des Garçons Play: Recognizable by its heart-with-eyes logo, designed by Polish artist Filip Pagowski, this is the brand’s most accessible and commercial line.
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Comme des Garçons Shirt: A line that blends streetwear and tailoring.
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Comme des Garçons Noir, Tricot, and Junya Watanabe: Additional lines that allow for more focused and experimental expressions.
Despite its avant-garde nature, CdG has engaged in mainstream collaborations that expand its influence. The brand has partnered with Nike, Supreme, Converse, Levi’s, and even IKEA. These collaborations bring the CdG aesthetic to a broader audience without compromising the brand’s identity.
One of the most groundbreaking ventures was Dover Street Market, a retail concept founded by Kawakubo and her husband, Adrian Joffe. These multi-brand stores operate in fashion capitals like London, Tokyo, New York, and Beijing, offering an ever-changing, curated experience that blends luxury, streetwear, and art installations.
Cultural Impact and Legacy
COMME des GARÇONS has had a profound influence not only in fashion but across culture. Its challenging designs have become staples in art museums, fashion retrospectives, and pop culture. In 2017, Kawakubo became only the second living designer (after Yves Saint Laurent) to be honored with a solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute: “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
This exhibit celebrated Kawakubo’s ability to blur boundaries—between fashion and sculpture, male and female, natural and artificial. It solidified her status as not just a designer but a visionary artist.
COMME des GARÇONS also plays a pivotal role in gender-fluid fashion. Long before terms like “nonbinary” and “genderless” were common, CdG was designing clothes that defied gender categories. Oversized shapes, unisex silhouettes, and the deconstruction of traditional menswear and womenswear are all part of the brand’s lexicon.
The Commercial Paradox
Interestingly, while COMME des GARÇONS remains staunchly anti-commercial in its philosophy, it’s also a highly successful business. Its blend of concept and commerce is a masterclass in branding. Kawakubo’s ability to stay underground while simultaneously expanding globally is one of the greatest paradoxes in fashion history.
Dover Street Market alone brings in millions in revenue, while Play has become a best-seller in streetwear communities. Yet, none of this success has diluted the brand’s avant-garde core. It remains a rare case where art and business coexist without compromise.
Conclusion: Fashion as Freedom
COMME des GARÇONS isn’t about dressing the masses or following seasonal trends. It’s about liberation—of thought, form, and identity. Rei Kawakubo has carved out a space where fashion becomes a medium for expression, rebellion, and intellectual exploration.
In a world increasingly esentialshoodieco saturated with sameness, COMME des GARÇONS reminds us of the power of individuality. It is a brand that asks us not to fit in, but to stand apart. And in doing so, it has forever altered the landscape of modern fashion.
