introducing: Comme des Garçons Comme des Garçons
Octogenarian Rei Kawakubo, founder and designer of Comme des Garcons, is a radical artist and fashion designer. She straddles the lines of the binary (fashion/anti-fashion, then/now, clothes/not clothes) to create collections that debase the notion of what is typically attractive. She considers herself punk as she constantly challenges established notions of beauty, gender (the literal translation of Comme des Garcons is "like boys"), and the body. Because of this, Kawakubo is widely revered as a feminist due to her unorthodox perspective on womens' fashion.
I have admired Kawakubo's directional work for decades. Her distorted shapes, innovative textiles, and distinctive use of black have always drawn me into her world. The fact that she is most comfortable taking risks and bucking institutional fashion norms is refreshing and surprising. It is also no secret that she is a no-nonsense, industrious entrepreneur. And as a female business owner, her tenacity is inspiring. So it is an honor to be carrying her Comme des Garcons Comme des Garcons collection at Covet + Lou. -Tina
Scene from "Scenario" part of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company production "Cunningham Merce Forward & Reverse" during BAM Next Wave Festival, 1997. In collaboration with Rei Kawakubo. Photographer: Dan Rest. Image from BAM Hamm Archives.
Comme des Garçons S/S97. Lumps and Bumps. Image courtesy of AnOther.
Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garçons courtesy of Heaven Raven.
Spring 1989 Advertisement (Inoue Tsuguya / Lilo Hess, Enzo Cucchi) via Another Magazine. Image courtesy of Heaven Raven.
CDG CDG at Covet + Lou:
Everyday radical.
Conceptual legend Comme des Garçons brings their radical aesthetic to everyday wear. Founded in 1993, the Comme des Garçons Comme des Garçons diffusion line translates Rei Kawakubo’s conceptual vision into easy–to–wear, everyday pieces. The line maintains the signatures of the original CDG label with immaculate unorthodox tailoring in a primarily black and white palette.
