Comme des Garçons

Comme des Garçons, French for "like boys", is a Japanese fashion label headed by Rei Kawakubo, who is also its sole owner.

Comme des Garçons has a dozen boutiques and approximately 200 vendors around the world, with flagship stores in Aoyama, Tokyo's high fashion district, as well as Place Vendôme in Paris. Each year, the company grosses in the neighborhood of $150 million.

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History

The label was started in Tokyo by Rei Kawakubo in 1969 and established as a company in Japan in 1973. Comme des Garçons became successful in Japan throughout the 1970s and a men's line was added in 1978. 1981 saw Comme des Garçons's debut show in Paris which created a storm of controversy for its predominate use of black and distressed fabrics. Throughout the 1980s, Comme des Garçons's clothes were often monochromatic, asymmetrical and draped over the body. Tears, holes and frayed edges were also a feature. Comme des Garçons (along with Yohji Yamamoto and Issey Miyake ) attacked established notions that clothing had to be sexy, colourful and beautiful. Throughout the remainder of the 1980s Comme Des Garçons collections incorporated more colour and fabrics.

After the Paris debut, Comme des Garçons had an exhibition at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris in the mid 1980s consisting of photographs taken by Peter Lindbergh. 2006 saw an exhibition in Shibuya, Tokyo of Comme Des Garçons advertising and graphic design.

Fashion

Comme des Garçons collections are designed in the Comme des Garçons studio in Aoyama, Tokyo and are made in Japan, France and Turkey.

The 1997 spring/summer collection, often referred to the 'lumps and bumps' collection, was a much talked about show in Paris that season. It featured predominately tight tops and skirts that were swollen by goosedown-filled lumps which distorted the body shape. This led to a collaboration, also in 1997, between Rei Kawakubo and New York-based choreographer Merce Cunningham called 'Scenario'.

The 2006 autumn/winter collection dealt with the concept of the 'persona', the different ways we present ourselves to the world. Fusing tailored menswear with more feminine elements such as corsets and flower printed dress fabrics, 'Persona' was another collection that combined the feminine with the masculine by Comme des Garçons.

Junya Watanabe and, as of recently, Tao Kurihara have started their own sub-labels under the Comme des Garçons name to much acclaim. Both were also involved in designing for the casual women's knitwear line 'Comme Des Garçons Tricot'.

Comme des Garçons have collaborated with various other labels over the years including Vivienne Westwood, Fred Perry, Levi's and Speedo.

Perfume

Comme des Garçons also produces a line of unisex fragrances, most of which are unconventional in the world of perfume, in the same spirit as the label's garments. They released their first fragrance 'Comme Des Garçons' in 1994. 1998 saw the release of Comme des Garçons's first 'anti-perfume', 'Odeur 53', a blending 53 non-traditional notes to create a modern and striking scent. Some of these notes being: oxygen, flash of metal, washing drying in the wind, mineral carbon, sand dunes, nail polish, cellulose, pure air of the high mountains, burnt rubber and flaming rock. 2000 saw the debut of the Comme Des Garçons parfums PARFUMS series. 'Series 1 - Leaves' consisted of three fragrances based on leaves such as Tea, Lily and Calamus. Mint and Shiso have been discontinued.

Stores

Comme des Garçons opened the first of their 'Guerilla' stores in 2004 in Berlin. The Guerilla store's aim is to only be open for 1 year and to spend a minimal amount of money on the interiors. The stores are also to be located away from fashionable hubs and districts of a city. Comme des Garçons Guerilla stores have been opened (and subsequently closed) in Reykjavik, Warsaw, Helsinki, Stockholm and Athens amongst others with more to open in the future.

2005 saw the opening of Dover Street Market (DSM) in London. A multilevel store conceptualised by Rei Kawakubo. As well as selling Comme Des Garçons lines, other designers are personally invited by Rei to open a section of the store and design it in any way they wish while often selling limited edition pieces made only for DSM.

In March 2007, Comme Des Garçons opened a 3 level store in Hong Kong. Hong Kong also has had a Guerilla store opened and closed in previous years.

On Thur 5th July 2007, Comme Des Garcons opens its Guerilla Store in the Achrafieh district of Beirut, Lebanon.

Comme Des Garçons lines

• Comme des Garçons
• Comme des Garçons Comme Des Garçons
• Comme des Garçons Homme
• Comme des Garçons Homme Plus
• Comme des Garçons Homme Plus Evergreen
• Comme des Garçons Homme Deux
• Comme des Garçons Tricot
• Comme des Garçons Shirt
• Comme des Garçons Play
• Comme des Garçons Noir
• Comme des Garcons Edited
• Comme des Garçons 10.Corso. Como
• Tao Comme des Garçons
• Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons
• Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons Man