Comme Des Garçons Ensemble, Fall / Winter 2014

Perhaps no contemporary fashion house has transformed the discourse of fashion more distinctly than Comme des Garçons. Though she never formally trained in fashion design, Rei Kawakubo founded Comme des Garçons in 1969 and opened her first boutique a few years later in Tokyo. Her designs were received well in Japan, though international customers would soon find them much more controversial. In 1981, Comme des Garçons' debut in Paris received scathing reviews–– French critics called it “Hiroshima chic.” Kawakubo’s vision of design was unlike anything in mainstream Western culture at the time. Where popular fashion favored shoulder pads, wasp waists, and bright color, Comme des Garçons employed hitherto-unseen deconstructed silhouettes in all black. Despite short-sighted critics, Kawakubo’s wholly new approach to dressing the body would prove incredibly influential. Her title as the “mother of deconstruction” is well-earned. In the late 90’s, Kawakubo began to literally pull her creations apart and put them back together into deformed, avant-garde shapes, often with deliberately non-functional fastenings and sharply exaggerated silhouettes. In recent years, her creations have become increasingly sculptural, further pushing the boundaries of what fashion can be. Despite her early penchant for all-black, Kawakubo has since seen the light and works in a wider range of color.
One of the Comme des Garçons’ greatest strengths is its adaptability. Over the years, the house has branched out into many different lines, all of which create new avenues for innovation and allow the house to reach people from all walks of life. Though Kawakubo still spearheads Comme des Garçons, she is not its only creative voice. Junya Watanabe began working for the brand in 1984 as a pattern cutter before working his way up as Kawakubo’s protégé. In 1992, Watanabe began designing under his own name for Comme des Garçons. He brings a distinct, fresh approach to the house’s ethos, often re-interpreting classic pieces such as motorcycle jackets and workwear staples with countercultural influences.
In 2017, Kawakubo was the second living designer to ever be honored with an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. If its history is any indication, Comme des Garçons will continue to foray into strange beauty and propel the future of fashion forward.

Conceptual, spiral dress in black/dark blue wool blend knit with raw edges. Unlined.
Label: Comme Des Garçons
Size: O/S
Date: Fall 2014
Country of Origin: Japan

Approximate Dimensions:
Length from Center Back Neckline: 35"

This lot is located in Chicago.