Rei Kawakubo
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese fashion designer, founder of Comme des Garçons
.
She is untrained as a fashion designer, but studied fine arts and literature at Keio University
. After graduation, Kawakubo worked in a textile
company and began working as a freelance stylist in 1967.
In 1973, she established her own company, Comme des Garçons Co. Ltd in Tokyo and opened up her first boutique in Tokyo in 1975. Starting out with women's clothes, Kawakubo added a men's line in 1978. Three years later, she started presenting her fashion lines in Paris each season, opening up a boutique in Paris in 1982.
Comme des Garçons specialises in anti-fashion, austere, sometimes deconstructed garments. During the 1980s, her garments were primarily in black, dark grey or white. The materials were often draped around the body and featured frayed, unfinished edges along with holes and a general asymmetrical shape. Challenging the established notions of beauty she created an uproar at her debut Paris fashion show where journalists labeled her clothes 'Hiroshima chic' amongst other things. Since the late 1980s her colour palette has grown somewhat.
Rei likes to have input in all the various aspects of her business, rather than just focussing on clothes and accessories. She is greatly involved in graphic design, advertising and shop interiors believing that all these things are a part of one vision and are inextricably linked. Her Aoyama
, Tokyo store is known for its sloping glass facade decorated with blue dots. This was designed in collaboration between Rei and architect Future Systems
and interior designer Takao Kawasaki.
Rei published her own bi-annual magazine, 'Six' (standing for 'sixth sense'), in the early 1990s. It featured very little text and consisted mainly for photographs and images that she deemed inspiring. In 1996 Rei was guest editor of the high art publication Visionaire
.
Rei is known to be quite reclusive and media shy, preferring her innovative creations to speak for themselves. Her designs have inspired many other late designers like the Belgian Martin Margiela
and Ann Demeulemeester
, as well as Austrian designer Helmut Lang.
Junya Watanabe
, Kawakubo's former apprentice, started his own line in the early 1990s and has attained much attention in the fashion business in his own right.
Kawakubo is a member of the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter.
Kawakubo created the 2008 autumn "guest designer" collection at H&M
, designing men's and women's clothing along with some children's and a unisex perfume.
Comme des Garçons
Comme des Garçons, written コム・デ・ギャルソン in Japanese and French for "Like Boys," is a Japanese fashion label headed by Rei Kawakubo, who owns the company with her husband Adrian Joffe....
.
She is untrained as a fashion designer, but studied fine arts and literature at Keio University
Keio University
,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...
. After graduation, Kawakubo worked in a textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
company and began working as a freelance stylist in 1967.
In 1973, she established her own company, Comme des Garçons Co. Ltd in Tokyo and opened up her first boutique in Tokyo in 1975. Starting out with women's clothes, Kawakubo added a men's line in 1978. Three years later, she started presenting her fashion lines in Paris each season, opening up a boutique in Paris in 1982.
Comme des Garçons specialises in anti-fashion, austere, sometimes deconstructed garments. During the 1980s, her garments were primarily in black, dark grey or white. The materials were often draped around the body and featured frayed, unfinished edges along with holes and a general asymmetrical shape. Challenging the established notions of beauty she created an uproar at her debut Paris fashion show where journalists labeled her clothes 'Hiroshima chic' amongst other things. Since the late 1980s her colour palette has grown somewhat.
Rei likes to have input in all the various aspects of her business, rather than just focussing on clothes and accessories. She is greatly involved in graphic design, advertising and shop interiors believing that all these things are a part of one vision and are inextricably linked. Her Aoyama
Aoyama
Aoyama may refer to:-Places:* Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan** Aoyama Gakuin University, famous university located in Aoyama, Tokyo** Aoyama-itchōme Station, a railway station in Minato, Tokyo, Japan...
, Tokyo store is known for its sloping glass facade decorated with blue dots. This was designed in collaboration between Rei and architect Future Systems
Future Systems
Future Systems was a London-based architectural and design practice, formerly headed by Directors Jan Kaplický and Amanda Levete.Future Systems was founded by Kaplický after working with Denys Lasdun, Norman Foster, Renzo Piano, and Richard Rogers...
and interior designer Takao Kawasaki.
Rei published her own bi-annual magazine, 'Six' (standing for 'sixth sense'), in the early 1990s. It featured very little text and consisted mainly for photographs and images that she deemed inspiring. In 1996 Rei was guest editor of the high art publication Visionaire
Visionaire
Visionaire is an art and fashion publication that has come out in limited, numbered editions three times a year since spring 1991. Each issue has a specific format and theme around which prominent artists, designers, photographers, and others guests edit the publication...
.
Rei is known to be quite reclusive and media shy, preferring her innovative creations to speak for themselves. Her designs have inspired many other late designers like the Belgian Martin Margiela
Martin Margiela
Martin Margiela is a Belgian fashion designer. He studied at Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts along with the legendary avantgarde fashion collective the Antwerp Six. Many still consider him to be the "7th" member of the collective.- Life and work:After graduation in 1980 he worked as a...
and Ann Demeulemeester
Ann Demeulemeester
Ann Demeulemeester is a fashion designer whose eponymous label 'Ann Demeulemeester' is mainly showcased at the annual Paris Fashion Week.-Early life:...
, as well as Austrian designer Helmut Lang.
Junya Watanabe
Junya Watanabe
Junya Watanabe is a Japanese fashion designer, originally the protege of Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo. Born in Fukushima, Japan in 1961, he went on to attend Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo, graduating in 1984. At this time he began his apprenticeship at Comme des Garçons as a patternmaker...
, Kawakubo's former apprentice, started his own line in the early 1990s and has attained much attention in the fashion business in his own right.
Kawakubo is a member of the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter.
Kawakubo created the 2008 autumn "guest designer" collection at H&M
H&M
H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children....
, designing men's and women's clothing along with some children's and a unisex perfume.
Principal lines
- Comme des Garçons
- Comme des Garçons Comme des Garçons
- Tricot Comme des Garçons
- Comme des Garçons Robe De Chambre (discontinued)
- Comme des Garçons noir
- Comme des Garçons Homme
- Comme des Garçons Homme Plus
- Comme des Garçons Homme Plus Evergreen
- Comme des Garçons Homme Deux
- Comme des Garçons Shirt
- Play Comme des Garçons
- Comme des Garçons Parfums