A Designer Who Rewrote the Fashion Rulebook
Rei Kawakubo, the enigmatic founder of Comme des Garçons, is widely regarded as one of the most influential designers in the history of fashion. Since the brand’s debut in the early 1970s, Kawakubo has challenged
conventional ideas of beauty, silhouette, and functionality. Rather than following fashion trends, she has spent her career questioning the very foundation upon which fashion is built. The name “Comme des Garçons,” which means “like the boys” in French, signals her early interest in androgyny and subverting expectations. What makes Kawakubo’s vision truly unique is her unwavering dedication to intellectual and artistic expression in an industry that is often dominated by commercial imperatives.
Origins of a Radical Vision
Kawakubo was born in Tokyo in 1942. She studied fine arts and literature at Keio University, majoring in aesthetics—a field that would go on to define her approach to fashion. Unlike most designers of her generation, Kawakubo had no formal training in fashion design. She began her career working in advertising and later became a freelance stylist. In 1969, she founded Comme des Garçons, and by 1973, it became a limited company. Her lack of traditional fashion education turned out to be a strength, allowing her to think differently about form, color, and composition.
When Comme des Garçons made its Paris debut in 1981, it caused an uproar. The collection was stark, primarily black, and full of torn, asymmetrical garments that seemed unfinished. Western critics dubbed it “Hiroshima chic” due to its post-apocalyptic aesthetic. Yet, what many initially misunderstood as anti-fashion would later be celebrated as one of the most important design revolutions in fashion history.
Breaking Down the Silhouette
Central to Kawakubo’s philosophy is a rejection of the classical Western ideals of fashion, particularly the emphasis on flattering the human form. Her garments often obscure or exaggerate the body rather than reveal it. Over the years, she has explored shape and space in entirely new ways. Whether it’s bulbous silhouettes, uneven hems, or clothing that looks more like sculpture than something to wear, her designs are not created to please—they are created to provoke thought.
One of her most iconic collections, the Spring/Summer 1997 “Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body,” featured padded lumps and irregular shapes protruding from the fabric. The collection was dubbed “Lumps and Bumps” and was widely debated in both fashion and art circles. It questioned traditional norms about beauty and the female body, asking the audience to reconsider their assumptions about what clothes are supposed to do.
Concept Over Commerce
Comme des Garçons is not just a fashion label; it is a creative laboratory where ideas are more important than sales. Kawakubo has always said that she designs “for creation, not for the market,” and this ethos has allowed the brand to take risks others would not dare. While many designers aim for seasonal wearability, Kawakubo operates more like an artist, using the runway as a stage for her evolving philosophy.
This uncompromising approach has earned her respect, not just in the fashion industry but also in the world of contemporary art. Kawakubo has collaborated with institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which hosted a landmark exhibition in 2017 titled “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.” It was only the second time the Met devoted an entire exhibition to a living designer, the first being Yves Saint Laurent. The exhibition showcased Kawakubo’s work as existing in the space between categories: art and fashion, male and female, beautiful and grotesque.
Business with an Avant-Garde Soul
Though Kawakubo is known for her avant-garde designs, she has also proven to be a shrewd businesswoman. Comme des Garçons has grown into a fashion empire with numerous sub-labels such as Comme des Garçons Homme, PLAY, and Noir Kei Ninomiya. These lines cater to various markets without compromising the brand’s core identity. The company has also cultivated an influential retail presence with Dover Street Market, an innovative concept store that reimagines the shopping experience. These stores feel more like curated art spaces than traditional retail outlets, further blurring the line between commerce and creativity.
Kawakubo’s ability to balance the avant-garde with profitability is a rare feat. She has created a business model that thrives on risk and innovation, proving that radical design can coexist with global commercial success. Even within the world of luxury fashion, Comme des Garçons stands apart as a brand that operates on its own terms.
The Cult of Comme
Comme des Garçons has cultivated a global following of fashion insiders, artists, and creatives who resonate with Kawakubo’s nonconformist ethos. Her work attracts those who view fashion not merely as clothing but as a language of identity, rebellion, and thought. The brand’s customers often see themselves as participants in a larger conversation about individuality, aesthetics, and freedom.
Celebrities and designers alike have paid homage to Kawakubo’s influence. Visionaries like Jean Paul Gaultier, Yohji Yamamoto, and Martin Margiela have cited her as an inspiration. Meanwhile, designers from the newer generation—such as Demna of Balenciaga or Jonathan Anderson of Loewe—carry traces of Kawakubo’s deconstructionist DNA in their work.
A Legacy Still in Motion
Rei Kawakubo continues to surprise and challenge audiences even CDG Hoodie into her eighties. She has never stopped innovating, never settled into a style, and never compromised her artistic integrity. Each Comme des Garçons collection is a new chapter in her ongoing exploration of what clothing can be. Her work is not about nostalgia or repetition—it is about evolution and rupture.
Even as the fashion world has shifted toward digital media, fast fashion, and algorithm-driven trends, Kawakubo remains committed to a deeply personal and philosophical mode of creation. She rarely gives interviews, seldom explains her work, and rarely appears in public. This silence only heightens the mystique around her and allows the clothes to speak for themselves.
Conclusion: Beyond Fashion, Into Philosophy
To understand Rei Kawakubo and Comme des Garçons is to go beyond fabric and stitching and step into the world of conceptual thought. Her designs are not meant to be worn comfortably or even understood at first glance. They are meant to disrupt, to evoke emotion, and to ask questions. Kawakubo’s legacy lies in her ability to turn fashion into a philosophical inquiry—a medium through which she can explore identity, time, imperfection, and change.
In a world where fashion often prioritizes beauty and consumerism, Rei Kawakubo dares to ask: What if fashion wasn’t about looking good, but about feeling, thinking, and evolving? Through Comme des Garçons, she offers not just clothes, but a new way to see the world.