Medium: Khaki wool twill

Date: 1998

Country: Japan

Credit: Museum purchase

Military uniforms are an important influence on modern women's fashions. The appeal of the uniform is multifaceted. Uniforms, especially military styles, symbolize authority, while also carrying an erotic edge. Uniforms can also function psychologically to maintain a sense of order and protection against the vulnerability of the naked body and the uncertainty of life. This particular ensemble by Junya Watanabe for Comme des Garcons, an avant-garde Japanese label, references the classic American infantry uniform in army green wool. It thus assimilates the wearer to an imagined community of brave young men.

Object Number: 2005.7.2