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Rei Kawakubo

Artist Info
Rei Kawakuboborn 1942

Contemporary high fashion as exemplified by Rei Kawakubo had a seismic, course-altering impact on women’s clothing in the late twentieth century. Her work proved revolutionary soon after its international debut in the early 1980s. She is, along with Yohji Yamamoto, rightfully credited with instigating the profound aesthetic changes that have since permeated all levels of fashion—such as deconstruction, obfuscation of the body, and a predilection for the color black.

Born in 1942, Rei Kawakubo, studied literature and philosophy at Keio University before becoming a fashion stylist in 1967. Two years later, dissatisfied with the kinds of clothing available, she began designing her own. She formed her limited company in 1973, calling it “Comme des Garcons,” French for “like the boys.” In the 1980s, Kawakubo expanded her Comme des Garçons empire to include: free-standing boutiques; diffusion lines; and collaborative agreements with companies ranging from ballet shoemaker, Repetto, to swimwear giant, Speedo. Most importantly, she hired a “universe” of young designers, “one superstar at a time.” This universe included young talents like Junya Watanabe, Jun Takahashi (whose label is “Undercover”), and Tao Kurihara.

From the beginning, “intellectualism” has been the defining element of Kawakubo’s work. In her overriding desire to create fashions that defy conventional beauty—while simultaneously redefining what we see as fashionable—Kawakubo has become the quintessential postmodern designer. Often, her sometimes “indefinable” clothing is visually puzzling. As fashion journalist Bernadine Morris noted: “Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons is widely recognized as having the purest vision and the most powerful approach to fashion . . . There is hardly a glimpse of the body as arms were thrust through openings in cape-like tops, and clothes were layered in the prevailing Japanese manner.”

It should be noted that Kawakubo is a designer who had no formal fashion training. This fact is important because, like another great female couturier, Elsa Schiaparelli, her skills reside not in her fingertips but in her ability to engage in theoretical discourse. Despite her lack of technical training, Kawakubo is among the most respected fashion creators in the world. Her fellow designers, as well as curators, journalists, and consumers, view her as the most compelling and innovative fashion designer of the past thirty years.

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Black long sleeve patchwork top and cutouts and uneven hem
Top
Comme des Garçons
1983
90.98.69
Black cotton knit bateau neck top long sleeves, patched fabric with random seam holes and cutouts
Left: blue long sleeve button front V-neck sweater Right: blue top and skirt with cut-outs and …
Man's sweater
Comme des Garçons
1983-1984
92.13.3
Man's slashed sweater in black sweatshirt knit, long cardigan with slits along horizontal exposed seams at chest
Left: blue long sleeve button front V-neck sweater Right: blue top and skirt with cut-outs and …
Set
Comme des Garçons
Fall 1983
88.157.3
Slash and tie set in navy blue wool / nylon jersey; oversize top with self tie openings along horizontal exposed seamlines, calf length. asymmetrical pull-on skirt knotted at left hip band and at right hip
Black long sleeve dress with elasticized pouches asymmetrically draped along skirt, calf length…
Dress
Comme des Garçons
1983-1984
2008.77.4
Long black jersey dress with elasticized pouches asymmetrically draped along skirt creating volume: asymmetric gathered elastic neckline with attached hood; full length sleeve; slightly gathered along front bodice; set in elastic waistband; uneven hem with small vent at R
Red evening dress with high front neckline that is doubled, folded and bias cut at the back to …
Evening dress
Comme des Garçons
Spring 1991
92.23.1
Long evening dress in red silk taffeta and polyester chiffon, doubled, folded, bias cut and pieced for bubble shape and padded effect; front wide cowl neck with wire armhole loops, long fitted panel extending to deeply draped cape like back cowl and train; shift underdress in chiffon over taffeta
Grey deconstructed, asymmetrical, floor legnth dress with contrast white tailors' tacks and exp…
Dress
Comme des Garçons
Fall 1997
2005.7.1
Asymmetrical, deconstructed dress in grey ramie layered over cotton; floor length irregular tube draped, cut and stitched with exposed raw edges, and contrast white tailors' tacks, RF and B fish darts and RS white zipper, curved and slanted seams; slashed V-neck and armholes, curved capelet over left shoulder draped into vertical stitched panel at CF and RB
Beige floor length coat with gold floral brocade pattern and sheer insets at shoulders, cuffs a…
Evening coat
Comme des Garçons
Fall 1997
2010.1.40
Sheer gold polyester fitted long collarless evening coat with gold floral brocade panels in rayon / acrylic / lame blend with frayed edges adhered to front, back and sleeves; asymmetrical princess seams at upper bodice extending from waist darts; narrow straight-cut; bias binding at neckline and CF; seamed and pieced kimono sleeves
Red and white gingham t-shirt with padding throughout to create distorted shape and matching sk…
Set
Comme des Garçons
Spring 1997
2015.1.1
top and skirt set in red and white printed gingham stretch nylon blend with padded cropped t-shirt and long skirt with distorted shape
Navy cutaway jacket with attached beige vest lining and dark red skirt
Suit
Comme des Garçons
Fall 1998
2003.60.2
Suit in navy blue and dark red wool gabardine; navy cutaway jacket with attached vest and heathered beige grey wool / cotton hair canvas vest lining / lapels and bustle panel; skirt with dark red ankle length front panel with side pleats and grey wool / cotton hair canvas back, cutaway to hip
Women’s green sleeveless jacket with matching pleated, knee length skirt shown with a man’s gre…
Suit
Comme des Garçons
1998
2005.7.2
Deconstructed military jacket and pleated kilt style skirt in army green wool twill; elongated jacket with raw armhole edge, notch collar, buttoned flap bellows pockets at chest, pockt flaps at hip, gold metal buttons; wide matching belt with brass buckle; calf length wrap skirt with accordion pleats irregularly stitched down below raw waist edge, by black leather band extending to tie belt
White evening dress and bolero asymmetrically covered with large sheer and small tulle-like ruf…
Ensemble
Comme des Garçons
1999
2005.3.1
White evening dress and bolero in white polyester / polyeurethane blend, asymmetrically covered with large sheer and small tulle-like ruffles; long dress with vest fastening as bodysuit over sheer full length sleeveless dress with peter pan collar; shrug style bolero with convertible collar, short sleeves
Biker/motorcyle inspired black leather jacket; ballerina inspired asymmetrical pink skirt with …
Ensemble
Comme des Garçons
Spring 2005
2005.49.1
Set; biker / motorcycle inspired jacket in heavy black leather crudely pieced with self strips in large whipstitch and saddle stitch, and ballerina inspired asymmetrical full skirt with pink and white cotton gingham shirred front panel and back tutu panel of pink nylon tulle and polyester chiffon