Comme des Garçons is one of the world’s most innovative and trailblazing fashion brands, helmed by its inimitable founder, Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo (b. 1942), who has a penchant for breaking fashion and cultural norms. The only living designer apart from Yves Saint Laurent to have a retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, Kawakubo has permanently changed fashion with designs that challenge traditional ideas of beauty with a creative and transgressive exuberance.
After studying art and literature at Keio University in Tokyo, Kawakubo worked as a freelance stylist before establishing her own label in 1969. Comme des Garçons — which is also known as CDG — officially launched in 1973, and Kawakubo opened her first store in Tokyo three years later. She has since been instrumental in pioneering many concepts now familiar in contemporary fashion.
One of Kawakubo's most iconic moves was her introduction of androgynous styles (Comme des Garçons means “like the boys” in French) with asymmetrical, twisted silhouettes that envelope the body. While she told the New York Times that the “basics of clothing lie in men’s fashion,” Kawakubo believes in the concept of humanness in clothes (she titled her spring 1995 show “Transcending Gender”).
In the 1970s, when color-blocking was the norm, Kawakubo stuck to her monochromatic color palette dominated by shades of black with uncompromising dedication, although with evocative and powerful use of red and white.
Comme des Garçons is also known for an often shocking take on fashion. Deconstructed tailoring, violently slashed fabric and sculptural shapes are some themes that run through the brand’s collections, but Kawakubo never explains the meaning of her conceptual pieces, which fall somewhere between art and fashion.
Designer Junya Watanabe, who worked alongside Kawakubo for nearly a decade, operates an atelier based within the Tokyo headquarters of Comme des Garçons, and he established a line under Kawakubo's label in the early 1990s. Since then, even though the brand has launched additional lines and more commercial offshoots like PLAY, known by the iconic heart motif with eyes, the premier men’s line Homme Plus and the multilabel Dover Street Market that opened in 2004, the essence of Comme des Garçons remains Kawakubo’s otherworldly and undefinable creations, which are impossible to ignore.
Find vintage Comme des Garçons shirts, jackets, day dresses and other clothing on 1stDibs.
S/S2003 Junya Watanabe bondage runway skirt
By Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons
Located in Milano, Lombardia
S/S 2003 Junya Watanabe runway bondage skirt From the Spring/Summer 2003 runway collection, this Junya Watanabe skirt exemplifies the designer's experimental approach to utilitarian...
Comme Des Garcons Asymmetrical Canvas Skirt With Floral Interior Ss 2004
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Resurrection Vintage is thrilled to offer a vintage Comme des Garçons asymmetrical canvas skirt with a floral interior from the spring 2004 show, featuring a deconstructed silhouette...
Comme Des Garcons Layered And Gathered Grey Skirt 2006
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Resurrection is excited to offer a vintage Comme des Garçons layered and gathered grey skirt. Crafted from lightweight fabric with an understated tonal floral motif, this sculptural...
John Galliano Spring/Summer 2000 Asymmetrical Wrap Kilt Skirt
By John Galliano
Located in New York, NY
Interesting John Galliano asymmetrical deconstructed white polished rayon stretch twill wrap skirt from Spring/Summer 2000. The wrap style sits on the hips with two self buckle strap...
Comme des Garçons Pleated Silk Skirt
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Vintage Comme des Garçons white silk three-tiered pleated long skirt with a back zip closure.
Comme des Garcons AD 2001 Overskirt
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Water Mill, NY
A great black overskirt from Comme des Garcons, CDG. It consists of an open front skirt with a stretch waistband. Fits sizes Small, Medium. Marked Ja...
John Galliano, Spring/Summer 2002 Cotton Skirt
By John Galliano
Located in CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL, ZH
A romantic and deconstructed wrap-style cotton skirt from John Galliano's Spring/Summer 2002 collection. This piece features: * Delicate white folk-inspired print on a muted grey cot...
2007 SS Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton Skirt Runway
By Louis Vuitton
Located in Алматинский Почтамт, KZ
Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton 2007 SS skirt Collection Spring / summer size 42 Waist (Volume): 72cm / 28.35inches Length: 70 cm / 27.56 inches excellent condition, one of the flowers c...
Comme Des Garcons Runway Look11 Tulle Top & Draped SkirtDress 2Piece Set SS 1997
By Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo Comme Des Garcons
Located in Chicago, IL
For Comme des Garcons Spring/Summer 1997 iconic collection titled "Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body", which was nicknamed lumps-and-bumps, Rei Kawakubo designed this navy two-piece set of transparent pullover long-sleeve net tulle blouse and convertible translucent bias-cut draping long skirt or tube dress debuted on the runway in "Look 11" among the Vogue coverage (partly concealed under a navy open robe). Significantly, our pair repeats the fashion show's "Look 1" theme--which was interpreted by TheMet museum curators as "clothing-absence/body-presence"--with a see-through symmetrical top revealing breasts and a bias-cut draped asymmetrical skirt that clings to body curves. Variations of this silhouette were modeled in white, navy or red. Many had net-encased organ-shaped down pillows freely inserted into net underlays by the designer to shockingly distort the silhouettes with impossible feminine curves, such as with two kidney-shapes on the back or a tube across the front of the hips. This set will likewise accommodate such padding that is apparent in the Vogue photos...
Junya Watanabe for Comme des Garcons Khaki Denim with Lace Deconstructed Skirt
By Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons
Located in New York, NY
Junya Watanabe for Comme des Garcons Khaki green with lace deconstructed skirt measures 32" in length. The waist measures 30". The hem's circumfere...
Comme des Garçons deconstructed cream accordion pleated skirt, ss 2002
By Comme des Garçons
Located in London, GB
▪ Comme des Garçons deconstructed cream skirt ▪ Constructed out of three pleated skirts ▪ Irregular hemline ▪ Size Medium ▪ Spring-Summer 2002 ▪ Made in ...
John Galliano Grey Bias-Cut Silk Draped Skirt with Tulle Overlay, SS 2006
By John Galliano
Located in London, GB
John Galliano silk skirt from the Spring-Summer 2006 collection. Constructed in a fluid grey silk satin, the skirt is cut with an asymmetrical...
Christian Dior by John Galliano Silk Deconstructed Embroidered Skirt, fw 2002
By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian Dior
Located in London, GB
▪ Archival Christian Dior Skirt ▪ Creative Director: John Galliano ▪ Fall-Winter 2002 ▪ Crafted from luxurious raw silk featuring a captivating dyed striped print in enchanting hues ...
Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld iridescent taffeta quilted evening maxi skirt, fw 1999
By Chanel
Located in London, GB
Introducing an enchanting Chanel evening maxi skirt designed by Karl Lagerfeld. This exquisite piece is crafted from iridescent silk taffeta, exuding opulence and sophistication. The...
Martin Margiela Artisanal Evening Dress Made Out Of Vintage Petticoats, ss 2003
By Maison Martin Margiela
Located in London, GB
▪ Archival Margiela Evening Dress ▪ Creative Director: Martin Margiela ▪ Spring-Summer 2003 ▪ Museum Grade ▪ Constructed from repurposed vintage petticoats ▪ The outer skirt showca...
Junya Watanabe floral cotton dress with harness straps and backpack, ss 2003
By Junya Watanabe
Located in London, GB
▪ Junya Watanabe cotton dress ▪ All-over floral pattern with pale blue background ▪ Puff sleeves ▪ Adjustable white harness straps ▪ Detachable backpack ▪ Double layered skirt ▪...
The standout look, from a collection that left fashion critics breathless, has us mesmerized.
The designer's modern take on a centuries-old wardrobe staple is still in demand today.
