The Amazing Rei Kawakubo!
Comme des Garçons
When I was a high school student and studying for an art university, I encountered Comme des Garçons’ clothes. Although simple, the design had architectural beauty and strong representation. I also felt as though the clothes produced sounds. I could hear a quiet and clear high-pitched sound from the garments of Comme des Garçons.
The designs were quite shocking to me. I felt that Comme des Garçons’ clothes would choose people to wear them, but that the number of people suitable for the designs would be limited. When I was 16 years old, I wished to be selected as a suitable person. I wanted to wear the designs even though they were too elegant for a girl.
When I saw fashionable people in the city, they were wrapped in Comme des Garçon. Somehow they all had a similar aura. Their hairstyles were tapered bobs of inky black hair, which perfectly complimented Comme des Garçons’ clothes. Because I wanted to wear the clothing of Comme des Garcons, I styled my hair in the same way.
That tapered bob hairstyle was a trademark look of the designer Rei Kawakubo herself. She created clothes that were perfectly suited to her. I think that allowed her to be a truly honest, authentic designer. She designed clothes that she wanted to wear. What a wonderful statement for a designer to make, that she is the person perfectly suited to wear her own designs.
