Japanese
Comme des Garçons
Country
Japan
Founded
1969
Founder
Rei Kawakubo
Brand Story
Rei Kawakubo's house redefined silhouette and color in 1980s Paris. The diffusion lines — PLAY, Homme Plus, SHIRT — extend its language across price points.
Timeline
- 1969
Founded by Rei Kawakubo in Tokyo
Rei Kawakubo starts the label after stints styling at Asahi Kasei.
- 1981
Paris debut
CdG and Yohji Yamamoto debut in Paris with monochrome, deconstructed shows that critics call "Hiroshima chic". The avant-garde wave begins.
- 1993
Junya Watanabe joins
Junya Watanabe launches his own line within CdG — sets the template for in-house designer protégés.
- 2002
PLAY diffusion line
Filip Pagowski's heart logo line bridges CdG to mass-market streetwear.
- 2017
Met Gala retrospective
The Costume Institute dedicates its annual show to Rei Kawakubo — only the second time for a living designer (after YSL).
