The Comme des Garçons "Universe"

[déjàvu]

Comme Des Garçons

Does anyone know if Comme des Garçons is only prèt-à-porter or also haute couture?

 

[droogist]

^ Only prêt-à-porter.

 

[droogist]

Since it's become such a chore to keep Comme des Garçons and all its child-labels straight, I thought it might be a good idea to keep this around for reference....included in the current issue of the New York Times' Style Magazine is this helpful visual aid mapping out all the subdivisions of the CdG "universe" (illustration by Rei Kawakubo!

 

[droogist]

Here's the accompanying blurb:

Connect the Dots
By LEE CARTER
Published: August 28, 2005

Like the universe, Comme des Garcons is expanding. (But unlike the universe, Alvy Singer, there is no need for alarm.) The label, founded by Rei Kawakubo in 1969, now spans 13 separate collections and collaborations ranging from Repetto to Speedo. In addition to its retail spaces all over the world, Comme has sponsored a spate of temporary ''guerrilla'' stores, as well as the Dover Street Market in London and partnerships like the 10 Corso Como store in Tokyo. Moreover, Junya Watanabe is no longer the only emerging star in the Comme cosmos. Kawakubo recently tapped Tao Kurihara, a seven-year veteran of the house, to create Tao Comme des Garcons, which made its debut with a fall collection of cable-knit corsets and crocheted camisoles that were frothy enough to top with a cherry.

This unique galaxy is perhaps best described by Kawakubo herself, who says with typical dispassion: ''At Comme des Garcons, everything is connected by creation: clothing design, graphic design, interior design, business strategy, marketing. All these have their own causes and effects, and to bring them all together as one force, one image, is interesting but very difficult.''

(nytimes.com)

 

[Scott]

That's really clever,droogist...thank you It does get quite confusing sometimes I like how she says everything,even business,is connected by creation.

 

[softgrey]

thank you droogist...
i think i am officially a cdg addict...


this was a good fix...

 

[mirrra]

thank you so much droogist very nice that she made it

 

[Honey~Blade]

Thanks for the info, droogist. I've always wondered about this myself, and that's a nice illustration by Rei heh

 

[Kalista]

Well, I'm a lot less confused now...lovely illustration, thanks droogist

 

[Arthur77]

thanks droogist!! this is so useful.

 

[droogist]

You're very welcome, everyone. Though I expect the diagram will be rendered obsolete in a month or so, when CdG inevitably announces another collaboration with some dodgy sportswear entity...

 

[softgrey]

^^......

 

[Estella*]

You're very welcome, everyone. Though I expect the diagram will be rendered obsolete in a month or so, when CdG inevitably announces another collaboration with some dodgy sportswear entity...

, but so far we're up to date at least. thanks, droogist.

 

[Honey~Blade]

Actually I recently approached DSM on some collaborations. They say they'd look into it but I need to write up some proposal. I dread writing those! Can someone give me advice I'm completely lost.

 

[Scott]

droogist*

Dodgy sportswear aside,I think she takes alot of pride in being able to use her success to work other creatives-small and otherwise. Rei is fashion's fairy godmother.

 

[purechris]

thanks droogist

completely OT--yday I had a customer who's aunt was visiting from Hawaii by way of Japan who used to be a designer and was friends with Rei (what she did was more along couture for the wealthy)........so now I'm 2 degrees separated from Rei.......... I'll have samples in the mail box any day now.....................

 

[tricotineacetat]

I'll have samples in the mail box any day now.....................

unless they haven´t burned them already ... word is that CdG are burning most of their samples after they are not needed anymore!

 

[Lena]

excellent illustration/collage, thanks for bringing this in droogist

 

[droogist]

^^ I heard they used to do that at the end of every season (in a kind of CdG tradition) but stopped after they figured out they could just dump everything onto the Guerilla Stores. I do not have that on good authority, however...

 

[travis_nw8]

the ego of the women to put herself at the centre of the universe(!)

but the diagram does clear a couple of questions i had...thnx