- Founded In: 1973
- Founders: Rei Kawakubo
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Brand Philosophy: "Comme des Garçons is a company that believes in creation and to wear its clothes is a way to express one's individuality." - Rei Kawakubo
- Current Creative Director: Rei Kawakubo
- Current CEO: Adrian Joffe
- Known For: Comme des Garçons is known for its avant-garde, deconstructed designs and bold experimentation with texture and shape. Iconic pieces include oversized silhouettes, asymmetrical garments, and the heart-with-eyes logo from the Comme des Garçons Play line. The brand is also recognized for its conceptual runway presentations and collaborations with brands like Nike and Converse.
Comme des Garçons, founded by Rei Kawakubo in Tokyo in 1969, is one of the fashion industry’s most defiant brands. Kawakubo, often described as an architect of avant-garde fashion, introduced the brand to the West in 1981 at Paris Fashion Week—and the fashion world hasn’t been the same since. Kawakubo’s vision embraces the deconstructed, the abstract, and the unexpected. She’s known for flipping conventional beauty standards on their head, and Comme des Garçons collections are an ongoing exploration of imperfection, asymmetry, and even the beauty of the grotesque.
Under CEO Adrian Joffe, Kawakubo’s husband since 1992, the brand expanded its reach globally, including flagship stores in Tokyo’s Aoyama and Paris’s Rue Saint-Honoré, along with a footprint in London, New York, and Berlin. Beyond the mainline, Comme des Garçons has developed an array of diffusion lines that speak to different aesthetics and audiences: COMME des GARÇONS SHIRT, HOMME, BLACK, and the cult-favorite PLAY line—instantly recognizable thanks to its heart logo designed by artist Filip Pagowski.
Collaborations have always been key to Comme des Garçons’ DNA, bringing a distinctive twist to streetwear staples and luxury fashion alike. Whether it’s reimagining classic Converse sneakers or creating buzzworthy collections with brands like Nike, Lacoste, or Supreme, Comme des Garçons knows how to blend high concept with broad appeal. Its sub-labels, including HOMME PLUS and Junya Watanabe COMME des GARÇONS, continue to push the boundaries of menswear and womenswear, exploring everything from structured tailoring to exaggerated proportions.
Comme des Garçons continues to be a benchmark for conceptual fashion, making the unconventional wearable and celebrating the artistry behind every piece.
