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.
Vintage Comme Des Garcons Black Leather Belt SZ 80 NEW WITH TAGS
By Comme des Garçons
Located in New York, NY
Vintage black leather belt with embossed Comme des Garçons logo and triple buckle closure. Must have for every CDG collector. New with tags ...
Vintage 1960s EMILIO PUCCI Silk Logo Tassel Belt
By Emilio Pucci
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
Vintage 1960s EMILIO PUCCI Silk Logo Tassel Belt Measurements: Tassel Length: 3.14 inches (8 cm) Wearable Length: 72.04 inches (183 cm) Features: - 100% ...
Vintage HERMES Gold Horn Moss Green Velvet Tuxedo Belt
By Hermès
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
Vintage HERMES Gold Horn Moss Green Velvet Tuxedo Belt Measurements: Front Height: 5.12 inches (13 cm) Wearable Length: 30.70 inches, 31.50 inches, ...
Vintage CELINE PARIS Horse Carriage Buckle Dark Brown Leather Belt
By Celine
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
Vintage CELINE PARIS Horse Carriage Buckle Dark Brown Leather Belt Measurements: Buckle Height: 1.97 inches (5 cm) Buckle Width: 3.15 inches (8 cm cm) Strap Height: 1.97 inches (5 cm) Wearable Length: 25.98 inches to 31.89 inches (66 cm to 81 cm) Features: - 100% Authentic CELINE PARIS. - Dark brown leather with gold Celine horse carriage...
Vintage CHRISTIAN LACROIX Gilt and Enamel Baroque Charms Black Leather Belt
By Christian Lacroix
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
Vintage CHRISTIAN LACROIX Gilt and Enamel Baroque Charms Black Leather Belt Features: - 100% Authentic CHRISTIAN LACROIX. - Clustered metal and enamel iconic Lacroix emblems on the ...
Vintage JEAN PAUL GAULTIER Multi Layer Braided Leather Necklace Belt
By Jean Paul Gaultier
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
Vintage JEAN PAUL GAULTIER Multi Layer Braided Leather Necklace Belt Measurements: Height: 7.08 inches (18 cm) Wearable Length: 26.37 inches to 40.15 inches (67 cm) Features: - 100...
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT Ysl Black Bow Red Patent Belt
By Yves Saint Laurent
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT Ysl Black Bow Red Patent Belt Measurements: Height: 2.75 inches (7 cm) Wearable Length: 28.54 inches (72.5 cm), 29.52 inche...
CHANEL 2007 Cruise Collection Face Watch Belt
By Chanel
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
CHANEL 2007 Cruise Collection Face Watch Belt Measurements: Buckle Height: 2.32 inches (5.9 cm) Wearable Length: 25.59 inches to 29.52 inches (65 cm to 75 cm) Features: - 100% Authentic CHANEL. - Black leather belt with faux face watch buckle. - Buckle face watch is with CHANEL QUARTZ...
Vintage CHRISTIAN DIOR Oblique Logo Monogram Burgundy Belt
By Christian Dior
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
Vintage CHRISTIAN DIOR Oblique Logo Monogram Burgundy Belt Measurements: Height Buckle: 1.38 inches (3.5 cm) Height Belt Strap: 0.98 inch (2.5 cm) Weara...
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT Enamel Heart Woven Belt
By Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT Enamel Heart Woven Belt Measurements: Large Heart: 2 4/8 inches X 2 4/8 inches Small Hearts: 1 4/8 inches X 1 4/8 inch...
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT Ysl Bamboo Resin Multi Strand Belt
By Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT Ysl Bamboo Resin Multi Strand Belt Measurements: Height: 1.37 inches (3.5 cm) Overall Bamboo Length: 29.13 inches (74 cm) Leather Length Right Side: 34.64 inches (88 cm) Leather Length Left Side: 37 inches (94 cm) Features: - 100% Authentic YVES SAINT LAURENT. - Multi strand bamboo resin belt...
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT Ysl Jewelled Buckle Black Passementerie Belt
By Yves Saint Laurent
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT Ysl Jewelled Buckle Black Passementerie Belt Features: - 100% Authentic YVES SAINT LAURENT. - Black passementerie belt with colourful rhinestones embellis...
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT Ysl Sun Face Charm Black Passementerie Belt
By Yves Saint Laurent
Located in Kingersheim, Alsace
Vintage YVES SAINT LAURENT Ysl Sun Face Charm Black Passementerie Belt Measurements: Height: 2.16 inches (5.5 cm) Wearable Length: 32.67 inches to 35 inc...
runway COMME DES GARCONS 2010 red leather 3D angular cut waist belt
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Hong Kong, NT
runway COMME DES GARCONS 2010 red leather 3D angular cut waist belt Reference: TGAS/B02098 Brand: Comme des Garcons Designer: Rei Kawakubo C...
COMME des GARCONS Size 32 Black Suede Large Silver Tone Buckle Belt
By Comme des Garçons
Located in San Francisco, CA
COMME des GARCONS Belt comes in a black tone in a solid pigskin suede material, with a large rectangular silver tone buckle. Made in Japan. Ex...
Comme des Garcons vintage signed large black belt collectors item
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Antwerpen, Vlaams Gewest
Vintage Comme des Garcons black leather belt. Singed size 80 Total length 38inch/87cm - Wide 4inch/10cm Excllent condition