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.
TRICOT COMME DES GARCONS 1980's Vintage Hand Made crochet knit wool sweater
By Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo
Located in Hong Kong, NT
TRICOT COMME DES GARCONS 1980's Vintage Hand Made crochet knit wool sweater Reference: CRTI/A00674 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Designer: Rei Kawakubo Collection: 1980s Material: Wool Co...
Comme des Garcons red knitted sweater with rose appliqués, c. 2014
By Comme des Garçons
Located in London, GB
Presenting a striking Comme des Garçons red knitted sweater adorned with large knit appliques resembling roses, a standout piece from the 2014 collection. This sweater showcases the ...
Comme Des Garcon Black Knit Ruffled Cardigan, 1990s
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This iconic 1990s Commes des Garcon cardigan is perfect. Crafted from a wool blend fabric, the unique avant-garde design features a deconstr...
$1,728Sale Price|20% Off
COMME DES GARCONS 1980's Vintage grey abstract wool intarsia wrap scarf cardigan
By Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo
Located in Hong Kong, NT
COMME DES GARCONS 1980's Vintage grey abstract wool intarsia wrap scarf cardigan Reference: CRTI/A00672 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Designer: Rei Kawakubo Collection: 1980s Material: Wo...
CommeDesGarcons Unique HandCutOverDyedAppliques PlungeVneck PulloverTop, SS 1999
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Chicago, IL
Unlike anything else from the 1990s, Comme des Garcons founder Rei Kawakubo (b. 1942) designed in 1999 for her Spring/Summer 2000 collection this pink-overdyed pullover soft stretch-...
CommeDesGarcons Kawakubo HandCutOverdyedAppliques Knit Pullover Top, SS 2000
By Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo Comme Des Garcons
Located in Chicago, IL
From the Spring/Summer 2000 collection that Rei Kawakubo described as "beautiful chaos", this purple-overdyed grey stretch knit short-sleeve pullover top, which is perceived as diffe...
COMME DES GARCONS SHIRT navy blue two-tone button cardigan sweater XL
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Hong Kong, NT
COMME DES GARCONS SHIRT navy blue two-tone button cardigan sweater XL Reference: WMTO/A00023 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Collection: Shirt Material: Acrylic Color: Navy, Blue Pattern: S...
$1,152Sale Price|20% Off
COMME DES GARCONS 1980's Vintage black coated deconstructed hem sweater M
By Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo
Located in Hong Kong, NT
COMME DES GARCONS 1980's Vintage black coated deconstructed hem sweater M Reference: CRTI/A00675 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Designer: Rei Kawakubo Collectio...
Comme des Garçons grey jersey deconstructed sweater dress, fw 1998
By Comme des Garçons
Located in London, GB
Comme des Garçons grey jersey deconstructed sweater dress with hook and eye fastenings and various shaped panels Fall-Winter 1998
Vintage 2000's Comme des Garçons Grey Ruffles Cardigan
By Comme des Garçons
Located in London, GB
Vintage 2000's Comme Des Garçons grey cardigan. This grey cotton cardigan features a sculptural asymmetric ruffle running through the centre front. Raw-edge detailing at the collar, ...
$616Sale Price|20% Off
COMME DES GARCONS 1980s Vintage black boiled wool fluffy sweater M
By Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo
Located in Hong Kong, NT
COMME DES GARCONS 1980s Vintage black boiled wool fluffy sweater M Reference: CRTI/A00673 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Designer: Rei Kawakubo Collection: 1980s Material: Wool Color: Blac...
Comme Des Garcons Black Sweater With Camo Stripe 2001
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Resurrection Vintage is thrilled to offer a vintage Comme Des Garçons black sweater with a camo stripe from the 2001 Collection, featuring an asymmetrical neck, short sleeves, lightw...
$770Sale Price|30% Off
Comme des Garcons Red Wool Sweater Dress w/Transparent Lip Motif 2008
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Studio City, CA
2008 Comme des Garcons red wool sweater dress or just oversized sweater with long sleeves, white cotton trim at the hem and transparent nylon lip motif thro...
Comme des Garçons Pearl and Crystal Embellished Black Mock Neck Sweater
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Vintage, New with Tag Comme des Garçons Pearl and Crystal Embellished Black knit mock neck sweater.
Comme des garçons, Mohair vest with safety pin in fluorescent pink
By Comme des Garçons
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
Comme des garçons, Mohair vest with safety pin in fluorescent pink in size S. This product is new/has never been worn. • CONDITION: new • SIZE: S • MEASUREMENTS: length 64 cm, che...
20th Century NWT Comme Des Garçons Navy and White Polkadot Sweater
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
20th Century NWT Comme Des Garçons navy cotton fitted v-neck sweater with ribbed edges and an all-over white polkadot print and solid white interior.
Comme des Garçons Black Sequin Embellished Long Sleeve Top
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Comme des Garçons black wool knit top with long flared ruffle and sequin embellished sleeves and sequin detailing around collar. Fitted silhouette circa 2007. New with Tags.
COMME DES GARCONS wool navy grey deconstructed hybrid biker cropped cardigan S
By Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo
Located in Hong Kong, NT
COMME DES GARCONS wool navy grey deconstructed hybrid biker cropped cardigan S Reference: CAWG/A00268 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Designer: Rei Kawakubo Material: Wool Color: Navy, Grey...
$247Sale Price|25% Off
COMME DES GARCONS 2021 grey cotton white logo varsity sweatshirt M
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Hong Kong, NT
COMME DES GARCONS 2021 grey cotton white logo varsity sweatshirt M Reference: YIKK/A00013 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Collection: 2021 Homme Material: Cotton Color: Grey, White Pattern:...
1990's COMME DES GARCONS slim black ribbed sweater
By Comme des Garçons
Located in San Fransisco, CA
Black ribbed slim fit sweater designed by Rei Kawakubo for Comme Des Garcons dating to the 1990's. No size is labeled however the fabric is very stretchy and will accommodate a size ...
Comme des garçons, asymmetric maxi dress
By Comme des Garçons
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
Comme des garçons, black asymmetric maxi dress with cardigan. The item is in very good condition.
Black Wool Tricot Comme des Garcons Cardigan
By Comme des Garçons
Located in London, GB
A chic black wool cardigan by Comme des Garcons. The cardigan has a v neckline and pockets on the front. 100 % wool , measurements: Bust 36'', length 27''
$858Sale Price|35% Off
vintage COMME DES GARCONS 1980s bubble patchwork shrunken boiled wool sweater
By Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo
Located in Hong Kong, NT
vintage COMME DES GARCONS 1980s bubble patchwork shrunken boiled wool sweater Reference: CRTI/A00606 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Designer: Rei Kawakubo Collection: 1980s Material: Wool ...
$643Sale Price|35% Off
COMME DES GARCONS Tricot Vintage 1980s grey intarsia checker sweater M
By Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo
Located in Hong Kong, NT
COMME DES GARCONS Tricot Vintage 1980s grey intarsia checker sweater M Reference: CRTI/A00605 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Designer: Rei Kawakubo Collection: Tricot Material: Wool, Blend...
$105Sale Price|25% Off
COMME DES GARCONS Homme Deux 2018 yellow rib navy football jersey sweatshirt M
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Hong Kong, NT
COMME DES GARCONS Homme Deux 2018 yellow rib navy football jersey sweatshirt M Reference: JSLE/A00039 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Collection: Homme Deux 2018 Material: Polyester Color: ...
$3,648Sale Price|20% Off
rare TRICOT COMME DES GARCONS Vintage 1980's black wool pinched bow sweater
By Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garçons
Located in Hong Kong, NT
rare TRICOT COMME DES GARCONS Vintage 1980's black wool pinched bow sweater Reference: CRTI/A00739 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Designer: Rei Kawakubo Collecti...
COMME DES GARCONS 1980's Vintage navy wool patchwork sweater top
By Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garçons
Located in Hong Kong, NT
COMME DES GARCONS 1980's Vintage navy wool patchwork sweater top Reference: TGAS/C01694 Brand: Comme Des Garcons Designer: Rei Kawakubo Collection: 1...
Comme Des Garçons Red Flower Sweater
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
This rich red v-neck lambswool sweater from vintage Comme Des Garçons is adorned with a bouquet of wool flowers blooming down from the left shoulder.
$408Sale Price|40% Off
Unworn Comme Des Garcons green wool sweater
By Comme des Garçons
Located in Sheung Wan, HK
- Unworn vintage 90s Comme Des Garcons Tricot green wool sweater circa Fall 1995. - Size small to medium. - 97% Wool, 3% Nylon.
Comme Des Garçons, Blue wool sweater.
By Comme des Garçons
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
Comme Des Garçons, Blue wool sweater. This piece is in very good condition.
Comme des garçons, Grey knitted cardigan
By Comme des Garçons
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
Comme des garçons, Grey knitted cardigan with relief print. The item is in very good condition.