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Jacket, top, bralette, pants and shoes

COMME DES GARÇONS, Tokyo (fashion house), Rei KAWAKUBO (designer)
Jacket, top, bralette, pants and shoes
 2001
Beyond Taboo collection, autumn-winter 2001–02

Medium
polyester, wool, polyuerthane, cotton, cupro nylon (lace), cupro, elastane, cotton nylon rayon (thread, quilted), metal and plastic (fastenings), leather, rubber, glass (diamente)

Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Takamasa Takahashi and David Tune, 2025

Reproduction requests

Gallery location
Level 3, NGV International

 

About this work

Kawakubo’s Beyond Taboo collection presented innerwear as outerwear to challenge taboos. Quoted in 2004, Kawakubo stated ‘People will be truly liberated when they persevere. Exposing women’s underwear on the outside breaks up erotic desires and challenges taboos to gain strength’.

Artwork Details

Place/s of Execution
Japan

Accession Number
2025.382

Department
International Fashion and Textiles

Explore the collection

Dress ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, London (fashion house); Alexander McQUEEN (designer) Banner ZANDRA RHODES, London (fashion house); Zandra RHODES (designer) Hula hoop bag CHANEL, Paris (fashion house); Karl LAGERFELD (designer) Tie ISSEY MIYAKE, Tokyo (fashion house); Issey MIYAKE (designer) LENGTH OF FABRIC Nova shoes UNITED NUDE (shoemaker); Rem D. KOOLHAAS (designer); Zaha HADID (designer) Dress PATRICK KELLY, Paris (fashion house); Patrick KELLY (designer) Look 3, dress COMME DES GARÇONS, Tokyo (fashion house); Rei KAWAKUBO (designer) Look 15, dress BALENCIAGA, Paris (fashion house); Nicolas GHESQUIÈRE (designer) Dress JULIEN MACDONALD, London (fashion house); Julien MacDONALD (designer) Look 49, skirt GUCCI, Florence (fashion house); Alessandro MICHELLE (designer) Iris, platform sandals ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, London (fashion house); Sarah BURTON (designer) Jacket ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, London (fashion house); Sarah BURTON (designer) Iris, clutch bag ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, London (fashion house); Sarah BURTON (designer) CAP Jacket ZANDRA RHODES, London (fashion house); Zandra RHODES (designer) DAMASK Pagan t-shirt VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, London (fashion house); Vivienne WESTWOOD (designer) Jumpsuit ALAÏA, Paris (fashion house); Azzedine ALAÏA (designer) Jacket WORLDS END, London (fashion house); Vivienne WESTWOOD (designer) Textile William MORRIS Look 14, dress COMME DES GARÇONS, Tokyo (fashion house); Rei KAWAKUBO (designer) Bodice VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, London (fashion house); Vivienne WESTWOOD (designer) Jacket ZANDRA RHODES, London (fashion house); Zandra RHODES (designer) Dress JULIEN MACDONALD, London (fashion house); Julien MacDONALD (designer) Black bunny ears hat COMME DES GARÇONS, Tokyo (fashion house); Stephen JONES (designer) Dress GUCCI, Florence (fashion house) Shirt ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, London (fashion house); Alexander McQUEEN (designer) Dress ULYANA SERGEENKO, Russia (fashion house); Ulyana SERGEENKO (designer) Boots VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, London (fashion house); Vivienne WESTWOOD (designer)