Look 28, dress
2012 {2 Dimensions collection, autumn-winter 2012–13}
Medium
polyester (felt), cotton
Measurements
107.0 cm (centre back) 39.0 cm (waist, flat)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Anatasia Kogan through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gift Program, 2025
Gallery location
Special Exhibitions Gallery
Ground Level, NGV International
About this work
Rei Kawakubo’s work is known for its conceptual, avant-garde approach and for challenging conventional ideas of form and function. This outfit is from a collection based on flat patternmaking, designed to ignore the contours of the body. To maintain its shape, Kawakubo used stiff polyester felt and stitched the pattern pieces together with an outline hem along the garment’s outer edges. After graduating from university in 1964 and then working as a stylist, Kawakubo began designing under the label Comme des Garçons (‘like some boys’) in 1969. The label was incorporated in 1973, coinciding with her first major women’s collection. A Tokyo boutique opened in 1975, followed by a dedicated menswear line, Homme Comme des Garçons, in 1978. She debuted on the Paris runway in 1981, where she continues to show her two main collections twice-yearly.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Japan
Inscription
label, centre back neckline, printed in ink on white synthetic fabric: COMME des GARCONS
Accession Number
2025.714
Department
International Fashion and Textiles