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 Kawakubo Rei (1942~ )
The designer behind the Comme des Garcons label, Kawakubo studied
philosophy at the prestigious Keio University in her native Tokyo.
She founded her company in 1973 and presented her first show in
Paris in 1981. The collection was dubbed 'Hiroshima chic' for
its use of dark colors, in particular black, which was not popular
at the time. It also refused to obey accepted notions of silhouette
and bodyline, with lumps protruding to create dramatic and innovative
designs.
Though originally known for her works using a dark palette, she
later started to use brighter colors. She said "Black is no longer
strong and has become harder to use." Comme des Garcons designs
include such elements as a mix of bright and dark colors, whimsically
placed or upside-down pockets, de-emphasized shoulders and extra-long
sleeves.
Kawakubo won the Mainichi Fashion Grand Prize in 1983 and was
honored by the Fashion Institute of Technology in 1987 as one
of the leading women in 20th-century design. Her academic background
is perhaps behind her rather cerebral approach to design and she
has worked with dance groups and wide range of photographers.
A protoge of Kawakubo, Watanabe Junya has also established a name for himself since going it alone
in 1994. |
