Following her successful takeover of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, it was evident that Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons was in the mood to celebrate at today’s Comme des Garçons Homme Plus show. The atmosphere was serene initially, with attendees seated around a square space. However, the calm was soon broken by booming music and hypnotic multi-colored spotlights swirling around the floor. Groups of six models strutted and circled each other, constantly moving like sharks, only pausing briefly for photographers before resuming their personal dance party. The energy was electric, and everyone was clearly enjoying themselves immensely.
The collection was a wild display — featuring an abundance of lurex, sequins, fun fur, animal prints, brocades, and Julien d’Ys’ astonishing glitter hair artistry. It was a masterclass in reimagining tailoring. Each outfit was paired with a tailored jacket, transformed through extraordinary embellishments and fabrics that completely revolutionized its traditional form. This was the most punk-inspired tailoring since the Teddy Boys of Kings Road. The embellishments were concentrated around the sides of the garments, resembling re-invented vests, with some pieces showcasing massive cut-out lace shoes. The bottoms were generally fluid and dance-friendly, similar to basketball shorts — our favorites were the sleek metallic sequins.
This collection wasn’t for the faint-hearted, but extraordinary fashion rarely is. Once again, Kawakubo has astounded us with a riotous, joyful, celebratory masterpiece — absolutely brilliant.