A runway show divided into four acts, each featuring a unique lighting setup, distinct soundtrack, and much more. With Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Gar?ons, we often find ourselves piecing together meanings, if any, so cleverly hidden. Today, however, we had a hint: she has recently been commissioned to design costumes for a new production of Virginia Woolf’s gender-fluid, time-traveling classic “Orlando” at the Vienna State Opera — evidently influencing today’s show.
The first segment was illuminated with yellow light and accompanied by John Coltrane’s 1960 track ‘Syeeda’s Song Flute,’ dedicated to his daughter. The ensembles featured skirts, either as separates or attached to empire-line tea dresses, with coats and jackets echoing the 18th century. The color palette was predominantly black. The second segment bathed in pink light, was set to Gerry Hemingway Quintet’s 2011 Caribbean-flavored ‘Backabacka.’ The silhouettes were similar, but this time included trousers with rolling frills in various candy stripes. The garments were sliced and suspended, with shirts gathered in renaissance ruffle-cuffs.
The third section, dimly lit in green, was almost indistinguishable, set to Carmen McRae’s 1962 cover ‘If You Never Fell in Love with Me.’ It showcased the collection’s most feminine look: a black empire-line dress paired with a ruffle-sleeved shirt and Nike Air Max 95s. In the final section, Kawakubo turned the lights up harshly, soundtracked by a jazz drum solo. The boys stumbled backwards, directionless, in full printed looks with 90s saturated visuals and images of sci-fi industrial spaces.
Every element defied gender norms, with all the boys adorned in pearls and sporting Vita Sackville-West-inspired hairdos. The collection had a vampiric flamboyance, disregarding timelines. Perhaps a critique of the industry’s exploitative nature and a nod to the ongoing gender debate — vampires are traditionally androgynous — all while maintaining the punk spirit synonymous with Comme des Gar?ons. While the gender-bending, time-traveling elements are sure to provoke, the jackets and coats alone are enough to captivate any customer.