Glossary

Comme Des Garcons (com day gar-s-on) refers to a Japanese fashion house founded by Rei Kawakubo in 1969. Comme Des Garcons is one of the originators of avant-garde fashion. Comme Des Garcons is well-known and popular for its challenging, intellectual take on fashion, the label explores themes like androgyny, deconstructionism and youth Culture.

Comme Des Garcons includes over a dozen sub-labels, creating multiple lines of men's and women's fashion, accessories, jewelry and a highly-regarded fragrance program.
Comme des Garcons ventured into retail in 1994 opening a series of "guerilla" stores, typically only open for a year, in cities around the world. It also operates Dover Street Market, a multi-brand concept store stocking the most progressive labels from around the world.

Comme Des Garcons which began as a side business making costumes for styling assignments in Tokyo in the late 60's has transformed into an over 100 million fashion empire with over 200 franchises around the globe. With rustic denim womenswear inspired by Japanese peasantry, Rei Kawakubo set up over 100 Comme des Garcons shops across Japan in the 70's . Then she brought her first collection to Paris in 1981. Bathed in black, it featured strong but conflated silhouettes that honored provocation over fit. The winning streak continued for Comme des Garcons, with the work of Kawakubo's protege Junya Watanabe, who presented his own womenswear line under CDG in 1992, followed by a menswear collection in 2001. Though earlier pieces bent the edge of avant-garde, his recent collections have been a bit more mainstream, with suits hewn from gold- and silver-flecked tweed, Rolling Stone tongue patterns, and floral-motif dresses.
In 2008, Comme Des Garcons collaborated with H&M . It became a commercial success, particularly the polka dotted clothing items spotted worn by celebrities.

Comme Des Garcons Tricot a women's casual ready-to-wear line was designed by Junya Watanabe from 1987 to 2005 and by Tao Kurihara from Fall 2005 to present.

Comme Des Garcons also ventured into perfumery, and they were also able to design some fragrances, among them were:

1. Comme des Garcons 2 Bijou for Women
2. 8 88 (Unisex - 2007)
3. Comme des Garcons 2 Man (2004)
4. Comme des Garcons Play (Unisex)
5. beads Bleu (Unisex - 2002)
6. beads Vert (Unisex - 2002)
7. beads Magenta (Unisex - 2002)

Celebrities loving Comme Des Garcons are: Katie Holmes (polka dot scarf and cardigan), Erin Wasson, Nicky Hilton were also spotted out wearing the very popular polka dot cardigan. First Lady Michelle Obama attended an event at the Royal Opera House wearing a Junya Watanabe Comme Des Garcons Patchwork Cardigan in blue.

Comme des Garcons which is a French for "like some boys” is pronounced "com day gar-son".

Authors' Note: I like polka dots particularly black and white, I regret I was not able to visit H&M in my city in Germany to snap some of the Comme des Garcons polka dots. I could have bough the cardigan, the scarf and the polka dot bag.

Summary

Comme Des Garcons is a Japanese fashion brand founded by Designer Rei Kawakubo in 1969. Known for its avant-garde and unconventional designs, the brand has gained a cult following in the fashion industry. Comme Des Garcons is known for its innovative use of materials, bold shapes, and deconstructed silhouettes. The brand has consistently pushed boundaries and challenged traditional notions of fashion through its boundary-pushing designs.

--