Comme des Garçons
Comme des Garçons Co., Ltd. · Japan
Comme des Garçons is the Japanese fashion company founded in Tokyo in 1969 by Rei Kawakubo, run with her husband and chief executive Adrian Joffe. It is one of the most influential avant-garde labels in fashion and operates a family of sub-labels as well as the Dover Street Market stores.
| Founded | 1969, Tokyo (company 1973) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Rei Kawakubo |
| Chief executive | Adrian Joffe |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
| Paris debut | 1981 |
| Retail concept | Dover Street Market |
| Website | comme-des-garcons.com |
What is Comme des Garçons?
Comme des Garçons is a Japanese fashion house known for challenging conventional ideas of beauty and the body. Rei Kawakubo's designs are often dark, oversized and asymmetrical, twisting and bulging in ways that ignore the body's contours. The company is legally based in Tokyo, while much of its international activity is run from Paris.
History
Kawakubo started the label in Tokyo in 1969 and established it as a company in 1973. Its Paris debut in 1981, alongside Yohji Yamamoto, shocked the fashion establishment and helped define a new Japanese avant-garde. In 1993 the company created Comme des Garçons Parfums, which released the anti-perfume Odeur 53 in 1998; some perfumes have been licensed to Puig since 2002.
The company has also nurtured designers such as Junya Watanabe, Tao Kurihara and Kei Ninomiya, who run their own labels within the group.
Products and positioning
- Main lines: Comme des Garçons and Homme Plus
- Designer labels: Junya Watanabe, Noir Kei Ninomiya and others
- PLAY: the casual line with the heart logo
- Parfums: fragrances, partly licensed to Puig
Business model and distribution
Comme des Garçons combines its own stores, wholesale and fragrance licensing with multi-brand retail through Dover Street Market, which opened in London and has expanded to locations including New York and Ginza in Tokyo. The concept mixes the company's own lines with other brands, giving it unusual control over how avant-garde fashion is merchandised. Collaborations with partners such as H&M and Stüssy have extended its reach. Production takes place in Japan, France, Spain and Turkey.
Why it matters
Comme des Garçons shows that an independent, design led company can sustain a portfolio of labels and a retail concept without joining a luxury conglomerate. Its approach to collaborations and Dover Street Market has influenced how brands and retailers think about curation and community.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Comme des Garçons?
Comme des Garçons is run by its founder Rei Kawakubo and her husband Adrian Joffe, who is chief executive. It operates independently of the large luxury groups, although some fragrances are licensed to Puig.
Where is Comme des Garçons from?
Comme des Garçons is from Japan. Rei Kawakubo founded the label in Tokyo in 1969 and first showed in Paris in 1981.