3 October 2023 |
Rei Kawakubo finds joy in these turbulent times.
Few shows are as inscrutable as Comme des Garçons but that’s precisely its allure. Rei Kawakubo devotees are certain of several things: the looks will be dramatic, three-dimensionally complex, and there’s always plenty of black. Well, for Spring 2024, two out of three certainties were true. Yes, there were fantastically large designs, complete with dramatic music for extra flair. But black? Nope, not this go around. Kawakubo served a riot of color, sometimes with the entire rainbow jammed into one garment.
Per the show notes, the theme of the collection was, “To break free of the gloomy present, I hope to present a bright and light future.” Consisting of 18 looks, there was a sense of childlike naivete, which was amplified by the molded candy colored wigs on every model. Everything from giant bows to kaleidoscopic patterns to painterly prints were incorporated into the creations. Exaggerated doll dresses segued into sparkly tiered poufs, as if a child’s dream birthday party was brought to life on the runway. It was happy and bright, an optimistic point on view on the world that offered a necessary antidote to all of the gloom and doom that pervades the news these days. Seeing Kawakubo’s unbridled enthusiasm was exactly the jolt of joy Paris Fashion Week needed.
Photos courtesy of Comme des Garçons.
