Comme Des Garcons

Comme Des Garcons – A Vision Beyond Fashion

Comme des Garçons (CDG) is a renowned Japanese fashion label founded by Rei Kawakubo in Tokyo in 1969 and brought to the United States. Nov, 2008. It was officially established as a company in 1973. Inspired by a lyric from a 1962 Françoise Hardy song, the brand name means “like the boys” in French reflecting its early focus on challenging traditional gender norms in fashion. Her clothes were designed for an independent woman who did not dress to seduce or gain the approval of a man. However, many argue that Rei Kawakubo chose this name only for a French vocal fluidity in pronunciation.
By the late 1970s, CDG had gained a strong following in Japan and in 1981. It made a bold debut in Paris. Kawakubo’s designs marked by distressed fabrics, asymmetry and a heavy use of black sparked controversy. Critics called the style radical and unorthodox, but it soon carved a loyal global audience and helped redefine avant garde fashion. Every year CDG presents three to four major installations on or around the metal pillars of Dover Street Market Paris’ courtyard, punctuated by either a new collection launch, an art collaboration, or a conceptual retail experiment. Most recent collection is spring 2026 ready-to-wear by Rei Kawakubo at Paris fashion week. Which she titled that “After the Dust”.
CDG expanded into menswear in 1978 and later branched into perfumes and jewelry. Comme des Garcons Parfum has 104 perfumes in its collection. The earliest edition was created in 1994, and the newest is from 2025. Its flagship store is in Paris, and it presents its main collections during Paris Fashion Week and Paris Men’s Fashion Week. Kawakubo and her husband Adrian Joffe founded Dover Street Market New York in 2004, Comme de Garcons is a core brand of DSMNY. All of the CDG collection hoodies, shirts, and perfumes are available at DSMNY, and also exclusive collab pieces can be found here. Comme des Garçons hires top-notch designers to make this brand iconic by its design. Junya Watanabe helps to create Homme and Menswear, Tao Kurihara helps to design Tricot, and Fumito Ganryu is also included in this team of professionals. Since 2012-13, Kei Ninomiya has designed a subline of Noir Kei Ninomiya Black and White for Women.

In 2004, the company divided its production between handmade garments crafted in France and ready-to-wear pieces manufactured in Japan, Spain and Turkey. Today, Comme des Garcons and its related labels generate over $280 million annually, continuing to lead with innovation, individuality, and a rebellious spirit that defies fashion norms.