Comme des Garçons

Comme des Garçons was founded in 1971 by award-winning female designer Rei Kawakubo. Born in Tokyo in 1942, Rei Kawakubo studied art and literature at Keio University before beginning her career in advertising and then continuing as a freelance stylist. In 1969, Rei Kawakubo started designing clothes under the name Comme des Garçons and two years later it officially became a company.

Comme des Garçons - "like men" or "like boys"

Comme des Garçons is a French term meaning "like men" or "like boys". Rei Kawakubo borrowed the term from the song "All the Boys and Girls" written by the French artist Francoise Hardy. The phrase's meaning goes hand in hand with the focus the brand has had since its inception - to erase gender norms that exist in the fashion industry.

The cdg universe

Comme des Garçons' first fashion show took place in Paris in 1981. The debut show received a lot of criticism from experts who said they were too controversial. The brand was criticised for their use of the colour black and the unfinished seams. Despite this, the brand continued to see success among their consumers and fans worldwide. In 2004, Comme des Garçons began to be divided into several sub-brands. This has allowed the brand to reach a wide audience. The brand has also made several successful design collaborations over the years. The fashion empire that Rei Kawakubo and Comme des Garçons have built with all the sub-brands has come to be known as the cdg universe. Comme des Garçons designs its products and collections in Japan and manufactures them in countries such as France, Spain and Turkey.