Rei Kawakubo's COMME des GARÇONS HOMME PLUS presented its Spring/Summer 2019 collection at Paris Fashion Week on June 23rd. Unfortunately, there were no seats available this time, so the show was standing-only. The first thing I saw from behind the double-decker stand was the model's hairstyle. She was wearing a black jacket with a flat pompadour akin to Grace Jones's. If I were white, I'd be familiar with John Sex, a performer who was often featured in Andy Warhol's circle and who often hung out with Keith Haring and Kenny Scharf in the '80s. As I reminisced about the nostalgic '80s New York art scene, I realized as the show progressed that the wigs and headgear resembled soft vinyl dolls. The multicolored striped suit was shirred, paired with a pink satin shirt, a green tie, and, while not flat-headed, wavy hair styled with pomade. It reminded me of Duggie Fields, the British illustrator who some Japanese may remember for Shiseido's Perky Jean. His floral and colorful striped look, bow tie, and shorts even evoked Paul Reubens, better known as Pee-Wee Herman. His disappearance from public life amid sexual scandals, despite his appearance in a Japanese securities company commercial, makes one wonder if it's connected to the recent "me too" trend. What's interesting about the Comme des Garçons brand is that it makes you wonder if his disappearance from public life amid sexual scandals is connected to the recent "me too" trend. The common thread among the various figures mentioned above is that they are all avant-garde. They have a hip, outsider look, yet their public image is dominated by suits. This season's theme is "crazy suits." The collection collages all sorts of current fashion elements, all within the framework of a suit, including a suit made of layered camouflage chiffon parts, an Edwardian-style long jacket with shirring on the body and sleeves, and a design that could be seen as an answer to athleisure, made by deconstructing a mesh athletic shirt and reconstructing it with high-tech materials.
The models, wearing chains around their necks and with a cage in the background, are either emerging from the cage or entering it - it's up to the imagination.
Text: Tatsuya Noda
