Kawakubo Rei

Rei Kawakubo, born in Tokyo in 1942, was an untrained fashion designer, who began as a freelance stylist in 1967.

She established her own company, Comme des Garcons Co., Ltd in Tokyo in the year 1973 and after two years, moved to Paris to open her first boutique. Her moving to Paris opened doors for her; she became very popular with people from the West. On one occasion, her creations were exhibited all over the world.

Kawakubo Rei designs are mainly anti-fashion, often using dark colors in the couture line. Dubbed as “Hiroshima Chic” her clothes sometimes lacked sleeves or have dresses worn with combat boots.

Her designs have inspired the likes of Austrian designer, Helmut Lang. Her protégé Watanabe Junya is slowly establishing his own name in the fashion world.

Awards and Recognition:

• Mainichi Fashion Grand Prize (1983)
• Honorary Awardee, The Fashion Institute of Technology (1987)
• Mainichi Newspaper Award, Tokyo (1983, 1987)