Dover Street Market has become an iconic outlet for Rei Kawakubo and Comme des Garcons in London, with each line under the umbrella paired with a selection of well curated labels. So often the subject of unique installations from various creatives in the industry, this time we can see Kawakubo working together with the duo of Brazillian artist Eli Sudbrack and French collaborator Christophe Hamaide-Pierson, known as Assume Vivid Astro Focus aka AVAF. The outcome is an installation entitled the “Hut Invasion” and is highlighted by the use of vibrant and intricate imagery, making for a must see if in the area.

Rei Kawakubo & AVAF “Hut Invasion” Installation at Dover Street Market is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

The Wall Street Journal have compiled an impressive article on the famed Comme des Garcons founder Rei Kawakubo. Having set a strong precedent with the label which has enjoyed over four decades of business, the designer discusses many factors that make the label and she seems like it is nothing more than normal.

Since she launched her Comme des Garçons (French for “like the boys”) fashion brand 41 years ago, Rei Kawakubo has always played by her own rules. Fascinated by challenging conventional standards of beauty, she’s reconstructed “hybrid” clothes, sewn the left half of a jacket onto the right half of a different jacket and designed asymmetrical dresses made from her own vintage scarves—and that was all just in her last women’s presentation. It’s never just about creating something to wear, but rather expressing an idea.

The 68-year-old, whose conceptual outlook has inspired everyone from Azzedine Alaïa to John Galliano and who still often clocks 12-hour days, seven days a week, is famous for saying she became a designer “to make a living.” While that may be true, Kawakubo has also immeasurably changed the greater fashion landscape. In the early ’90s, when collaborations were about as likely as getting Linda Evangelista out of bed for less than $10,000, she asked Junya Watanabe to design his own line under the Comme des Garçons label. In 2004, she opened London’s still wildly innovative Dover Street Market. Since then, Tokyo-based Kawakubo has opened 17 stand-alone boutiques, tested mass retail with an H&M collection that caused a near riot in Japan and currently has 120 shops-within-shops around the world. Next March, a seven-story Dover Street Market will open in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district. Naturally, she’s the architect and interior decorator. A woman of puritanical conviction, as evident in her strictly black uniform and severe bob, Kawakubo thinks it’s important for designers to ditch the attitude and just get on with the dog and pony show.

Continue reading HERE.

Rei Kawakubo Featured in The Wall Street Journal is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Here is a look inside Comme des Garcons latest retail outlet, located in Singapore. Located in the Hilton Shopping Center, again we witness a unique fitting designed by Rei Kawakubo with a theme centre on “Constructed Interrupted” with endless corridors, tunnels, carved walls, structures and cabinets allowing customers to discover the product within.

Thanks to NUMBER 3 for the images.

Comme des Garcons Singapore Store is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Rei Kawakubo doesn’t give alot of interviews, she lets her work speak for her. But the occasion of Dover Street Market and I.T. coming together to open in Beijing was a pretty big move for Comme des Garcons, and so plenty reason to open up, and an opportunity for WWD to take advantage of the situation. Read on…

WWD: What do you think of the way people dress here and their style?

R.K.: When I came here 10 years ago there were no people who would wear Comme des Garçons. I was just in the towns and didn’t go to the places where fashionable people gathered, but now it is much more casual. I used to enjoy seeing people wearing communist workers’ clothes and I don’t see that anymore.

WWD: How has the inspiration for your collections changed over the course of your career?

R.K.: Do you think it’s changed? For me it hasn’t changed at all. The way I approach each collection is exactly the same…the motivation has always been to create something new, something that didn’t exist before. The more experience I have and the more clothes I make, the more difficult it becomes to make something new. Once I’ve made something, I don’t want to do it again, so the breadth of possibility is becoming smaller.

WWD: Everyone is talking about how the Japanese market for retail and luxury goods is just terrible right now. Do you think that will change? Do you think there is a way to get consumers excited again?

R.K.: Now, with fast fashion, the value of creation is diminishing, and very expensive things are not interesting.

WWD: Is there any way out of that situation?

R.K.: I always think that I’d like to do something about the situation…it’s a very profound motivation…but I don’t think it’s something that can really be changed. I’m not powerful enough. There’s a closed-mindedness that prevents movement and change. I always think that I’d like to break that, and I’ve used it [this closed-mindedness] as a theme for collections, but I just can’t seem to break it. I want to wake people up, but I don’t think I succeed in doing this as much as I would like to.

WWD: You mentioned fast fashion. That’s been a huge story and obviously you had your collaboration with H&M. Would you consider doing something like that again?

R.K.: That was a special case. They were making a new store in Japan, so it was just a short, two-week relationship. It wasn’t a big thing, but I thought it was interesting because they asked me to do all the advertising and visuals as well. H&M has a very different way of thinking and a different business model, so it was interesting to see how much of a connection we could make. But in the end I realized that there wasn’t very much in common, so I don’t think I’ll do it again.

WWD: Would you consider selling it or listing it on the stock market?

R.K.: I don’t think there’s anyone who would want to buy it. I do everything on my own, so there are very few people who could do it. Do you think there’s anyone who would buy it? [Joffe interjected half-jokingly with a laugh: “We’re waiting for an offer.”]

WWD: How do you come up with a retail concept? Where do you start?

R.K.: Firstly, I want to make a shop that’s unlike any that already exists. And then, since it’s a business, we have to be able to get back the initial investment, whether it’s ours or whether it’s the partner’s, in as short a time as possible. So I don’t like to use expensive materials. I take care to make costs reasonable. It’s very similar to the way I make clothes. I give myself limits, not only financial limits but I also limit my method of expression, and from within those limits I try to come up with something new and interesting.

WWD: Are there any young designers coming up through the ranks you’re keeping your eye on?

R.K.: There are very few. There are few people who, like us, have the values and the way of thinking to really try hard. They lack discipline. And it’s not just fashion, I think…[young people] get satisfied too easily. They’re not strict enough with themselves. They’re too soft on themselves.

Rei Kawakubo Interview | WWD is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Highly respected retailers I.T. and Dover Street Market have joint forces to create In a joint the I.T Beijing Market to continue on with Rei Kawakubo’s “Beautiful Chaos” vision. Curating some of the highest regarded labels around like Rick Owens, Maison Martin Margiela, Yves Saint Laurent and Kitsune alongside each of the Comme des Garcons 15 lines makes this an attractive venture for consumers in Beijing.

Thanks to Hypebeast for the images.

I.T Beijing Market is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

032c is one of only a few magazines, I genuinely can’t wait to get my hands on each issue, with so many magazines competing in a tough marketplace, 032c stands out. Issue 20 features Comme des Garcons founder Rei Kawakubo as their main attraction with a 40 page feature, but also includes Arc’teryx Veilance, and Hedi Slimane. You can flick through below, but you’ll need to get your hands on the real deal here.

032c Issue 20 – Rei Kawakubo from 032c on Vimeo.

O32c Issue 20: Rei Kawakubo is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Here is a look at the new outerwear from Comme des Garcons Moncler 365 Fall/Winter 2010 Collection designed by Rei Kawakubo. Jackets and vests all in black or navy blue are now available at Dover Street Market. Take a closer look at the collection below that will make a strong impact at Dover Street Market.

Comme des Garcons Moncler 365 Fall/Winter 2010 Collection is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Baccarat has brought its new collection into the windows of Dover Street Market this month. Baccarart’s new window display collection entitled Bouchons de Carafe, designed by Rei Kawakubo, features three Baccarat chandeliers in different styles to adorn the window shells. The chandeliers are a tribute to Baccarat’s jewelry collection also named Bouchons de Carafe which is in Dover Street Market now. Designer Elie Top, who was inspired by “stoppers” – crystal brandy decanters and perfume bottles created between 1910 and 1920, has had each jewel hand-cut at Baccarat’s factory.

Images DSM

Dover Street Market x Baccarat Window Displays is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Source: BKRW

Comme Des Garcons Fall/Winter 2010 Collection is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Officially launching on 27th November, the 2009 holiday collection from Comme des Garcons entitled ‘Jingle Flowers’, to fit in with the festive season coming up, at Dover Street Market is full of high profile product. Including items such as Artek chairs, Bearbricks, flower printed Superga sneakers, Snowglobes, Dover Street Market flower bottled perfume, a range of t-shirts, wallets and fluro sweaters which are in collaboration with artists such as Paul Morrison and Donald Sultan and the first ever Rei Kawakubo-designed Barbie Dress; full of ‘Jingle Flowers’ print.

Images DSM

Comme des Garcons ‘Jingle Flowers’ Holiday Collection 2009 is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Kuntzel & Deygas’ Caperino & Peperone characters are currently featuring in “Talking Garden” a Rei Kawabuk directed installation at the Magazine Alive pop up store by Vogue Nippon x Comme Des Garçons in Tokyo. The exhibition which runs throughout October features a selection of artwork and collaboration products.

Source: Colette

Talking Garden At Magazine Alive is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Rei Kawakubo and her glorious label Comme des Garcons have made an announcement that hey are to work alongside Apple Corps Ltd. – the London-based company that manages the legacy and musical catalog of the The Beatles to create a range of products that will grant them a long term relationship into the future. Starting with a series of Comme des Garcons x The Beatles label carrier bags which will make a debut release at Dover Street Market in London as well as Gyre in Tokyo, then followed by a wider release. Stay tuned for more information about the new formed collaborations and their products.

Info WWD

The Beatles x Comme des Garcons Collaboration is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Becoming available at Number:3

Dover Street Market Perfume by Comme des Garcons is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Comme des Garcons Homme Spring/Summer 2010 Collection is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Rei Kawakubo, known for her creativity and artistry in creating collection that exhbits a rather avant-garde and decontructive appeal. we can see this design principle well reflected through the collection.

This one-off collection that will be launched at the H&M Tokyo store opening in November and in various H&M stores across the world one week later, while it is said that the H&M stores in the major cities will be getting a larger slice of this collection, I have a feeling people will be lining up for this one…

Take a look at the images below thanks to fashionista.

IMAGES REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF H&M.

Rei Kawakubo for H&M Autumn/Winter 2008 Collection is a post from: SLAMXHYPE