Japanese Literary Awards

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Rei Kawakubo

かわくぼ れい

Kawakubo Rei

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1942-10-11 （Tokyo, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Fashion designer, Businesswoman
Active Years
1967-
Affiliations
Comme des Garçons Co., Ltd. (President & Owner-designer), Dover Street Market (co-founder/operator)

Education

Keio University, Faculty of Letters
Faculty of Letters / Department of Philosophy (Aesthetics & Art History)
Period: 1960-1964
Year of Graduation: 1964
Country: Japan
Graduated from Keio University, Department of Philosophy (Aesthetics & Art History)

Awards

Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix
1983
Organization: Mainichi Newspapers
Result: 受賞
Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix
1988
Organization: Mainichi Newspapers
Result: 受賞
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Chevalier)
1993
Organization: Government of France
Result: 受章
Art Encouragement Prize (Minister of Education)
2001
Organization: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan)
Result: 受賞
Asahi Prize
2003
Organization: The Asahi Shimbun Company
Result: 受賞
Ordre national du Mérite (Officier)
2004
Organization: Government of France
Result: 受章
CFDA Fashion Awards (International Award)
2012
Organization: Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)
Result: 受賞
Isamu Noguchi Award
2019
Organization: Isamu Noguchi Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Person of Cultural Merit
2023
Organization: Government of Japan
Result: 叙勲

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Holes (Hole Sweaters)

1982 Collection

A series of black, intentionally distressed hole sweaters presented at the 1982 Paris collections. The works challenged conventional fashion aesthetics and were dubbed the 'shock of black'.

blackdeconstruction and reconstructionnon-sexualized silhouettes

Body Meets Dress (Bump/Chunk Dresses)

1997 Collection

Presented in 1997, this series added artificial 'bumps' to the body to question the relationship between clothing and the body, deconstructing traditional silhouette concepts.

redefinition of corporealitydeconstruction of silhouetteavant-garde

Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons Exhibition (Metropolitan Museum)

2017 Exhibition/catalog

A major retrospective held at the Metropolitan Museum in New York in 2017. The exhibition recontextualized the brand and works from academic and artistic perspectives and drew international attention.

archivingintersection of fashion and artComme des Garçons' philosophy

Adaptations

  • Metropolitan Museum 'Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between' exhibition (2017)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
avant-garde, constructivist design approachcoexistence of minimalism and intentional destructionnon-decorative, de-sexualized forms
Recurring Motifs
blackholes/distressed finishesaltered body forms (bumps, padding)asymmetry/deconstruction

Legacy

Through Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo fundamentally questioned fashion aesthetics and transformed global mode. Her exhibitions and awards reflect recognition that crosses the boundary between fashion and art.

Archives

  • Comme des Garçons Archives
  • The Metropolitan Museum (holds exhibition archives)

In Popular Culture

  • Referenced across magazines and media as an icon of the fashion world

Quotes

  • I want to continue questioning established notions with clothing.
    Source: Interview (unspecified)

Trivia

  • The brand name 'Comme des Garçons' is often translated as 'like boys', but the intended nuance is 'a sense of adventure like that of boys'.
  • Comme des Garçons has expanded into furniture, fragrances, and other multidisciplinary projects.