Comme Des Garcons Spring Summer 2012 Review

 Above: My favourite look from the show

I think there were a lot of big ideas in Rei Kawakubo's spring Comme Des Garcons collection. Birth, death, tradition, feminism. These were things that I saw and aren't necessarily correct.
Giant cream puff interpretations of dresses with giant sleeves were shown throughout. Depending on what part of the world you live in would change your perception of their meaning. Were the giant sleeves a reference to Japanese kimono, funeral clothes or Western wedding gowns? The model's hands were bound with giant silk bows. Are women chained to outdated subservient roles? The giant Elizabethan hoops were like a form of imprisonment back in the day, stopping women from doing anything other than needlework by the fireplace. And those giant sleeves even in an un-bound form would still stop you from doing your normal daily activities and leave you house-bound.

Rei Kawakubo Interview at WSJ

Can you imagine being able to interview Rei Kawakubo? I'd be like what are your thoughts on nylon taffeta? Then she'd be like あなたは誰ですか then I'd be like umm this is super awkward, just sign my tits and I'll leave. 

The Wall Street Journal have an interview with Rei K (that's my rap name for her. Reezy is also acceptable).
You must read it so click clack it up

HOWEVER the following quote is like what?

I don't feel too excited about fashion today, more fearful that people don't necessarily want or need strong new clothes, that there are not enough of us believing in the same thing, that there is a kind of burnout, that people just want cheap fast clothes and are happy to look like everyone else, that the flame of creation has gone a bit cold, that enthusiasm and passionate anger for change and rattling the status quo is weakening.

I love this woman. She’s a creative genius but gahhhh. You’re sounding old homegirl. This belief from older designers that the younger generation don’t care about fashion is just wrong. People don’t just want cheap fast clothes and who in avant garde hell is happy to look like everyone else?

Babby Rei in Paris 1987. Can you imagine? Like really being there backstage in 87. If I was that model I'd place my hand on Rei's, turn my head, look wistfully into her eyes and whisper goddess. Then security would escort me off the premises. 

It’s an otherwise interesting and very rare interview (her last portrait was done in 2004) but Rei, babes, the flame of creation is not dead. For your perusal, a list of talented young designers who are pushing the boundaries of fashion...

Michael van der Ham. Proving that London is still a hotbed of creativity Ham’s reconstructed outfits can even be attributed to the work of Kawakubo.

A look by Michael van der Ham

Rodarte-From the land of sportswear Rodarte go against the grain and produce collections full of ideas and macabre romance. There is nothing cheap or fast about a Rodarte dress.

Sandra Backlund-Avant garde knitwear designer. This bitch is fucking crazy talented.

Camilla Skovgaard. While Christian Louboutin battles it out with YSL in court over YSL's use of the colour red on the sole of one of their shoes you've got Camilla Skovgaard doing what a shoe designer should be doing: designing outrageously hot shoes.

Heather Mooney? Is That You?

Karl Lagerfeld had this to say about retirement…

“I have a contract for life so it all depends on who I would like to hand it to. At the moment I’d say Haider Ackermann.”

Emphasis on atm. I love Lagerfeld but homegirl is old. I watched the Lagerfeld documentary and he’s blind! He was reading something and was holding it up to his face, like right against his face. It was like something right out of Absolutely Fabulous.
Today it might be Ackermann but tomorrow it could be Baptiste Giabiconi.

Jump to 1:40. Hilarity. 

Ackermann’s response?

"What can one possibly say to such a phrase?! Such a compliment! Honored I feel, how can one not be?! In all honesty tremendously, immensely touched especially coming from Monsieur Lagerfeld."

Gayest response ever right?

He later said "I think Mr. Lagerfeld said something that was a really nice compliment. But I think people should take it as he took it: a compliment. No more, no less.”

In other words, he called Lagerfeld immediately to thank him and Lagerfeld was all wer? Quoi?

With so many talented designers out there is Ackermann right for the job? Chanel ticks so many boxes that make the brand so successful and I’m sure they’d like to keep it that way when Lagerfeld sashays off to heaven. They’re one of the top luxury fashion brands in the world with a slew of house signatures that are instantly recognized as Chanel, even if they’re not the real deal.

Oh hey Court, is that Chanel? Didn't think so

Tweed, chains, the camellia flower, 2-tone shoes, quilting, No. 5. The list goes on and most of them are distinctively Chanel. No other house comes even close to such brand awareness. And then they have the star designer. Lagerfeld. Outspoken, flamboyant (that’s journalist-speak for total fag) and has an anecdote for every strand of his grey pomp.
He’s such an integral part of Chanel that the house will undoubtedly change when he is gone. The house will go on but Lagerfeld’s void will be felt and no one will have the impact he’s had. I don’t question Ackermann’s abilities (his Spring 2011 collection of jewel tone mullet dresses was tres swell) but his personality may not suit the brand. But what the fuck do I know. I used to think corduroy cargo pants were a legitimate daywear option.


Here’s my list of who should take over when Lagerfeld retires/dies.

Luella-Not only is Luella unemployed (fashion design-wise anyway. Sadly her label has shuttered so she’s wide open) but she had an amazing Spring 2009 collection that was like a young frisky Chanel girl after doing a line of blow and eating a scone. It was yummy.

Rei Kawakubo- Can you even imagine? I didn’t think so.

Alber Elbaz- He ticks every box. He’s distinctive looking, apparently a screaming diva if things aren’t done his way (yes, that’s a box that needs to be ticked). Oh, and incredibly talented.

Chloe, let go of the talented designer you hipster freak

Should bequeath his job to a bunch of cats like all crazy old people do.

Here’s my list of people that if they got the job, I’d die a little inside.

Marc Jacobs. I would die A LOT inside if Marc Jacobs did Chanel.

Dolce and Gabbana. Greasy Italian tax evaders who haven’t done a great collection in forever. And Gabbana dissed Stella McCartney over Twitter. Mee-owwww

Fabio Viscovo: I LOVE Stella McCartney!
Stefano Gabbana: who ??????
Fabio Viscovo: ahahaha! You don’t like Stella McCartney?!
Stefano Gabbana: Who ????? The daughter of the singer ?????
Fabio Viscovo: Yeeees! Stella McCartney, the designer !!!!!
Fabio Viscovo: Stefanoooooooo, please !!!!! You don’t know Stella’s a stylist ?????
Stefano Gabbana: What’s she known for?? What’s her specialty??
Stefano Gabbana: What sort of style does she do? What’s so special about it??
Fabio Viscovo: She makes a lot of minimalist sequined dresses… … .. they’re really feminine. They’re perfect for a nude look!
Fabio Viscovo: Come on! You’ve just got to have seen them! And although she’s really famous … she’s still an upcoming designer!
Stefano Gabbana: Yeah, she’s upcoming after 15 years doing nothing!! Hahahaha
Stefano Gabbana: Aaaaaaa …… I see you appreciate nonentities!! Bravo!

Henry Holland. Embroidered tweed slogan t-shirts? When hell freezes over Miguel Androver.

Anna Sui. That would actually be hilarious but then quickly become tragic.

So I wanna do this like, prairie patchwork skirt right? You feel me?

Raf Simons. Chanel? Minimal? It didn’t work in the 90’s so why bother. You stay at Jil Sander Mr Simons. You stay.

it looks like a ball sack

                                                    

 I am not amused

It Takes Deux Baby

This was classic Comme. It was punk, deconstructed, reconstructed, abstract and loads of black and white. It felt quite 80’s too.

Some of the opening looks were white double-breasted coats that sprouted extra arms in what appeared to be black leather or perhaps rubber. There were also pieces of black fabric roughly stitched onto the fronts of some coats resembling a colour field.

I could be wrong (most probably am) but I felt like Rei Kawakubo was questioning female sexuality through quite traditional items of clothing like a bra, a waist defining belt, a full, pleated skirt. The bras were oversized, making them redundant as if to say why bother? I’m still a woman.

It also felt like a response and a dig to this seasons womanly, full-figured look by the likes of Louis Vuitton and Prada.

The duality theme I haven’t quite grasped. With the sprouting sleeves, the twin models, that I’m not sure of. If you have any thoughts then add a comment below so I can promptly shoot you down.

COMME DES DARCONS SPRING 2010

The clothes for Spring Comme Des Garcons were like miniature landscapes full of texture and bumps. Jackets looked roughly hewn from fabric scraps including an off the roll machine made sequin one. There were lycra bike shorts and trench coats that looked like the shell had been torn off to make a lighter, summer version. It was making do with what you have-perhaps a statement on the current economy? The seams on the trench were puckered and tortured, showing that you don't have to be perfect to be beautiful. It amazes me that after 40 years Comme create relevant, avant garde collections.Bravo.

MARC JACOBS SPRING 2010

I find with American collections there's a very straightforwardness to design: clean, sporty and beautiful. It's like the clothes are saying I'm not here to jerk you around. Try me on, you'll look amazing. not so with Marc Jacobs. Perhaps it's his time spent in Paris that led him to say of the collection "It's about giving people things to dream of and romanticize about."
He certainly fulfilled that statement and sent out cream-puff frills a-plenty, sportif touches such as bum-bags and silver bike shorts, underwear as outerwear, some very realistic knitwear, Kawakubo-like military jackets with full prairie skirts, seersucker harem pants and a defiant shoe statement for next summer: flats. There was so much to take in for Marc's Spring show that there's not a shadow of a doubt women the world over will be dreaming of getting their hands on those beautiful clothes.