Comme des Garçons PLAY

To place an order or to inquire about the availability of the Comme des Garçons PLAY collection, call the store at (608) 720-1037, email us at info@august-shop.com or direct message us on Instagram @_augustshop. 

Comme des Garçons, meaning “like boys” in French, is a Japanese fashion label founded by Rei Kawakubo in 1969 and is renowned for its avant-garde aesthetic and unconventional silhouettes. 

Comme des Garçons became successful in Japan in the 1970s and a menswear line was added in 1978. In 1981 Comme des Garçons's debut show in Paris alongside Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto. It created a splash for its predominant use of black and distressed fabrics and stunned the Western fashion world by defying design convention. Kawakubo’s collection was unlike anything anyone had seen before: The all-black clothing was oversized, deconstructed, shredded, and shapeless.

The Comme des Garçons PLAY line launched in 2002 and is described by the label as "a sign, a symbol, a feeling". The now-iconic logo was designed by artist Polish artist Filip Pagowski, who first contacted Rei Kawakubo in the 1980s with pictures of a performance/fashion show. He subsequently attended a number of men's shows and was cast for the summer 1992 show. The heart image happened simultaneously with, but independently of the creation of the PLAY line.

Designed by Rei Kawakubo, PLAY isn't tied to a particular season and includes graphic T-shirts, knits and accessories. Making use of a simple color palette, the pieces use Pagowski's logo in various ways – from applique patches positioned on the left of the chest to multiple collage arrangements.