Although these Comme des Garçons shows will never feel as epic as what emerges from the main men’s and women’s collections, they can be counted on for a pleasing surprise or two all the same. This morning, early as usual and particularly dreary, the Boy range announced itself with shirts in punchy colors and caps projecting ear-like forms. Think minimalist Mickey or Bugs—the purist expression of whatever exists elsewhere. The ears then jumped to the shoulders where, as an extension of the classic white-and-blue shirting that bounced with each step, the statement was particularly delightful. And just imagine, you could even treat it as a social experiment, wear it on a date or to a family brunch and watch how people respond to something so harmless yet a tad subversive. More so were the gray sweatshirt versions, which were fun in a Harmony Korine kind of way.
The grouping of eight shirts featuring works by Jean-Michel Basquiat were the main attraction, though. Approved by the artist’s estate, each was applied differently—sometimes directly on the shirt, sometimes inset as though framed—and then surrounded by graphic flourishes by Rei Kawakubo herself. Basquiat actually walked in a Comme des Garçons Homme Plus show in 1987; but even without the historical link, this capsule of crisp poplin and softer cotton reframes his work with dynamism and deference. Plus, taken together with the T-shirts in yesterday’s Vetements show featuring scribbly drawings by schoolchildren, these impulsive artistic expressions are hinting that the pendulum may be swinging away from corporate-logo appropriation.
In any case, Comme des Garçons Shirt remains a reliable exercise in subtle conceptual design and playful workmanship (see also: a double shirt, extra-bleached denim, lightly padded shapes, and dimensional and breezy strips of blue stripes). What made this lineup even more memorable was that it already felt like a collection to collect.
