Piasa Auction: Rei Kawakubo & Commed des Garcons, 1969-1999
On October 1, coinciding with Paris Fashion Week PIASA will auction one of the world's most comprehensive collections dedicated to Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo and her revolutionary cult brand Comme des Garçons assembled over the past ten years by Japanese collector Hiroaki Narita.
This anthology of over 500 lots brings together pieces dating from 1969 to 1999, from the brand's most iconic collections, such as Pirates (1981), Noir (1988), Metamorphosis (1994), and Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body (1997). These pieces carry estimates ranging from €150 to €2,000, making the auction accessible to both serious collectors and fashion enthusiasts seeking to own a piece of design history.
Drawing its evocative name from Françoise Hardy's beloved song "Tous les garçons et les filles," Comme des Garçons emerged in 1969 from Rei Kawakubo's creative vision, marking the beginning of what would become one of Japanese fashion's most influential narratives.
After a decade of activity in Japan, which positioned it at the forefront of the national avant-garde, the brand held its first fashion show in Paris in 1981 and immediately gained international recognition—although the press gave the collection a mixed reception, criticizing its excessive use of black.
Celebrated in 2017 with a major retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, Rei Kawakubo is now a revered figure in the fashion industry, and Comme des Garçons is an empire that continues to challenge and redefine contemporary fashion.
Still independent and wholly owned by Rei Kawakubo and her husband Adrian Joffe, the brand has successfully combined haute couture and streetwear, developing cutting-edge lines while increasing collaborations with mainstream brands, distributed through its network of boutiques and Dover Street Market concept stores.
In anticipation of the sale, a carefully curated selection from the collection will be presented to the public from Friday, September 26 through Tuesday, September 30 in PIASA's exhibition space located Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
