Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Garçons Homme Plus Spring/Summer 2023 collection exists in a liminal space between history and modernity, theater and reality. Here, the medieval jester—a figure of chaos, subversion, and performance—becomes the central motif, embodying the punk spirit Kawakubo has long championed.
Titled Another Kind of Punk, the collection twists and distorts traditional tailoring, warping silhouettes through layered constructions, asymmetric hems, and exaggerated proportions. Color and texture clash in a deliberate act of disruption, evoking a sense of unease, as if the garments themselves are in motion. Fabrics drape, suspend, and contort, pushing the body into unfamiliar postures.
The collection also featured half-masks resembling clown faces or animal snouts, along with voluminous wigs, adding to the burlesque and unsettling aura of the show. The soundtrack, reminiscent of a horror movie, amplified this eerie atmosphere, urging viewers to confront the absurdities of contemporary society. It wouldn’t be a Kawakubo show without the incitement of uneasiness and unanswered questions.
At the core of this theatrical procession is the four-sleeve jester jacket. A deconstruction of formalwear, it skews perceptions of function and symmetry, transforming the wearer into something between a court performer and a modern anarchist. The additional sleeves and exaggerated hem, held together by a bowed piece of flexible plastic, present an absurd yet calculated intervention—embodying Kawakubo’s lifelong defiance of convention. It is an invitation to step outside the ordinary and embrace the spectacle of dress.
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