At her recent runway show, designer Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons Homme Plus presented a collection that challenged traditional tailoring norms.
The suit jackets featured unique zippered vents, with some having a single vent at the top of the spine and others with doubles dangled from the front, where chest pockets usually are. The jackets without vents had striking protrusions such as thick lengths of faux fur and padding resembling large travel pillows arched over the shoulders.
This collection evoked her highly debated “Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body” collection from 1997, but with a more controlled and calculated approach. Rei Kawakubo described her collection as “avant-garde tailoring” and it is evident that she is pushing the boundaries of traditional menswear.
The Fall/Winter 2023 collection also included playful elements such as sleeveless capes with sagging lining and jutting shoulders, colorful plaids and plush black capes resembling traditional three-button jackets. Zippers were used to open windows on tailored jackets and shaggy textures were prevalent throughout the collection, adding a sense of fun and surprise.
Similar to her previous collection, this avant-garde tailoring is sure to spark strong reactions from the fashion community and it’s clear that Rei Kawakubo is challenging traditional tailoring conventions and pushing the limits of what is possible in menswear.
