Brand intelligence
Comme des Garçons
Comme des Garçons is the Japanese fashion company founded by Rei Kawakubo in 1969. Kawakubo remains its creative force, while Adrian Joffe is Chief Executive Officer. The company is structured around a group of distinct labels and projects, including Comme des Garçons, Homme Plus, PLAY, Junya Watanabe and Noir Kei Ninomiya, alongside the Dover Street Market retail platform. The directory therefore records individual creative leads at their actual sub-label scope rather than flattening the organisation into one house-wide creative-director field. Kawakubo’s work has challenged conventional ideas of tailoring, proportion, beauty and clothing since the brand’s Paris debut. This page distinguishes the company’s creative structure from its retail and distribution activities and avoids asserting private financial data that is not publicly reported.
- Country
- France
- Founded
- 1969
- Founder
- Rei Kawakubo
- Creative lead
- Rei Kawakubo
- Ownership
- Founder-controlled
- Documented milestones
- 5
- Rei Kawakubo — Founder and Artistic Director1969–Present · house · current · FHCM
- Junya Watanabe — Artistic Director, Junya Watanabe label1992–Present · sub label · current · FHCM
- Kei Ninomiya — Artistic Director, Noir Kei Ninomiya2012–Present · sub label · current · FHCM
- Adrian Joffe — Chief Executive Officer1987–Present · house · current · TIME
- 1969 — Label foundedRei Kawakubo establishes Comme des Garçons in Japan.
- 1981 — Paris debutKawakubo presents the collection to Western audiences in Paris.
- 1992 — Junya Watanabe label beginsWatanabe develops a distinct designer-led line within the company.
- 2012 — Noir Kei Ninomiya establishedKei Ninomiya receives his own label within Comme des Garçons.
- 2017 — Met retrospectiveThe Costume Institute stages Art of the In-Between around Kawakubo's work.