Comme des Garçons. Men's Spring 2021 - Paris

(Images Comme des Garçons. All credit)

Rei Kawakubo's latest avant-garde styling for the iconic Comme des Garçons invokes Asian folklore and what comes to mind is the Chinese classics of Taoist mythology utilizing silver as a base, to which it has long been used as a balance between worlds, described in the famous “Silver River” story from dynasty China and its silvery illumination from the Milky Way rings, bathing the Hevenly realm and Earth in light.  Silver is also described in both Western and Eastern Alchemy, seen as the most noble of metals, to which it does not rust and shines brightly in the face of fire. However, Greek mythology, silver, within the age of man, represents the 100 year era that is the turmoil of mankind.  But science offers the most practical, the heat reflective Mylar survival blanket, a silver and gold insulation used for protecting the body from the harshness of natural environments – particularly the cold.

Kawakubo's Spring 2021 collection for men, centers around the what she calls the “Metal Outlaw”, as a reflective gesture and insulation from the turmoil all around us.  A protective layer symbolizing both the scientific, philosophical and metaphysical.  The collection is more of a concept piece, yet, it also shows her mastery in cuts and defining her benchmark avant-garde fits, which simply cannot be ignored from over three decades of Kawakubo's brilliance for Comme des Garçons.  The stylizations, as mentioned, are an all silver base, she then scales the impression back, so, the silvery pattern work becomes sparse towards the end of styles on offer.  The pieces displayed through the Comme des Garçons lookbook settle on 29 variants of her silver embellished looks, emitting an urban concept to the whole array, with Kawakubo experimenting, as she has done with prior collections, of the male-skirt, which, in all of its entirety as an outfit simply does not work.  Sans a ceremonial attire of various cultures, as a fashion accessory for men, away from any distractive commentary, holds very little appeal.   Still, Kawakubo's impact on avant-garde fashion has been significant in its influence.  

However, like all collections pre and post the waves of COVID-19 infections, there is more sombre reflection on show for Comme des Garçons Spring styles, when there was a misguided hope, but more of a naivety, in its assumption that the first four months of lockdowns on the onset of the viral outbreak were going to contain it.  From an over exuberance of reopening too fast for the Northern Hemisphere summer, which stuffed it all up.  With the Southern Hemisphere going back into quarantine, Europe and America may also go back into lockdown again, pending the descending colder months, that being flu season.  An important to note that this new pathogen in its virulence, is not seasonal.  The reality unfolding is we should have been lockdowned to a vaccine is created. Adjustment to the process is the key, so is the ability to cope, aware that the structure of our society is changing, which the virus is forcing upon us without it being conscious.  So, the fashion shows will have to remain, for now, as a digital experience, with the runway dates pushed back to September 2020, which could be, once again, overly optimistic.