Comme des Garcons x Chrome Hearts: A Collab Like No Other

There is no lack of fashion collaborations, although moments are rare. The name of Comme des Garcons x Chrome Hearts not only represents a logo pairing, but a pairing of the two brands in a jersey. The one nurtured in the avant-garde studios of Tokyo, the other in a Hollywood garage that did not bend, did not budge, didn’t fall into fashion and certainly didn’t take anything for granted, and certainly didn’t settle for anything less than what they were.

In 1991, Rei Kawakubo and Richard Stark connected, neither of them would have guessed that they would become friends, and create some of the most coveted 21st century fashion items. Today, 10 years later, the world talks of what they have produced together, and will want to continue to be a part of it.

This article will show you the origins of both brands, the reason that they have become so fond of each other, everything they’ve collaborated on, what they offered and where to see the originals today. This doesn’t have anything to do with fashion. Usually a complete story about a gift. 

Comme des Garcons — The Rebel Born in Tokyo

Comme des Garcons as a business of a boardroom. It’s the creation of one woman, so special, so devoted to her vision that it doesn’t have to be beautiful, in the traditional sense: Rei Kawakubo. It had to be honest, it had to be strong and it had to be different.

Kawakubo set up Comme des Garcons in Tokyo in 1969. “Like the Boys” was a provocation as she wanted to challenge all of her assumptions about the fashion world she loved, and wanted to break the gender barrier. Not trained as a designer, having studied fine arts and literature at Keio University, perhaps it’s because of that that she envisioned fashion in a way that no one else could.

Key Facts & Figures — Comme des Garcons

Founded: 1969, Tokyo, Japan

Founder:The business was started by Rei Kawakubo (11 Oct 1942-).

Paris Debut: 1981, presented the fashion world with an unforgettable and much-needed deconstructed fashion.

Revenue by 1980:In 1980 the maximum was raised to $30 million, the outlets in Japan were increased to 150 and the number of employees were increased to 80.

Revenue by 2017: In excess of more than $280 million per year (including affiliates).

Sub-Lines Today: 20+ different lines such as Play, Homme Plus, Noir and Junya Watanabe.

Dover Street Market opened up in Tokyo, London, New York, LA, Beijing and Singapore in 2004.

Notable Honor:The biggest of the awards is the 2019 Isamu Noguchi Award, in lieu of the first fashion designer to receive the award.

In 1981 Kawakubo’s line then went to Paris Fashion Week which marked a new day in fashion history. She was being described by the critics as “Hiroshima chic. The media dubbed her, ‘The Crows’. She did not flinch. She still continued to defy, create and build her empire as she wished. But, unlike numerous fashion houses that are trend driven first, Comme des Garcons is one of the money-driven and, most importantly, financially most revered fashion houses of the world today that will not bow to trend.

Chrome Hearts — Born in a Hollywood Garage

They’re a street fighter, like Chrome Hearts, and a straight thinking rebel, like Comme des Garcons, unlike everyone else. In 1988, Richard Stark, John Bowman and Leonard Kamhout, all of Los Angeles, conceived a leather motorcycle outfit for people to wear and now, they are doing just that.

Craftsman Stark was. Both he and Bowman were leather makers, and began working on their own leathermaking as a hobby, called Chrome Hearts. Based on one of the original ‘working titles’ for a biker movie that they worked on, Chopper Chicks in Zombie town.

Key Facts & Figures — Chrome Hearts

Established: 1988 in Hollywood, California, USA

Founders: Richard Stark, John Bowman, Leonard Kamhout 

Current Ownership: It is now owned by Richard Stark & wife Laurie Lynn (since 1994).

CFDA Award: In 1992, attended the CFDA Awards where she was nominated for Accessories CFDA Lifetime Award: Designer of the Year (one of the most prestigious awards in the fashion industry).Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award (CFDA) 2018

Brand Valuation: Previously, the valuation of the company based on the private transaction of the company was $985 million to $1 billion.

Global Boutiques: Local Stores are stores in the UK/Ireland, Australia/ New Zealand and in other EU countries.

LA Production Staff: As of this date (2021), over 1000 craftsmen are at work at Hollywood Campus.Presently (in 2021), more than 1,000 craftspeople are working at Hollywood campus.

For consumers: women and men wearing a silver ring, silver clothing, leather items, eyewares, perfumes and even custom interior of their vehicles.

In any skips of their craft, chrome hearts were a step up from any luxury brands. All jewelry is handcrafted out of silver. All leather products are produced at their huge Hollywood properties. The company had no outside investors until it was reported that one private equity firm valued the company at over $1 billion and invested 10 percent of its capital in the company. The Stark family still had control over creativity however. Chrome Hearts is a non run away fashion house. Doesn’t advertise. It’s just that it’s an amazing invention and the world does know it!

The Origin Story — How Rei & Richard Met (1991)

The idea of Comme des Garcons‘ and Chrome Hearts‘ relationship is based more on friendship than business, and is essentially a respect that is as unusual as it’s possible to be in a friendship; a mutual respect where two people can see something rare in one another.

In 1991, Rei Kawakubo invited some high-profile guests to join in the installation ofComme des Garcons Aoyama in Tokyo where CDG still presents new collections to its employees and a select group of press. In part of the performance, Stark offered to appear in some costumes, as they did not have anyone else for the role. It was a meeting of two creative minds; of two people who worked in no other way.

Well, it did blow Stark’s mind and he was surprised! He made a match by purchasing one of Comme des Garcons’s signature black shirts, and replacing all of the buttons with handcrafted chrome hearts silver buttons, he wrote “CHROME des GARCONS” in his own hand on the label and gave it as a gift to Kawakubo.

This time, the Comme des Garcons shirt will also be a new look when styled with Chrome Hearts, after being cut. However it was never intended for sale! Compliment towards somebody who knew the other person. They had been friends of each other for years and weren’t just friends, they were pals.They had been “pals” between Kawakubo and Stark for years. But a few stores on Dover Street Market were still selling the Chrome Hearts, a rare opportunity since the Chrome Hearts is a self-regulated retailer. From the start they were an imaginative group.

Collaboration Timeline — Every Time They Came Together

It’s been over 30 years since the duo of Chrome Hearts and Comme des Garcons were united. But that’s not what both brands do and each moment is bare bones, one-of-a-kind and impactful.

1991 — The Aoyama Beginning

The informal beginning. Stark donates Chrome Hearts to Stark’s HQ at CDG Aoyama. A popular present – a handmade shirt is being put together. No launch – no press release – just two artists in each other’s eyes.

1990s — Dover Street Market Partnership

Today, Chrome Hearts will be on the road to stores, the only remaining third party store offering Chrome Hearts is Dover Street Market. In the ten years, the two brands had to be maintained in the official association due to this association.

2007 — The First Official Collaboration

But, unlike the first time that Anche has collaborated with Comme des Garcons and Chrome Hearts, when Chrome’s designer designed a limited edition of jewelry pendants and clothes, this time Comme’s fashion designer has been tasked with creating a limited edition of the whole ensemble. It was collection day in Great Dover Street Market! This was the first time that it was co-released and collectors were aware of its significance.

Ongoing — Collaborative T-Shirts

Over the years, there were a number of co-branded T-shirts, but none were called “special”, just that they were unique for the context of the story.

For 2021 – FW21, “The Biggest Drop” will be the theme of the Capsule Collection.

What came together with this partnership is a capsule in December 2021 consisting of 19 pieces and only available in Comme des Garcons Osaka boutique. It’s the first time in the last 30 years that they’ve worked together. This was an extremely successful project.

2021 — FW21 Capsule Collection (The Biggest Drop)

A partnership between FW21 will be one that will be a big favourite among the fashion historians. It came out of nowhere, there was no advertising campaign, there was no countdown on social media and there were no celebrity appearances. The fashion world was stunned when Comme des Garcons Osaka’s dress was first revealed in December, 2021.

The FW21 Drop — 19 Pieces, Zero Duplicates

The FW21 collaboration is the one that fashion historians will cite. It arrived quietly with no advertising campaign, no social media countdown, no celebrity appearances. It simply appeared at the Comme des Garcons Osaka store in December 2021, and the fashion world stopped.

The collection comprised 19 CDG “Homme Plus” pieces (both women’s and men’s wear) which were then all totally remodeled by Chrome Hearts’ at CDG’s exclusive request. All of the materials in the collection were originally all unique. There are no duplicated data. The double layered blazer featured embellishment on the back in the form of silver crosswork and the lapels were notched as in Chrome Hearts.

What the Collection Included

• Dramatic voluminous black silky black skirting on top, to an apron.
• Shirt with long collars which can be fastened to short collars by CHROME HEARTS silver button.
• The Notched lapels – when lapped with an overlay – are revealed by force, through the seams.
• Skirts that hang in an asymmetrical way to the knees, chrome hearts and gold buttons.
• Chrome Hearts – chrome hardware accents to bring an elegant and stylish flair to the light spring season of long sleeved shirt dresses.
• New innovative custom silver cross patterns on closures (over original designs) on custom jackets with base layer designs.
• Chrome Heart with Chrome Heart hardware (waist and cuffs) custom pants.

The Numbers

Total Pieces: 19 (no duplicates)

Price Range: JPY 340,000 to JPY 2,100,000 (approximately USD $3,000 to $18,000)

Availability: Specially at Comme des Garcons Osaka Boutique.

Online Sales: Only in Japan, No on-line sales (only in store),

Advertising: Basic — a basic press release, social media, no campaign/promotion

The day it was released it was sold out and went on to become a best seller. A few days later the prices for the second markets re-sale were available. The rate of sale was still continuing and the values of items being sold were $15,000 or greater, up from the original value of $3,000. The FW21 drop has been one of the greatest fashion drops of the decade. 

What Makes This Collab Different?

The fashion industry has seen many instances of collaborations. Streetwear typically goes hand-in-hand with real estate businesses.Downtown are lined with many fine houses, and street brands. The Heritage logo is used as a licence by mass market retailers. Celebs do product endorsements. Well, there isn’t anything that’s not business on its sleeve.

A completely new ball game with Comme des Garcons x Chrome Hearts. The only thing that sets apart the two brands is that one is a more recent model.

They were not as easily available to appeal to the audience of Chrome Hearts: they were introduced by Comme des Garcons. No effort was made by Chrome Hearts to hone their style down to fit into CDG’s gallery. It is not a compromise, it’s the gap in-between, a conversation. Show examples of two singers singing the same piece of music, but with different voices.

Chrome Hearts’ chrome hearts aren’t simply stuck on the CDG jackets, they do look the part. The entire concept behind CDG is to have the stitching look as if it’s not in one line, and that it doesn’t stop any gothic equipment, like Chrome Hearts. On top of the geometric silhouette of a CDG (which neither brand nor other could achieve alone), lies Chrome Hearts’ handmade, silver colored piece.

It’s just and no hype machine. No countdown. No influencer gifting. The FW21 will have a free version of Facebook “drop” for the first time. It came to Osaka. Those who knew, left. Those who didn’t, but did later learn and then wished that they had. These don’t come down to a marketing ploy, they are what these two brands are.

The Products — What Was Actually Made

All of their collaborations have yielded pieces within many categories, all of which deserve the collector on first viewing.

Outerwear — The Crown Jewels

Designed by the collaboration, the jackets and blazers for FW21 are the culmination. Crosses in silver, rather than buttons. Exposed seams are purposely raw. The signature heavy hardware from Chrome Hearts turns CDG’ s architectural tailoring to something that’s like armor. There’s a resale value to each item in each category, and for the collaboration, it’s outerwear.

T-Shirts & Tops

Collaborative has released a few of the T-shirts with CDG’s minimalism and Chrome Hearts’ gothic fonts as a design. The outcome is an artwork that is both rebellious and elegant. Slightly off-center graphics and intentionally wavy hems add to the handmade feel of the shirts that CDG has planned.Deliberate imperfections found in CDG shirts – the slightly off-center graphics, intentionally wavy hems – provide a handmade quality that mass production can’t match.

Accessories — Jewelry & Leather Goods

As part of the 2007 partnership, jewellery pendants were developed which are still commonly sold today. The leather wallets featuring uneven stitching, thick-buckle belts of Chrome Hearts’ signature hardware, and the double-branded ‘tote bags’ that appeared in subsequent collections were indeed welcome additions. There is hand-finishing – the flaws of which are what is authenticating rather than detracting – from all leather products from Chrome Hearts.

Footwear

The partnerships included footwear and non-silver plated shoes with leather uppers in the popular Chrome Hearts pattern. The duality was conceived to be smooth and restrained in form, and subversive in every element.