Famous Celebrities Who Wore Comme des Garcons Over Time
Celebrities are dressed by some fashion brands. The threat that they are under comes from Comme des Garcons.
Rei Kawakubo’s arrival in Paris in 1981 was in torn knitwear with unfinished seams, and ever since, the fashion world has been changed. Pun on the French words literally meaning “like boys” which were a criticism on how women should be dressed. Her recent works were criticized for being “Hiroshima chic.” Those in the know have revealed it was the first time. But more than 40 years later the fearless in the entertainment world continue to fly back to CDG and here’s why: It’s NOT safe.
Thus, what makes Comme des Garçons so special? It doesn’t flatter. It isn’t comfortable. Celebs are not just getting dolled up, they’re making a splash. That they are familiar with the style, inside and out, inside and out.
This is the story of these people’s lives. Era by era. Moment by moment.
Before the Fame: How CDG First Caught Celebrity Eyes in the 1990s
But not that Comme des Garcons wasn’t already a very particular sort of guy, a guy who thought fashion’s a form of literature and who knew that clothes are a political statement, long before all the streetwear shops started selling CDG heart tees.
Sarah Jessica Parker was recognized as one of the first mainstream faces who were spotted in CDG. She was seen in a floral, A-line CDG gown in 1998 on the VH1 Save the Music red carpet. Very simple and straight forward, yet elegant, it was a style light years away from Kawakubo’s soon-to-be-famous theatrical designs. But, that’s the idea. SJP had confidence in CDG’s ability to do this. Not only was it a shock value but an eye opener as well. It was a craft.
Meanwhile, Kawakubo’s infamous and renowned “Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body” of the body-of-the-nineties was also created, for the SS1997 season. The lumps and bumps were padded, until the outline of the woman’s body was completely covered. Caused much discomfort. The fashion press was at a loss as to how to react. But it was one of those things, a woman’s body isn’t for showing off and adorning and affirming.
The ’90s pop star was not doing the red carpet (or a red carpet for that matter) for the brand. This was before there was Instagram. No algorithm. It was to that extent – mirroring what Kawakubo does – and there’s something in there that’s been an attraction to the brand through the years.
Hip-Hop Meets Haute: When Kanye, Gaga, and Bieber Discovered CDG
The list of celebrities in CDG’s roster is virtually the same as in the 2000s. With hip-hop taking over the world, designers with an interest in design, rather than a logo, were drawn to Comme des Garçons.
Kanye West was one of the first hip-hop stars to always be seen in CDG, tees with denim jackets and as a consequence, CDG Homme coats. As his love for design detail was well known, CDG perfectly matched Kanye’s anti-mainstream, anti-predictable style. He did not require to be in a bigger firm. He had to obtain one that was more intelligent.
But Lady Gaga upped the ante another notch. Her big pink/blue mainline dress had jaws dropping as she was seen emerging from the Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme in 2012. Chunky heels and all the above avant-garde colors! CDG was not “in vogue” amongst Gaga, it’s a style of their own. Bold. Theatrical. Completely unapologetic.
But then again there’s Justin Bieber who brought CDG PLAY to its all-new crowd. Bieber’s red heart drawstring hoodie and PLAY Converse sneakers were the vehicles to get Bieber’s brand, CDG PLAY, to millions of younger fans who may not have been familiar with it before. The brand’s double life began to really take off from here, with its high-art mainline, and easy to access heart logo for PLAY’s masses.
The Heart Logo That Took Over the World: CDG PLAY Era (2013 to 2016)
But, one of the sub-lines that helped catapult Comme des Garçons from niche to cultural phenomenon was CDG PLAY and the rest was handled by the celebrities.
CDG PLAY is the name of Pharrell Williams‘ uniform. His signature outfit, a black CDG Cardigan with Play polka-dots and a white button down Comme des Garcons Shirt with denim shorts and brogues was one of the most photographed casual outfits of the time. This is the genius of Pharrell’s as he wasn’t trying, He did just that, and wore whatever he wanted. However, anyone as cool as that who loves something… the world takes note.
Drake was always seen wearing a CDG Homme jacket, coat and PLAY pieces which blended in seamlessly with his street wear looks and “very Toronto attitude.” CDG has evolved beyond being a “fashion insider brand” to one that’s now for anyone who not only has a keen sense of fashion but of cultural clout.
But, it was Rihanna that made the big one for CDG PLAY to be considered a pop culture phenomenon. In fact, she showed up to the 2016 VMAs on Friday night in fuzzy baby pink CDG PLAY Heart Converse that go for $792, to receive her Michael Jackson Vanguard Award. She decided to wear Comme des Garçons for the one night that will be indelibly etched in her memory. It’s not a hair stylist’s salon. Rihanna was saying just that, that’s who she is.
Indeed, the ‘heart with eyes‘ logo created by a Polish Graphic designer Filip Pagowski was one of the most recognizable in modern fashion, despite no marketing activities.
One Night Changed Everything: The 2017 Met Gala and CDG’s Cultural Peak
If there’s one thing that can be cited as proof of how far Comme des Garçons has come in infiltrating the celebrity culture scene, however, May 1st, 2017 is a good place to start.
This year’s theme for the Met’s exhibition was “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between. America’s biggest fashion house was dedicated to a Japanese designer who used to dress up in “deliberately bad” clothes. It was historic – a come full circle moment.
It was a sculptural, petal inspired CDG dress that was worn by Rihanna, and received the praise of critics and fashion editors as ‘the best outfit of the night. And It was architecture which was wearable. The sort of thing you see and think “Oh, that’s not a piece of clothes, it’s a piece of art”.
In New York Magazine’s list of the best looks ever seen on the Met carpet, Tracee Ellis Ross‘ royal blue CDG gown makes it on the list. But Pharrell Williams instead allowed the comeuppance of rockin’ the ripped CDG jeans to be just a bit too casual and just a bit too rebellious. His wife Helen Lasichanh outfit was a CDG Fall 2017 collection playsuit. Rick Owens and Michèle Lamy were among the first to arrive, together, in the CDG and the two designers came up with the perfect dark minimalism, in harmony with the theme.
This was the night that CDG went from being an insider fashion talk to pop culture history.
Gen Z Resurrects the Archive: CDG in the 2020s
But the interesting thing about the story was yet to come. The new generation of the celebrity obsessed CDG fans don’t require any new runways. They’re going deeper. They’re hunting archives. After all, it’s the measurement that the legacy of Kawakubo’s legacy has changed by.
Bella Hadid is as authentic as any CDG fan can be. But, she didn’t put on the checkered dress on the red carpet or during a fashion show, she put it on down the road, at her family farm home in the country. She combined a leather skirt with a CDG sweater (with cutouts and ruffles) for Paris Fashion Week. Bella does not wear the CDG to seek to impress any. Because that’s the one that she wears, it really resonates with her.
Kylie Jenner’s outfit of a fuchsia top and black ostrich feather from CDG’s FW2007 collection, with 3D trompe l’oeil hands placing it over her chest, took the world by storm as a viral moment in the world of fashion. One of them was Iris Law, who shared a post on Instagram that she has been dreaming of wearing the look that she has been “admiring for so many years” in addition to the total-black archival CDG. It isn’t like an endorsement from a celebrity. That’s genuine love.
Since the early 2000s, the sneaker has been around, and it’s now become quite popular in Asia, Europe and America due to the famous dance of BTS members J-Hope and Jungkook to their popular CDG PLAY. CDG’s experimental ‘Homme Plus’ collection was introduced by G-Dragon, and ASAP Rocky, clothing that defies gender boundaries and what men’s wear can be.
The message from the CDG for the 2020s is clear: it’s not a style these days. It is valued and passed on as an art.
Why the World’s Biggest Stars Keep Choosing CDG: Decade After Decade
That’s why, since 1981 that Comme des Garçons has transcended all the fashions, all the waves, all the cultural moments.
It doesn’t follow culture. It creates it.
At CDG, in 50 years ALL the celebrities have this in common: it’s not about money or fame. There is an opinion they do have. Sarah Jessica Parker was at ease in the down to earth glam. However, Lady Gaga knew what fearless was. Rihanna knew on the night that’s most important, she’ll choose art over sales. When it comes to Bella Hadid, you are certain that fashion is not for appearances’ sake.
CDG is structurally genius, too. From quite sculptural pieces in the main line, all the way to the easily attainable CDG PLAY heart t-shirt, there are 17 lines. From Justin Bieber at the airport, to Tracee Ellis Ross at the Met Gala, there is a Comme des Garçons for everybody.
At any rate, maybe now, more than anything, the celeb saga of this brand can teach us the following: it’s a fashion story. The clothes that are really clothes that are sifted through 20 years later by the next generation of superstars are the clothes that are not safe to wear.
They are the ones to say something that’s true.
Comme des Garçons doesn’t chase celebrities. Celebrities chase it.
