Comme des Garcons SS07 - Womens, Paris

[Faust]

This collection did not really appeal to me, although I am sure it will appeal to the patchwork/deconstruction loving CDG clientelle. And what's with the red circle, is it Rei being patriotic? And why is EVERYONE trying to put belts on the models boobs these days? Can't we leave the waistline where it supposed to be? Am I missing something? Some looks I thought were nice (the rest is on style.com)

[Faust]

the shoes are kind of cool, especially the white ones.

[laika]

lol, Faust, you took the words right out of my mouth regarding the belts. That empire silhouette is really becoming hackneyed.

I prefer Junya this season, even though it's a bit repetitive. Much better jackets and terrific variations on the white shirt.

I liked these two from CDG--the little bloomers are very cute. And I love how the dress looks like it is coming off her--not falling off, in a messy way, but being undone, in a mechanical way.

{style.com}

[Johnny]

I think this is really not very impressive. It's beginning to look very very "samey". The last 3 or 4 collections are really just variations on a theme. I suppose that in itself that's not necessarily a disaster (I think Ann D does this) but for CDG it seems a failure rather than a success. This is because I think she is trying to be varied, but not quite getting there. There seem to me to be inherent limitations in her production process - all the frills anddeconstruction and fabrics look very similar. It's a weak collection. The comme universe is looking a bit defeated to my eyes at the moment. JW is better, but is also looking to have run out of new ideas.But I'm beggining to wonder what the point is in the three separate lines, esp with Tao. And they all seem so obsessed with concepts......... white shirts, reworked military, god save the queen. I have a novel idea: what about "nice clothes" as a theme.

[Faust]

[quote user="Johnny"]I think this is really not very impressive. It's beginning to look very very "samey". The last 3 or 4 collections are really just variations on a theme. I suppose that in itself that's not necessarily a disaster (I think Ann D does this) but for CDG it seems a failure rather than a success. This is because I think she is trying to be varied, but not quite getting there. There seem to me to be inherent limitations in her production process - all the frills anddeconstruction and fabrics look very similar. It's a weak collection. The comme universe is looking a bit defeated to my eyes at the moment. JW is better, but is also looking to have run out of new ideas.But I'm beggining to wonder what the point is in the three separate lines, esp with Tao. And they all seem so obsessed with concepts......... white shirts, reworked military, god save the queen. I have a novel idea: what about "nice clothes" as a theme.[/quote]

<Rei>That's an interesting concept, Johnny! I have to think about that </Rei>

I am beginning to think that CDG CDG maybe their best line, in retaining simplicity and wearbility while being excellent quality.

[nqth]

Yes it is a bit of reworked Comme. This "looked like" her punk collection with razors, lips, studs and belts. For the aw06 collection she also kind of used all the Comme stuffs before and sewn them together. Sometimes even the staffs didn't know how to wear some dress-jkts. And esp. with TAO, the clothes have a very complicated construction.

It seems that she made this in the same idea as Evergreen, but she deconstructed her own collection.

You have to look close to see the details. All the pachworks are sewn on tiul. The nets are stiff but the trousers are my fav., patchwork, double waist line but one is uneven:-),transparent panel across the side and crotch...

[nqth]

There is a big fight in tFS over the using of the Japanese flag. And I am one of the "warrior" (unfortunately, or maybe fortunately).

I won't say a word here. But I would love to know your guys opinions:-)

Thanks.

[malek]

the pale make up is cool, i'm convinced that being as white as possible will be a major tendancy soon (in opposition to sun tanning...)

the shoes are nice too, but i don't really find the clothes beautiful...[8-)]

[laika]

[quote user="nqth"]

There is a big fight in tFS over the using of the Japanese flag. And I am one of the "warrior" (unfortunately, or maybe fortunately).

I won't say a word here. But I would love to know your guys opinions:-)

Thanks.

[/quote]

well, I was going to write something else to post here, but I'm kind of tired, so i'll just re-post here. (faust, i hope that's ok)

I think I agree with you in most respects, and I used your Rei quote to make my own point.

I agree with Rei that the flag is "the purest form of design in existence." It is a national
symbol, and as such it stands for something completely abstract: "The
Nation." It really can't be compared legitimately with the Nazi symbol.

The swastika, from its indo-european inception, was a cultural symbol,
standing for something very concrete (i.e., "well-being"); and it was
appropriated by Nazi culture for very concrete, specific, and horrific
purposes. There is no way the two can mean the same thing--if they did,
the Nazis wouldn't have needed both. There is no national flag on earth
that can stand in for the swastika, although I fully understand that
for some, certain flags carry very negative associations. No flag can
have such a narrow meaning though--it's against the nature of the
object.



I don't see any reason to assume that Rei is being nationalistic
here--as far as I am concerned, she is paying homage to a pure form of
design. Despite all her talk about the CDG Army (note, cdg, not
japanese), I don't see anything remotely militant in the clothes to
support accusations of nationalism. I realize that using a flag is
controversial and makes people uncomfortable; but personally, I think
causing discomfort is a good thing for a designer to do. It makes
people think and feel things...that's what we live for, right?

[nqth]

Thanks:-)

Yes discomfort could be a good thing sometimes:-)

[laika]

Sure thing. Sometimes it is very uncomfortable being a lone warrior! I am fulling expecting to get pumelled for that post later on.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she did this to make people feel uneasy--she practically says as much in the Vogue article.

[Faust]

[quote user="nqth"]

There is a big fight in tFS over the using of the Japanese flag. And I am one of the "warrior" (unfortunately, or maybe fortunately).

I won't say a word here. But I would love to know your guys opinions:-)

Thanks.

[/quote]

What's the big deal exactly? And how come noone yelled when she used the Union Jack two seasons ago?

Laika, I would also mention that the Nazis inverted the swastika, thus inverting the symbol.

[laika]

Good point about the swastika, Faust.

Ironic as it may be, I think the Union Jack's relationship to punk makes it a very safe fashion choice.


The CDG issue is over the ethics/politics of using the Japanese flag (given Japan's history with regard to the rest of Asia) in the collection. Some people were very uncomfortable with it, and compared it to using a swastika in the same context, which I think is a different matter altogether.

I don't have a problem with the flag, and I don't think its necessarily an expression of patriotism or nationalism.

I probably didn't do a very good job explaining myself though.....i think i need to change my language.

[Faust]

[quote user="laika"]

Good point about the swastika, Faust.

Ironic as it may be, I think the Union Jack's relationship to punk makes it a very safe fashion choice.


The CDG issue is over the ethics/politics of using the Japanese flag (given Japan's history with regard to the rest of Asia) in the collection. Some people were very uncomfortable with it, and compared it to using a swastika in the same context, which I think is a different matter altogether.

I don't have a problem with the flag, and I don't think its necessarily an expression of patriotism or nationalism.

I probably didn't do a very good job explaining myself though.....i think i need to change my language.

[/quote]

It is ironic to the point of horrifying. To take the flag of a country that has been THE guiltiest party in colonizing the world and make it safe, while fussing about a Japanese flag - oh, lordy!!!

[dontbecruel]

Over here the Union Jack is strongly associated with skinhead facism. Although there are attempts to rehabilitate it from from time to time (e.g. by the Spice Girls or Morrissey) it is basically taboo and most people wouldn't be seen dead in it.

The Japanese flag is also considered to be of questionable taste by many in its own country, where it is associated by some with militarist nationalism, institutional racism against korean and chinese minorties, and unquestioning respect for the imperial family. It is not quite the same flag that flew over the hideous atrocities committed by the Japanese army in the war, but it's close enough!

Flags are considered "pure design" because a few colours on a piece of fabic can stand for a a great deal. So what they are perceived to stand for matters, I reckon.

[Faust]

[quote user="dontbecruel"]

Over here the Union Jack is strongly associated with skinhead facism. Although there are attempts to rehabilitate it from from time to time (e.g. by the Spice Girls or Morrissey) it is basically taboo and most people wouldn't be seen dead in it.

The Japanese flag is also considered to be of questionable taste by many in its own country, where it is associated by some with militarist nationalism, institutional racism against korean and chinese minorties, and unquestioning respect for the imperial family. It is not quite the same flag that flew over the hideous atrocities committed by the Japanese army in the war, but it's close enough!

Flags are considered "pure design" because a few colours on a piece of fabic can stand for a a great deal. So what they are perceived to stand for matters, I reckon.

[/quote]

In that case, somebody please show me a flag that is not tainted with blood. Just thought about something - Rei strikes again, bad PR is still PR. She's such a cunning businesswoman, lol.

[dontbecruel]

I completely agree, Faust. I would never wear any country's flag.

[Johnny]

Faust I was thinking exactly the same thing about her getting discussions going - all that lot on tfs going on abouty how irrelevant she is, but still having long discussions around what she puts on a catwalk show! I have no real feeling for what the japanese flag stands for to the japanese or those historically opressed or invaded by them. But it seems to me that there must be some meaning in using the flag specifically.A big blue dot would, presumably, have the same "purity" of design as a big red dot.Kawakubo likes to provoke and then hide behind her enigma, actually as she's perfectly entitled to. I understand what nqth is saying about the abstract design notion, but I'm afraid I can't agree. Every flag has a kind of nationalistic connotation - it's sort of trite to have to point that out. I would NOT wear anything with a union jack on it. Less about objections on colonialism than the fact that it simply has those nationalistic connotations, and I'm not a big nationalist. It is also, as others have said, certainly a bit naff.

I have to say that when I looked at this collection I completly ignored the flagstuff - I was more dissappointed with the repitition of largely unwaearable design generally from her previous collections.

[laika]

[quote user="dontbecruel"]

Over here the Union Jack is strongly associated with skinhead facism. Although there are attempts to rehabilitate it from from time to time (e.g. by the Spice Girls or Morrissey) it is basically taboo and most people wouldn't be seen dead in it.

The Japanese flag is also considered to be of questionable taste by many in its own country, where it is associated by some with militarist nationalism, institutional racism against korean and chinese minorties, and unquestioning respect for the imperial family. It is not quite the same flag that flew over the hideous atrocities committed by the Japanese army in the war, but it's close enough!

Flags are considered "pure design" because a few colours on a piece of fabic can stand for a a great deal. So what they are perceived to stand for matters, I reckon.

[/quote]

Practically speaking, I agree with you. I am not a flag-wearing (or waving) person either. I also reject nationalism, but I don't think the nation (or the flag) is simply equal to its committed atrocities. At least I hope not, since I am stuck over here!

Anyway, I think nationalism is definitely NOT the point of this collection. A flag made into a skirt or shoes is different from one planted on the moon or flown over a war scene. Someone made a very good reference to a quote by Robert Irwin: "Seeing is forgetting the name of the thing one sees." Seems a most apt description of what is going on with CDG.

[dontbecruel]

I don't think a nation is equal to its atrocities either. But there's no getting round it... as Laika said in her original post, flags are symbols of national projects, whether wars or explorations of other planets. A flag design on a skirt is making a reference to that of one sort or another, unless the person wearing the skirt and the person who designed it are both idiots (not impossible, I admit). Back to the point... I think this is an ugly, stupid collection. I don't buy the idea of Rei as a fashion genius. She has made a lot of nice clothes, but she's produced a lot of rubbish too, and her personal opinions always sound a bit childish to me.

I can't help comparing this collection with the latest Yohji, unfortunately, which is a bit like comparing a breast enlargement with brain surgery.