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Skirt

1982 (made)
Artist/Maker
Comme Des Garçons (retailer)
Kawakubo, Rei (designer)
Place of origin
Tokyo (city) (made)

This black ensemble (T.167 to C-1985) was designed by Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçon in 1982. It consists of a black hand-knitted jumper decorated with randomly placed holes, giving it a post-Punk era feel and a black skirt of padded cotton jersey. This outfit is typical of the predominantly black collections produced during the early 1980s by Rei Kawakubo.

Object details

Categories
Womenswear
Fashion
Interiors
Household Objects
Shekou
Values of Design
Design Society
Object type
Skirt
Materials and techniques
Padded cotton jersey, machine-sewn
Cotton Jersey
Padded
Machine Sewn
Brief description
Skirt of padded cotton jersey, designed by Rei Kawakubo, Tokyo, 1982, for Comme des Garçons
Physical description
Skirt of padded cotton jersey in a deliberately washed-out grey-black material constructed using an asymmetrical pattern. Full and ankle length, gathered into a narrow waistband. Made of a double layer of jersey fabric and quilted.
Dimensions
  • Height: 101cm
  • Width: 66.5cm
Gallery label
(1985)
WINTER OUTFIT
SWEATER
Hand-knitted wool
SKIRT
Machine-knitted cotton jersey
BOOTS
Leather
Paris/Japan: Comme des Garçons (Rei Kawakubo), 1982

Rei Kawakubo was one of the influential group of Japanese designers who opened up new avenues for Western dress in the late 1970s and early 80s. Many of her designs, notably this asymmetrical sweater, were rapidly 'borrowed' by down market manufacturers and within days appeared in high street shops.

The body of the sweater is knitted in stocking stitch with holes placed at random to create a slashed effect. It is made in four pieces and seamed at the sides, shoulders and diagonally across the front and back. The sleeves and welt are ribbed. The full, ankle-length skirt, gathered into a narrow waistband, is made of a double layer of jersey fabric and quilted. The outfit is completed by a pair of walking style boots.

Given by Rei Kawakubo
T.167 to C-1985
Credit line
Given by the designer
Object history
Registered File number 1984/ 2226. Part of an ensemble acquired together T.167 to C-1985.
Summary
This black ensemble (T.167 to C-1985) was designed by Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçon in 1982. It consists of a black hand-knitted jumper decorated with randomly placed holes, giving it a post-Punk era feel and a black skirt of padded cotton jersey. This outfit is typical of the predominantly black collections produced during the early 1980s by Rei Kawakubo.
Associated objects
Bibliographic reference
Mendes, Valerie. Black In Fashion. London: V&A Publications, 1999. pp. 106-107.
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
T.167A-1985

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Record createdSeptember 7, 2010
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1172056/skirt-kawakubo-rei/
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