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Dress

1983 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

During the 1980s the Japanese designers Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawabubo (designing under the name Comme des Garçons) began to show in Paris. Their work challenged conceptions of the fashionable body, with over-sized and asymmetrical designs, often in black. By defying traditional concepts of couture , this influential group of Japanese designers, have brought a fresh look to Western dress.

This ensemble features a ruched sweater obscured by the voluminous kimono-sleeved dress with a large cowl collar. The fullness of the dress is gathered in by a deep elasticised band which rests on the hips beneath the folds of the cross-over tunic.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Cotton
Brief description
Black cotton dress, designed by Rei Kawakubo, Tokyo, 1983, for Comme des Garçons
Physical description
Black cotton dress with huge cowl-like collar wide sleeves open under the arms, and full skirt arranged within deep bands of elastic around the waist.
Gallery label
WINTER ENSEMBLE DRESS, TUNIC AND SWEATER Rei Kawakubo, (Comme des Garçons), Tokyo, 1982 Black cotton dress, woven check tunic and machine-knitted sweater. The ruched sweater is obscured by the voluminious kimono-sleeved dress with large cowl collar. The fullness of the dress is gathered in by a deep elasticated band which rests on the hips beneath the folds of the cross-over tunic. Rei Kawakubo is one of the influential group of Japanese designers, who, by defying traditional concepts of couture, have brought a fresh look to Western dress. Given by Rei Kawakubo T.168 to B-1985(1988)
Credit line
Given by the designer
Object history
Registered File number 1984/ 2226. Part of an ensemble acquired together T.168 to D-1985.
Summary
During the 1980s the Japanese designers Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawabubo (designing under the name Comme des Garçons) began to show in Paris. Their work challenged conceptions of the fashionable body, with over-sized and asymmetrical designs, often in black. By defying traditional concepts of couture , this influential group of Japanese designers, have brought a fresh look to Western dress.

This ensemble features a ruched sweater obscured by the voluminous kimono-sleeved dress with a large cowl collar. The fullness of the dress is gathered in by a deep elasticised band which rests on the hips beneath the folds of the cross-over tunic.

Bibliographic reference
Mendes, Valerie. Black In Fashion. London: V&A Publications, 1999.
Collection
Accession number
T.168-1985

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Record createdSeptember 7, 2010
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