Rei Kawakubo’s COMME des GARÇONS FW26 Is a Spectacle of Silence, Shadows and Surprise
Where shirring, ruching and tulle scrunches animate monumental silhouettes.
Summary
- Rei Kawakubo’s FW26 COMME des GARÇONS womenswear extended her “Black Hole” narrative
- The show cented with an array of all-black looks, exploring rebellion and the universe, while an interlude of bright pink pieces provided a vivid, voluminous contrast a
While Rei Kawakubo plunged into a “Black Hole” for CDG Homme Plus, her COMME des GARÇONS Fall/Winter 2026 womenswear collection extended that narrative through a deep, explosive exploration of darkness and contrast.
The show commenced in near-silence with 16 intricate, all-black ensembles that embodied what Kawakubo termed “Ultimately Black” — a color she champions as the definitive medium for rebellion and creation, representing both the Universe and the Black Hole. This solemn atmosphere was briefly disrupted by an unexpected interlude: six voluminous, saccharine‑pink looks, reinterpretations of earlier black silhouettes, crowded the runway in deliberate opposition to the surrounding void.
Across the collection, a masterful application of shirring, ruching and tulle scrunches added unexpected texture to the grand, demanding silhouettes, while spidery embroidery traced delicate lines across padded panels. These garments invited multiple readings: curved padding evoked terra‑cotta tiles or judicial wigs, while fringe shimmered like jellyfish tendrils or cosmic meteor trails. Once again, Kawakubo blurred the boundary between fashion and sculpture, encouraging audiences to project their own interpretations onto her abstract forms.
