Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Garçons Shirt is infinite with their ability to deconstruct a button-down, a comforting fact of fashion as we find ourselves Zooming all day, static sternums confined to a digital rectangle. 

In Kawakubo’s hands, a somewhat unremarkable garment transformed into a compelling creation. The Fall 2021 one collection is no different, some shirts can be spotted mis-buttoned at the hem or neck into bows, folds or asymmetrical draping classic to the CDG image. The Japanese designer continues to helm the avant-garde with her iconoclastic and sculptural vision. 

Once again consummating their longtime partnership, Kawakubo and renowned artist Kaws join forces for another project. Playful prints were plastered across colorful separates, revealed amidst the brand’s Fall lineup.  

Close-ups posted to the artist’s instagram offer a detailed glimpse into the cartoonish collaboration. His famous Chum character took center stage in pastel pink and green, on crisp button-down shirts peeking out beneath a school boy-ish blazer. While Kaws smiling letters spell out “CDG” across a reversible gilet and an oversized cross-body bag in hues of yellow and orange. 

A series of black puffer vests, blazers and shorts that fit high on the shoulder and wide at the knee metamorphose the wearer’s body into Kaws’ quintessential michelin man. Puffy and padded, the looks are reminiscent of the artist’s sculptural endeavors. 

The collection ventured up and down an uncharacteristically short catwalk, to no music, emanating a disheveled chumminess–pun intended. Kawakubo x Kaws were not the only CDG collaborations in the new season, earlier this week CDG’s Homme Plus show unveiled a designer/artist three-way with Nike and American artist Willie Cole. 

Shirt’s colorful lineup stood in stark contrast to the Homme Plus show, where similarly distinct silhouettes arose from a differing dark setting, and clothing arrived solely in black and white.

Explore CDG Shirt’s collection in the video below.