When people hear the name ‘Comme des Garçons’, a wide variety of images and feelings pop up, proving that the Japanese brand has created an aesthetic universe of its own. This masterful execution of fashion world building couldn't have been fully expanded upon without the catalyst that was the SIX Magazine. Created in 1988, SIX served as a breeding ground for experimental branding with a small twist: the branding rarely (if ever) involved Comme des Garçons’ own clothing. Instead of falling back on conventional methods of fashion advertising, the bi-annual publication incorporated non fashion related artwork and photography to convey the Japanese brand’s collections. SIX also tapped into a wide array of creatives who sometimes weren’t even involved in the industry, and yet this is exactly what gave fashion a breath of fresh air. Not only did SIX solidify Comme des Garçons as an entire entity of its own, it also changed our own perception of fashion to this very day.

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For CDG Six Number 3, the images are printed in a very deep black and white with low contrast, with shades of grey incorporated. The book features a series of images showing a collection of black and white tile patterns similar to the ones on the front and back cover. From a tile floor mosaic to tiles on dresses and clothing, you really get to feel the grain of the print in these images. The Number 3 magazine also features photographs of the iconic 90’s supermodel Naomi Campbell wearing Comme Des Garçons and photographed by Peter Lindbergh. I particularly like this edition of the CDG Six magazine because of the interesting narratives that can be created through the images that are scattered throughout the book. Once again Kawakubo’s obscure style of marketing reinforces the mystery of the Comme Des Garçcons lifestyle.

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Writer: Khan