“Let’s get out of the black hole.” Designer Rei Kawakubo’s latest collection for Comme Des Garçons Homme Plus aims to offer a sense of lightness amid challenging times, presenting a wardrobe designed for optimistic forward momentum.
A Uniform for Optimism, Touched by the Macabre
The spring/summer 2026 menswear collection blends sharp tailoring wiht unsettling imagery.
- Kawakubo’s collection features a striking contrast between elegant suiting and unsettling accessories like frazzled wigs and hockey masks.
- Classic men’s tuxedo silhouettes are deconstructed and reimagined with cutouts, elongated tails, and unexpected pairings.
- The show culminated in a series of all-white ensembles, symbolizing a hopeful emergence from darkness.
Models walked the runway sporting frazzled wigs and hockey masks reminiscent of hannibal Lecter, a deliberately jarring juxtaposition against the clothing itself. the garments weren’t menacing, tho, but rather a study in refined construction and unexpected materials. Suits appeared in shimmering silver fabrics and delicate brocades, offering a tactile richness.
A central theme was the reinterpretation of the classic men’s tuxedo. Blazers were dramatically sliced to reveal the midriff, or featured cutouts at the back, and were often extended into the shape of a tailcoat. Traditional trousers were sometimes replaced with schoolboy shorts, while shirts gave way to dresses extending below the knee.
The most poignant moment arrived with a procession of all-white looks. Suits were artfully scrunched and warped into ruffled forms, evoking the image of flower bulbs beginning to bloom-a visual metaphor for hope emerging from a state of hopelessness.
News Report Style Edits & Answers to Questions:
Why: Rei Kawakubo, creative director of Comme des Garçons Homme Plus, presented a spring/summer 2026 collection designed to offer a sense of optimism and forward momentum in challenging times. She aimed to create a “uniform” for navigating darkness and finding hope.
Who: The collection was designed by Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçons Homme Plus and showcased on models during a recent runway presentation.The show featured jarring accessories like frazzled wigs and hockey masks.
What: The collection featured a striking contrast between elegant tailoring and unsettling imagery. Key elements included deconstructed tuxedo silhouettes-blazers with cutouts,elongated tails,and pairings with schoolboy shorts or dresses-and garments crafted from shimmering silver fabrics and delicate brocades. The show culminated in an all-white procession symbolizing hope.
How did it end?: The collection concluded with a series of all-white ensembles, artfully scrunched and warped to resemble blooming flower bulbs. This visual metaphor represented hope emerging from a state of hopelessness, leaving a poignant and optimistic final impression.
