In fashion, a message isn’t hard to communicate. The true difficulty comes in expressing and enacting emotion—a skill reserved for the greats. Of course, Rei Kawakubo has no difficulty in this task. For decades, the designer has been weaponizing her intellectual means for emotional ends. For Comme des Garçons Homme Plus Fall/Winter 2025, she speaks directly to the overwhelming hopelessness of war.
From the perspective of a group of young soldiers, Kawakubo paints a clear picture: oversized sleeves swallowing models’ knuckles, atrophied combat boots with upturned toes, and binding pinstripe suits—the anti-war statement was loud and clear. The show’s narrator, the Nina Simone soundtrack, helped create a narrow atmosphere, juxtaposed by billowing balloon pants and tall, adorned helmets. As unwilling soldiers walked by, tears swelled in the audience’s eyes.
If the collection starts sombre, staying true to its original point of reference, it eventually leans more into youthful fantasy. Colour-blocked military coats resemble those of toys. Nutcracker-like joy contrasts heavily with the models’ expressions as they drag their distorted feet, stumbling into each other on the claustrophobic catwalk. Throughout the season, many designers have aimed to relate to the current political climate—one that grows more dystopian by the day—but Kawakubo is in a league of her own. She does what great artists do: she makes her audience empathetic.
Words by Pedro Vasconcelos
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