Relating the colour black to the ongoing legacy of Rei Kawakubo in fashion is a given. Yet, the Japanese designer continuously finds means to cleverly incorporate the shade in her collections. For Comme des Garçons Fall/Winter 2026, Kawakubo went a step further, turning the colour’s relevance and power into the main focus of her show, named Ultimately Black.
“In the end, there is black. Ultimately black. I have come to realise that, after all, black is the colour for me. It’s just the strongest, the best for creation, and the colour that embodies the rebellious spirit. And has the biggest meaning: the universe and the Black Hole,” Kawakubo expressed in the season’s show notes.
The collection followed a clear order, showcased in three acts. Sixteen predominantly black looks, a few of them blended with white, opened the show, all of which were sculptural, architectural, and extremely rich in materiality and detailing. Echoing some of Comme des Garçons’ signature codes, such as the acclaimed Spring 1997 collection Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body, popularly known as Lumps and Bumps, this was a seasonal reminder of how fortunate we are to witness Kawakubo’s dramatic creations to this day.
Challenging body proportions, a crucial part of the label’s DNA, garments were ruffled, pleated, puffed, draped, and maximised on the hips and bust – often fringed, laced, ruched, and sequined. Three black dresses caught attention for carrying a bright-coloured silk piece of fabric, asymmetrically belting the silhouettes and favouring contrast with pops of red, green, and blue, respectively.
After that, a pause. The music went down, and what followed was an army of fast-paced models dressed in six bubble-gum pink looks, a complete antithesis to what had just been shown. Chaotic, romantic, energetic, with bulbous shapes and fabric draped, twisted and folded to the max.
Was pink placed there to represent black’s shadow colour? Or was it perhaps an attempt to disclose what is hidden underneath our shadows? Was the colour a metaphor for our most human side – sharing the same coloured flesh and blood?
Once the soundtrack resumed, the final act commenced. Five other full black looks closed the show, with exaggerated, powerful proportions blended with delicate brocade, lace, and fringe details. Questions were posed with no further answers. Leaving a collection open for interpretation is another Kawakubo speciality.
Words by Ketlyn Araujo
