Rei Kawakubo takes Manhattan

H&M unleashed its latest collaboration on the world on Saturday: Comme des Garçons x H&M.  The Harajuku and Ginza stores in Tokyo were the first to receive the line, which dedicated connoisseurs waited in line up to five days for (in the rain, no less). Kawakubo says, “The first reaction from the customers is beyond our expectations.  Comme des Garçons’ spirit together with H&M’s commercial sense seems to work very well.”  Hmmm. Making genius designs available at reasonable prices sells well?  Wow.

That Comme des Garçons has a cult following among the, ahem, underclass comes as no surprise to me.  I, for one, have been waiting to be able to afford my own Kawakubo since I was a teenager. 

H&M describes the collection as “very wearable, featuring her deconstructed tailored garments and well-cut classics in special fabrics.”

One of the centerpieces of the collection is this ruffled dress jacket.  If $450 seems a high price to pay, just keep in mind that a similar piece at CDG would run you well in to the thousands. The collection debuts in America and worldwide TOMORROW, so get in line, people.

American Stores carrying the line are listed below.

New York Locations: 
435 7th Avenue at 34th Street 
1328 Broadway at 34th Street (Herald Square) 
640 5th Avenue at 51st Street 
731 Lexington Avenue at 59th Street

Los Angeles: 
5200 Beverly Center

West Hollywood: 
8580 Sunset Blvd.

San Francisco: 
150 Powell Street

Chicago: 
840 North Michigan Avenue

Tags: comme des garçons, if you love me, rei kawakubo, retail riot, stand in line