Basic Homme

or 'Spread Your Legs'










Polo dress Comme des Garçons Homme Plus
Jacket Comme des Garçons Homme Plus

The gradual is the rationale behind fashion. Dressing accordingly to the trends and times is, per definition, unfashionable. Prolonging the men's dress therefore is a never-ending cycle of right-not-right which makes it a classic already.
/HORST

Double Feature III

A 'False Encyclopaedia' double feature with James Dobson, discussing:
Comme des Garçons Spring/Summer 2015

I'm going to be honest, I couldn't help but feel ever so slightly ripped-off at Rei's latest outing... there's a little part of me that cringes when I see constructions like this on the catwalk as I can instantly imagine it flashing on peoples TV screens during the late night news, in that little 'light relief segment' at the end as an illustration of how 'wacky' fashion is, and Brian and Shirley sitting at home dunking their chocolate wheatens into their milky tea having a little chuckle and saying something like "You'd look good in that Shirley". 

For a label that is capable of moving people to tears, this collection, dare I say it, felt a little predictable. Sure, red, the most provacative of colours (yawn), the colour of harlots, cardinals and baboon's arses has a lot of power but after a few seasons of these hefty assemblages staggering down the catwalk wouldn't the next unexpected step be something positively wearable? 

Wouldn't that be more provocative?

/JAMES

All I thought was organs, organs, organs. Sarah Lucas, Louise Bourgeois, Hannah Wilke. So, feminism is in fashion. But then, the clothes were anti-fem. Why doesn't Rei just throw pillows on women?
/HORST





1. Comme des Garçons Spring/Summer 2015
2. Comme des Garçons Fall/Winter 2014
3. Comme des Garçons Spring/Summer 2014
4. Cardinals Vatican City, 2013
5. Hannah Wilke Untitled, 1980
6. Louise Bourgeois Cell XIV, 2000
7. Sarah Lucas Nice Tits, 2011
8. Comme des Garçons Spring/Summer 2015

Positive Extremism

1. Comme des Garçons Homme Plus Spring/Summer 2015
2. John Galliano Fall/Winter 1997
3. Collier Schorr Base Portraits/Barracks, 2005

Straight pacifism. The most admirable beings united. Rei, Raf, Collier. Nipster fashion for the pre-digital, post-digital age. Those of us you live analogue digially. In Real Life. In Real Love. On- and offline.
/HORST

Inspired by Alexander Fury

A Short History Of The Comic Strip In Popular Culture XVII

1. Unknown (X-MEN)
2. Cary Kwok Pop In The Eye, 2013
3. Unknown (Disney)
4. Unknown
5. Raymond Pettibon Unknown
6. Comme des Garçons Shirt Spring/Summer 2008
7. John Wesley Woman On Top (detail), 1996
8. John Wesley Untitled (Woman With Glasses, detail), 2004

Sex metaphors within comic. Usually a pastiche or web manipulation, the signals of intercourse via flat colour fields are a recurring fantasy in a seemingly forbidden, sexually neutral, non-physical, hypothetic and pre-adulthood cultural context. Sex in comic is another last taboo.
/HORST

Tokyo Picks

A city of quiet insanity. Of hairspray scented metro malls. Rush hour sundays. Men wearing handbags. Rei crossing the street. And all things matcha and wasabi. Irasshaimase!

Best Architecture
PRADA AOYAMA
5−2−6 Minamiaoyama

Retro futurism as trademark and landmark. While a secret staircase tunnel leads directly to the menswear department in the basement, the women's collection is presented on fur coated rails - decorated with multiple video screens attached to long amorphous arms. Barbarella would shop here.

Best Museum
21_21
9-7-6 Tokyo Midtown Garden

Initiated by Issey Miyake, the angular concrete structure is surrounded by the skyline of Roppongi Hills and the Midtown Garden parks. The venue hosts design themed exhibitions with a strong aesthetic focus such as 'The Art of Rice'.

Best Concept Store
DSM GINZA
6-9-5 Ginza

A temple with a temple. The six storey building hosts all Comme des Garçons collections, artworks by Cindy Sherman, the Rose Bakery café and a rooftop garden with miniature shrine.

Best Department Store
ISETAN
3-14-1 Shinjuku

In fact, the best selection of Japanese designer brands: Undercover, Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto. The most established or hyped. The holy fashion mountain of Shinjuku.

Best Deli
MUJI
3−17−1 Shinjuku

Surprisingly, MUJI stores offer small cafeteria serving exquisite little dishes to be combined individually. A warm atmosphere with wooden furnishings and glass bottle chandeliers characterizes this fast slow food retreat.

Best Lunch
APRÈS-MIDI
1-Chome-15-7 Jinnan

Located on the 5th floor of a little tower building, the concrete and leather equipped bar-cum-café offers a modern Japanese lunch menu and a relaxed, intimate lounge feeling.

Best Bar
ROUGE
3-Chome-20-6 Shinjuku

The bar owned by no one else than Nobuyoshi Araki strikes with a sinister, almost contemplative atmosphere and very devoted barkeepers. A bondage set and little book corner invite well-informed visitors into the Araki world.

Best Schnitzel
TONKATSU MAISEN
4-8-5 Jingumae

Tonkatsu or 'katsudon' is a classic rice dish topped with a sliced breaded cutlet. Japanese schnitzel, sort of. A must-eat. Anyday. Or everday even.

Best Gay Bar
DRAGON
2-Chome-11-4 Shinjuku

Topless waiters on Friday night deliver the prime reason for a visit. Add disco ball, laser lights, iconic pop diva songs and reasonably priced drinks and the night is set.

Best Souvenir Shop
DON QUIXOTE
1-Chome-16-5 Kabukicho

The 24h multi-store, fondly called 'Donki' by locals, allows instant late night shopping satisfaction. Coloured contact lenses, tabi socks, phone cases. You want it, you can have it.

Best Antique Books
COW BOOKS
1-Chome-14-11 Aobadai

Rather gallery than boutique, the space is equipped with small library-esque tables to read and study. On display are monumental works by Bruce Weber, Robert Mapplethorpe or Irving Penn.

/HORST

Tokyo Diaries III

A mental travel preparation.




Ganryu Fall/Winter 2014

Clothes for the modern man. The one who travels with(in) his body and mind. Loose fit skorts and platform trainers for a cushioned step into the other world. For the one who travels to Tokyo, Japan.
/HORST