Comme des Garçons new magazine collab links with Patti Smith, Stormzy and Naomi Osaka

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Nov 30, 2020

Leave it to Comme des Garçons to dream up yet another distinctive collaboration, in this case a yearly series with a magazine and a selection of creative people it admires, in a project named People of the Year.

On Saturday, December 5, the Japanese concept brand will debut the annual rite in partnership with Switch magazine, its favorite Japanese magazine. The choice of the magazine will change each year. The inaugural issue celebrates eight inspirational figures, most notably rock star Patti Smith, rap sensation Stormzy and tennis champion Naomi Osaka.

The People of the Year by Comme des Garcons and Switch gang of eight includes erotica photographer Nobuyoshi Araki, manga artist  Kotobuki Shiriagari, architect Kazuyo Sejima, poet Shuntaro Tanikawa and rocker Ichiro Yamaguchi.

Designed by Rei Kawakubo, this project includes  fashion and accessories finished with artistic script and messages, all available globally at Comme des Garçons and Dover Street Market shops and DSM e-shops.

For the linkup with Osaka, Kawakubo developed  bold all-white logo high-tops, where the tennis pro has hand-written 'Home is Where the Heart Is'; while for Croydon, UK-born rapper Stormzy she developed an anthracite jacket with his name hand-embroidered in red as a crest.

Japanese master architect Kazuyo Sejima, currently a resident professor in Milan, is represented by a bold pill-box red tote; while for Patti Smith it’s a revamp of a classic CDG over-size men’s white cotton shirt, with artfully askew collar; all overlaid with a photo print of the Queen of Punk in  grandfather’s shirt and waistcoat.

Few brands have launched as many collabs as Comme des Garçons, which has worked with Raf Simons, Colette, Nike, Vans and Converse; and that’s just for sneakers. People of the Year marks the latest clever twist in linkedup-mania.