Comme des Garçons Play is CDG's line of basics. Its emblematic logo, a red heart with two wide-open eyes, is the work of by New York artist Filip Pagowski.
Designer Rei Kawakubo is the figurehead of Comme des Garçons. Born in 1942, she started out as a freelance stylist, before launching her own label in 1973 and opening a boutique in Tokyo. In 1981, she presented one of her collections in Paris, at the Hôtel Intercontinental, and aroused controversy and admiration with her unstructured pieces. Often described as "anti-fashion", like that of Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garçons' style is halfway between avant-garde and modern. It appeals to those who like to display a marked, original style, playing on cerebral constructions and shapes. Martin Margiela, Junya Watanabe, Ann Demeulemeester and Helmut Lang have often cited Rei Kawakubo among the personalities who most inspired them.
