This article was updated on January 14, 2021
With a pedigree of partnering with heavy hitters like Nike, Supreme, and Gucci, it's fair to say that no one enlists better collaborations than COMME des GARÇONS.
CdG's infrequent Black Market pop-up shops are a perfect example of how the Japanese company has mastered the technique, bringing in diverse brands to create a vast selection of covetable collectibles sold nowhere else.
Basically everything that COMME des GARÇONS touches — from COMME des GARÇONS' own stores to the international Dover Street Markets — benefits from a sprinkling of collaborative magic.
For instance, all of the brand's boutiques will occasionally stock one-off items from the CdG brand family and its massive network of peers, encouraging shoppers to visit as often as possible or else miss out on limited edition items.
Like the Guerilla stores that COMME des GARÇONS operates at a whim, the Black Market events never occur with much regularity. They do usually go down in Tokyo, though, and the most recent edition was first held in Harajuku, though it's now about to move to London.
That first stop in Harajuku reportedly raked in over ¥100m, or about $877k in its two week run and had over 250 customers duly lined up to head inside from the day that it opened in mid-November.
Likewise, expect big crowds to take to Dover Street Market London when it hosts the next COMME des GARÇONS Black Market pop-up in France from January 18 to 30.
It's timed to coincide with Paris Fashion Week, where Dover Street's Little Market outpost will host showrooms from its designers.
The Black Market's latest run began in fall at COMME des GARÇONS’ Aoyama flagship and continued at Dover Street Market London so it may head stateside eventually.
This go-round, exclusive Black Market goods range from reworked Lewis Leathers and WOLF'S HEAD outerwear to a blacked-out G-SHOCK to furniture designed by CdG founder Rei Kawakubo.
Fans of COMME des GARÇONS' youthful CDG sub-label will be likely be more interested in the tonal streetwear bits offered by labels like BAPE, Stüssy, and CdG PLAY, all rendered in tonal black.
Perhaps the most interesting item is a new style of collaborative Vans sneaker.
Here, an all-black Old Skool's canvas upper has been punkishly pierced with a giant grommet, allowing the wearer's sock to peek through.
