This article was published on October 14, 2021 and updated on February 4, 2022 to mention the bag's SS22 restock
If the news that Gucci and COMME des GARÇONS are dropping a collaborative tote sounds strange, it shouldn't. They've dropped a shopper bag before (two, actually) and they actually have plenty in common, especially in the light of Gucci's recent industry disruptions.
COMME des GARÇONS has long been the ultimate example of unconventional industry success, intentionally running against the grain with garments that undercut any notion of conventional apparel design.
Founder Rei Kawakubo's iconoclasm has won admirers at luxury peers and industry tastemakers but her Dover Street Market empire, diffusion lines, footwear collaborations, and tote bags have proven more than palatable for even the fashion agnostic.
Gucci, which is not only stocked at Dover Street Market but enjoys its own special installations, has been having quite a rule-breaking year as it commemorates its centenary. From Hot Wheels collabs to Roblox partnerships to Balenciaga hacks, the luxury house is really pushing the envelope as far as legacy labels go.
Before it heads to Los Angeles for a nonconformist fashion show, COMME des GARÇONS and Gucci are getting back together to issue their third co-branded tote bag. This one's a little more approachable than their prior editions, utilizing a simple black facade instead of the faux paper and patterned motifs that graced prior editions.
It's the ultimate understated luxury bag, denoted as a Gucci co-sign exclusively by internal tags and the inimitable red and green stripe on the lateral side. Considering that one element of CdG's genius comes from Kawakubo's ability to transform the mundane into the magical (see: boiled polyester suits, painted leather shoes), the tote's humble appearance is clearly intentional.
Gucci says this tote closes "the circle of this experimental process," meaning it may be the final collaborative CdG tote, launching October 15 on Dover Street Market's web store, physical locations, COMME des GARÇONS stores, and Gucci's archival Vault site, where Gucci simultaneously issue a fresh selection of restored and customized vintage items.
Apropos of nothing, though, Dover Street Market's web store restocked the b ag on February 4 as part of it's Spring/Summer 2022 refresh. Well, no one will complain about getting another chance to cop.
