Nothing is simple with COMME des GARÇONS, including the rollout of its seasonal collections. Eschewing conventional Fashion Week schedules, the Japanese company opts to present its new mainline offerings in its Tokyo headquarters to a collective of local journalists, meaning that information is revealed to the wider industry and even the public at a slow drip. Usually, the first bit of news to break is that of CdG's latest Nike collaboration, too dependable to be surprising — except when the special shoe is a semi-forgotten '90s model.
COMME des GARÇONS HOMME PLUS Spring/Summer 2022, "The Existence of Flowers," is a typically adventurous affair from Rei Kawakubo's famed imprint. It's actually fairly tame compared to previous outings with deconstructed blazers mingling with T-shirts dresses, paneled work shirts, and salopettes executed in mostly neutral tones. The beige, white, and navy shades are interrupted by floral patterns and collaged graphics contributed by guest artist Bedelgeuse, gracing everything from base layers to leggings to the rear of oversized shirts and faux fur-trimmed jackets.
Kawakubo offered a typically brief, enigmatic statement to accompany the show notes: "Flowers are not there only for happy times. They exist also for tough, sorrowful and painful times. Even a tiny roadside flower can heal our shredded heart."
Though longtime CdG devotees will find much to like amidst the deconstructed layering pieces and high-contrast silhouettes, sneakerheads will be most excited by the debut of the COMME des GARÇONS x Nike Air Max Sunder SP.
Personally, I'm also pretty stoked on the collaborative George Cox shoes, which employ a print borrowed from House of Beauty and Culture member John Moore, but maybe that's just me.
The original Sunder makeups definitely look like a sneaker that debuted back in 1998.
CdG, meanwhile, stripped the shoe's detailing to the bare minimum for a stylishly contemporary look; the three monochrome shoes are crafted in premium neoprene and nubuck leather and feature "HOMME PLUS" branding on the tongue. The suitably minimalist take on a retro basketball silhouette keeps in line with past CdG sneaker revisions, sans deconstructionist elements.
A closer look finally arrived before the sneaker's Japanese release date in April 2022, showcasing the laceless shoes in all their zippered glory.
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