Comme des Garçons fragrance deemed as lacking aesthetic appeal
In 1994, designer Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons launched the brand's first perfume, Eau de Parfum, marking a significant milestone in the fashion industry. The launch took place at the iconic Ritz Paris, with the room adorned with sacks of yellow liquid, setting the stage for the unveiling of this groundbreaking fragrance.
Kawakubo's vision for the perfume was bold and unconventional, as reflected in the bottle's design. Franco-American designer Marc Atlan conceptualised the now-recognisable pebble-shaped bottle with a vacuum-packed interior, embodying Kawakubo's practice as it cannot stand upright yet fits comfortably in the palm of the hand.
The perfume bottles, unassuming and unpretentious, lie face down like pebbles. This design choice, along with the utilitarian packaging that resembles Apple products, free from embossed logos, thin cellophane, and polyester ribbon common in the wider fragrance industry, further emphasises Comme des Garçons' commitment to audacity and freedom.
Christian Astuguevieille, the creative director of Comme des Garçons Parfums, has overseen the development of over 94 fragrances for the brand. Astuguevieille, not a traditional 'nose' in the perfume industry, works as an interlocutor of odour. He described the original Eau de Parfum as a 'journey along which windows open and close in succession.'
The Comme des Garçons fragrance portfolio includes scents made in collaboration with a musician, a milliner, a gallery, a muse, an artist, a magazine, and a furniture design company. This collaborative approach reflects the brand's ethos of disruption and innovation.
As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Comme des Garçons Parfums, a new book titled 'Comme des Garçons Parfums 1994-2025' is available for purchase. Written by Dino Simonett, the book offers an in-depth exploration of the brand's disruptive fragrances over the past three decades.
At Dover Street Market in London, a tree-like iron structure houses Comme des Garçons perfume bottles, which appear small and humble, regardless of their size. The bottles are designed to be wide, not tall, and have a low eye level, making the user peer at them from above. This design choice, along with the provocative bottle designs ranging from thick glass rectangles to round cylinders and those with flat bases that cannot stand up, further emphasises the brand's commitment to audacity and innovation.
In 1994, Comme des Garçons engaged the artist Cindy Sherman in the development of a fragrance. This collaboration, like many others, showcases the brand's ability to push boundaries and challenge conventional norms, making Comme des Garçons Parfums a staple in the fragrance industry for over three decades.
For those interested in learning more about Comme des Garçons Parfums, the March 2025 issue of the website features an article on Comme des Garçons Parfums 1994-2025. This article offers a comprehensive look at the brand's history, collaborations, and innovative approach to fragrance creation.
The 'guerrilla' concept has been central to the output of both Kawakubo and Astuguevieille for the last three decades, with a commitment to audacity and freedom in their olfactory research. This commitment to innovation and disruption continues to make Comme des Garçons Parfums a standout brand in the fragrance industry.
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