Ahead of the Met Gala, we revisit Rei Kawakubo's past creations

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

The Met Gala, aka the party of the year, has finally arrived. Who will be there, and what will they wear? We know we'll be setting our alarms for 7am HKT on May 2, to see Vogue's Facebook Live stream.

The theme for this year's fundraiser is Rei Kawakubo/ Comme des Garçons, with the event also marking the launch of the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute exhibition, Art of the In-Between, which celebrates the legendary designer and her signature label.

Ms. Kawakubo has spent more than 50 years redefining the fashion genre, a mysterious, visionary genius who has consistently churned out almost universally-applauded and previously inconceivable prodigious new collections year after year.

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

Farfetch, as one of the Costume Institue Benefit’s sponsors, has created a retrospective photoshoot in collaboration with Comme des Garçons archive boutique Dot COMME, with many rare vintage pieces now available on their website.

Ahead of the Gala, we look back at some of CdG’s most memorable collections. Kawakubo's designs may come in a hundred different forms, but you can be certain that they are abstract and bold and beautiful, and always, always avant-garde.


Spring/ Summer 1995

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

Pixelated camo suit, from the “Transcending Gender”  show for S/S 1995.


 Spring/ Summer 1997

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

Ensemble, from S/S 1997's "Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body", aka the "lumps and bumps" show.


 Autumn/Winter 1999

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

Silk scarf kilt suit, from A/W 1999's "Transformed Glamour".


 Autumn/ Winter 2000

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

Yellow tartan boiled wool attachments suit, from the tartan-themed "Hard and Forceful" in A/W 2000.


 Autumn/ Winter 2000

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

Plaid switching suit, also from "Hard and Forceful".


 Spring/ Summer 2001 and 2011

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

Red and white checkerboard dress, from S/S 2001's highly graphic "Optical Shock"; skull print suit and orange mesh shirt from S/S 2011's "skull of life".


 Spring/ Summer 2001 and 2006

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

Red and white checkerboard suit, also from S/S 2001's "Optical Shock", paired with the Rolling Stones signatures suit from the S/S 2006 rock-themed homme collection.


 Autumn/ Winter 2007

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

Bejeweled suit from the A/W 2007 homme collection, inspired by four unique English artists.


 Spring/ Summer 2007

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

Grey deconstructed tulle dress from the S/S 2007 collection, which celebrated Rei's Japanese roots.


 Autumn/ Winter 2012

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

Red 2D felt ensemble from the A/W 2012 collection. According to Kawakubo, "The future's in two dimensions".


 Spring/ Summer 2014

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Photo: Courtesy of Farfetch

2D calico loop dress from the S/S 2014 collection, in which Kawakubo went beyond making clothes to creating wearable objects.


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