Comme des Garçons ("like the boys" or "like boys") is the Tokyo-based, avant-garde fashion design house of Rei Kawakubo, who designs "clothes with a modus operandi more familiar to conceptual art than to fashion".1 The house was founded in 1969 and debuted in Europe in 1981.
"I have never really been into fragrances," said Kawakubo in 1999,2 and perhaps that attitude explains the brand's strikingly unconventional range of scents.
Their first perfume, Comme des Garçons Eau de Parfum, launched in 1994. Other fragrances include Comme des Garçons Eau de Cologne (1996), White (1996), Odeur 53 (1998), Comme des Garçons 2 (1999), Odeur 71 (2000), Comme des Garçons 3 (2002), Comme des Garçons 2 Man (2004).
The Comme des Garçons fragrance series
In addition to the above, there is a series of series, or themed sets, of fragrances, including Series 1: Leaves (Tea, Calamus, Mint, Lily, Shiso; 2000), Series 2: Red (Harisssa, Sequoia, Palisander, Carnation and Rose), Series 3: Incense (Avignon, Jaisalmer, Kyoto, Ouarzazate & Zagorsk; 2002), Series 4: Cologne (2002), Series 5: Sherbet (Rhubarb, Peppermint, Cinnamon; 2003), Series 6: Synthetic (Garage, Soda, Dry Clean, Tar and Skai), Series 7: Sweet (2005), Series 8: Energy C Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime (2008), Series 10 Clash: Celluloid Galbanum, Chlorophyll Gardenia and Radish Vetiver (2019).
Recent fragrance releases from Comme des Garçons
Recent releases include Guerilla 1 and Guerilla 2 (2006), Comme des Garçons Play (2007), Luxe Patchouli & Luxe Champaca (2007), 888 (2008), Dover Street Market (2009), Wonderwood (2010), A New Perfume (2011), Red Play, Black Play & Green Play (2012), Amazingreen (2012), Black Comme des Garçons (2013), Blue Invasion Blue Encens, Blue Cedrat & Blue Santal (2013), Wonderoud (2014), Floriental (2015), Dot (2015), Black Pepper (2016), Concrete (2017), Andy Warhol's You're In (2017), Rouge (2020).
Fragrance collaborations
Monocle + Comme des Garçons Scent One: Hinoki, which launched in 2008, was the first in a series of collaborations with other brands and/or personalities.
Subsequent collaborative efforts included Stephen Jones (2008), H&M (2008), Daphne Guinness Daphne (2009), Artek Standard (2009), Monocle Scent Two: Laurel (2009), Undercover Holygrace and Holygrapie (2010), Hussein Chalayan Airborne (2011), Monocle Scent Three: Sugi (2013), Stephen Jones Wisteria Hysteria (2014), Serpentine Galleries Serpentine (2014), Pharrell Williams Girl (2014), Grace by Grace Coddington (2016), Gosha Rubchinskiy (2016), Vogue 125 (2017), Monocle Scent Four: Yoyogi (2019).
Where to buy
In the US, online at Aedes, Apothia, Beautyhabit, Luckyscent or Miomia. The line can also be found at Barneys, or at one of the Comme des Garçons boutiques (there is one in Chelsea in NYC).
In the UK, try Escentual or Dover Street Market (the Dover Street Market is owned by Comme des Garçons, and see also, shopping report for Dover Street Market).
In Brussels, try Senteurs d'Ailleurs. In Canada, The Perfume Shoppe.
Further reading
See all articles on Now Smell This tagged Comme des Garçons.
Read a brief profile of Rei Kawabuko at Time Magazine.
Read Comme des Garçons builds niche perfume empire at the New York Times.
1. Via Rei KAWAKUBO at Interview magazine.
2. Via Women's Wear Daily, 9/20/2003.