Rei Kawakubo on Black, AI, and Design Advice

Rei Kawakubo presented her Comme des Garçons A/W26 collection, titled 'Ultimately Black', in August 2026. In a rare interview with Dazed magazine, the designer explained the collection's themes and shared her thoughts on contemporary design.

Kawakubo's show featured 20 black looks punctuated by six in bright pink. The collection evoked Victorian mourning dress, utilizing corsets, crinolines, bustles, lace, tulle, velvet, and silk. Fabric was manipulated to balloon, cocoon, and coil around the body with ruches, ruffles, and extreme proportions.

The Meaning of Black and Pink

When asked what black means in this collection, Rei Kawakubo stated it was born from a realization. "Black is an essential colour for my artistic expression," she said, attributing the view to herself. "Black is the colour of resistance, of justice and of independence."

Regarding the six vivid pink looks interspersed, Kawakubo denied any particular symbolic meaning. She said the pink exists solely to enhance or reinforce the black, acting like a spice.

Emotion and the Body

The A/W26 show was powerful enough to move a seasoned fashion editor to tears. Kawakubo was asked if she consciously tries to evoke emotion. "There is no specific purpose, it is not always 'for something'," she responded. "I seek something new, but what the result brings about is something I do not know."

She also addressed the relationship between her clothes and the body. "The relationship between clothing and the body is not the theme," Kawakubo stated simply.

On Current Times and AI

The interviewer asked about fashion's role in responding to what was described as very dark times. Kawakubo expressed a positive view. "I believe the role of fashion is that, by expressing oneself through what one wears, one's spirits are lifted," she said. "In other words, it has a positive effect."

On the topic of artificial intelligence in creativity, Kawakubo offered a concise perspective. "If there are 100 people, all 100 will be different," she noted. "In the case of AI, all 100 would more than likely give almost the same answer."

Advice and Lasting Impressions

Her advice for young designers starting out was brief and direct. "To the younger generation: just keep going, keep going," Kawakubo urged.

The source article includes anecdotes that illustrate Kawakubo's formidable presence. Stylist and accessories designer Judy Blame recalled being commissioned for Comme des Garçons' S/S05 collection. He met Kawakubo, who he described as sitting "like a commander," and his only instruction was to make pieces that were "pink and gold." Journalist Susannah Frankel recounted asking Kawakubo a question in the 1990s, only for the designer to draw a circle on a piece of paper and walk away, an answer Frankel called perfect.

Comme des Garçons shows are noted for their focus, featuring no celebrities, influencers, or famous models. The A/W26 show took place on a straight catwalk in a sparsely decorated room, a format described as a balm during fashion week. The full interview appears in the autumn 2026 issue of Dazed, which goes on sale internationally from September 10.