Comme des Garçons vintage: the lines explained, and how to buy secondhand
Comme des Garçons is one of the most counterfeited designer labels in the world and also one of the most misunderstood. The Play line — the one with the heart logo — is what most people know. The rest of the label's universe is something else entirely.
Rei Kawakubo and why CdG matters
Rei Kawakubo founded Comme des Garçons in Tokyo in 1969 and showed her first Paris collection in 1981. The reception was hostile. Critics called it "Hiroshima chic." Buyers didn't know what to do with it. Kawakubo kept going.
What she built over the next five decades is one of the most consistently radical bodies of work in fashion history — clothing that treated the body as a conceptual space rather than something to be dressed. Asymmetry, deconstruction, deliberate imperfection, garments that challenged what clothes were supposed to do. Nothing about CdG has ever been safe, and that's precisely why collectors care about it.
The lines, explained
The CdG group operates as a constellation of separate labels, each with its own designer and identity. What appears on the label tells you a lot about what you've found.
COMME des GARÇONS (main line) — Kawakubo's own runway collection. The most conceptual, the most expensive, and the most aggressively collected. Pieces from key collections — the 1980s, the mid-90s "lumps and bumps" era, the early 2000s — are genuine archive material. If you find a mainline piece in excellent condition from before 2005, that's serious.
tricot COMME des GARÇONS — the knitwear-focused secondary line. Launched in the 1980s, tricot produces pieces that sit between the mainline's conceptual extremes and genuine everyday wearability. The design language is still very much CdG — sculptural, considered, anti-trend — but the pieces tend to be more enduring. The 1990s tricot output in particular is highly sought after right now.
Junya Watanabe COMME des GARÇONS — Junya Watanabe joined CdG in 1984 and launched his own line under the group umbrella in 1992. His work sits closer to traditional tailoring than Kawakubo's, but with consistent technical experimentation — unusual fabrications, hybrid constructions, menswear cuts reinterpreted for different bodies. The label reads "Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons" and is entirely distinct from the mainline.
COMME des GARÇONS PLAY — the heart logo line. Accessible, widely distributed, and the one most people encounter first. Not collectible in the archive sense, but a legitimate entry point into the brand. Easy to authenticate: the heart logo should be clean, centred, and consistent.
COMME des GARÇONS HOMME / HOMME PLUS — the menswear lines. HOMME is the more accessible of the two; HOMME PLUS is the experimental runway equivalent. Both are undervalued in the Australian secondhand market compared to Europe and Japan.
Noir Kei Ninomiya — launched 2012, covered separately in our guide here.
How to read a CdG date code
Every authentic CdG garment made after a certain point has a six-digit date code on the care label, formatted as a letter followed by numbers (e.g., AD2001). The letters correspond to specific years according to a code that changed in 2001 — pre-2001 and post-2001 pieces use different systems. If you're buying something claimed to be from a specific era, the date code is the most reliable way to verify it.
What to look for in authentic pieces
CdG is heavily faked, particularly the Play line and anything with obvious logo placement. On genuine pieces, stitching is consistent and high-quality, labels are clearly printed with correct typography, and the construction — even on more accessible lines — reflects genuine care. Fakes typically show inconsistent stitching, slightly off fonts, and hardware that feels lightweight.
What's in stock at Noir Neko right now
Three pieces across different lines and eras:
- Comme des Garçons Black Lace Ruffle Shirt — mainline. Intricate black polyester lace with dramatic ruffles. Japan. XS (AU 6–8). Excellent condition. $340.
- 1997 Tricot COMME des GARÇONS Flared Midi Skirt — archive piece from Fall/Winter 1997. 100% wool, structured silhouette, Japan. Size M (fits AU 6–8). Good condition. $300.
- Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons Pants — menswear cut, beautifully suited to a unisex fit. Acetate/wool/nylon blend, Japan. Size S (AU women's 8–10 or men's S). Priced to reflect condition. $160.
All one of a kind. All ship from Australia.
Noir Neko is a curated alternative vintage store based in Australia. We hand-pick every piece for its quality, history, and edge.
