Rei Kawakubo on Black, AI and Design

Rei Kawakubo presented her Comme des Garçons Autumn/Winter 2026 collection, titled 'Ultimately Black', in a show that moved a seasoned fashion editor to tears. The collection, shown in August 2026, featured 20 black looks punctuated by six in bright, bubblegum pink.

In a rare interview published in the autumn 2026 issue of Dazed magazine, the designer explained her enduring focus. "This collection was born from the realisation that once again, when all is said and done, black is an essential colour for my artistic expression," Kawakubo said. She described black as "the colour of resistance, of justice and of independence."

The 'Ultimately Black' Collection

The show had a funereal quality, reminiscent of Victorian mourning dress. It featured corsets, crinolines, bustles, lace, tulle, velvet, and silk. Fabric was manipulated extensively, ballooning and cocooning the body, coiled with ruches and ruffles, pleated and patched, and blown out to extreme proportions.

Kawakubo stated the vivid pink looks had "no particular meaning" on their own. "It exists solely to enhance or reinforce the black, like a spice," she explained. When asked if she consciously tries to evoke emotion, she said there is no specific purpose. "I seek something new, but what the result brings about is something I do not know."

On Fashion and Current Times

The designer was direct about the relationship between her clothes and the wearer. "The relationship between clothing and the body is not the theme," Kawakubo stated. Addressing fashion's role in what she called "very dark times," she expressed a positive view. "I believe the role of fashion is that, by expressing oneself through what one wears, one's spirits are lifted."

Views on AI and Advice

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

Her advice for young designers starting out was equally brief. "To the younger generation: just keep going, keep going." The interview, featured in Dazed, is part of a masterclass collection that continues to define avant-garde fashion after half a century of her work.