With the typical brevity of Rei Kawakubo, the show notes for Comme des Garçons Homme Plus’s FW24 runway stated that the theme of the collection was “Spiritual World” and that “white is symbolic of prayer.” That’s it. White was indeed everywhere in the collection from the spotless white underskirts on the male models to their trademark dodgy wigs (styles this season included the Phil Oakey asymmetrical bob and the John Rocha).

The collection was typically Homme Plus in many ways. The silhouettes were the opposite of sleek, they were lumpy and bumpy (though not as much as Comme’s infamous SS97 show). If a jacket was tailored traditionally, there had to be a subversion elsewhere, be it having unfinished stitching or having the lining peeking out or the buttons purposefully tied in an awkward way. In fact, much of the collection felt like a two-finger salute to sartorial codes.

Whiter than white pearl buttons felt like a small tribute to Pearly Kings, though they would never have their precious buttons attached so haphazardly. Shimmery sequin shirts felt like a wonderfully retro throwback to an era in fashion many would prefer to forget, but in Kawakubo’s hands they felt like cousins to the pearl buttons. On foot, the soles of Oxfords jutted about an inch outside the rim of the shoe, as if they were still waiting to be trimmed down. 

The final section of the show was everything a die-hard CDG Homme Plus fan would want. Inside-out wool blazers and coats that looked like they’d already been shrunk with the lining creased, the stitching frayed, and the tag on display. Those in the crowd unfamiliar with Rei Kawakubo must have thought the whole thing was an absolute disaster, which is to say: it was another exhilarating collection.