Following the success of her blockbuster exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, it seemed that Rei Kawakubo was in a celebratory mood and ready to party at the SS18 Comme des Garçons Homme Plus show.

While disco music and coloured lights flashed through the theatre, the models danced and strutted their stuff on circular podium. With almost every look, the silhouette consisted of a long blazer or jacket worn with baggy-basketball-style-shorts and chunky sneakers, however these were no ordinary menswear pieces.

Dressed like Japanese manga cartoon characters; we saw an explosion of glitter and gigantic coloured sequins combined with velvet tails, fluffy pink leopard print cuffs, psychedelic flower prints, tartan and pinstripes. A highlight from the show was the series of surreal jackets created in collaboration with sculptor and textile artist Mona Luison. The pieces — wearable works of art — were worn inside out, for a collection that Kawakubo dubbed “What’s on the Inside Matters.” Luison adorned the garments with a patchwork of baby doll body parts and stuffed animals, additionally her prints were applied to a number of the t-shirts too.

Kawakubo also collaborated with Nike on an Air Max 180 made especially for Comme des Garçons. The other shoes consisted of coloured patchwork laceups, as well as exaggerated soles on a number of the shoes. The grooming was certainly the wildest of all the men’s shows this season; models donned slicked down chin-length plastic wigs in shocking pink or jet black – and you guessed it – covered in glitter.