This skirt was designed by Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons. Kawakubo, born in 1942 in Japan, is widely acknowledged one of the world's most original and influential fashion designers. After studying literature and fine arts at Keio University, she worked for several years in advertising before establishing her own clothing label, 'Comme des Garçons' (Like some boys') in Japan in 1973.
Although initially using monochromatic black as her signature, Kawakubo introduced colour into later collections which, combined with daring and unexpected combinations of textures and patterns, have become her hallmarks. Comme des Garçons garments are generally layered, asymmetrical, unstructured and sometimes padded. She introduced new approach to cutting and construction. fabrics often incorporating rips, holes and frayed seams.
The skirt forms part of The Gene Sherman Collection of Japanese fashion and accessories, with a focus on the work of Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garçons and the Japanese-Australian designer Akira Isogawa, formed from the late 1980s to 2004. The Collection reflects Sherman's individual style as well as her appreciation of Japanese design. Dr Gene Sherman is Director of Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation (SCAF) in Paddington, Sydney. Its predecessor, Sherman Galleries, founded in 1986, was one of Australia's major commercial art galleries until its closure in 2007. As director of Sherman Galleries, Dr Sherman organised many exhibitions of contemporary art from Australia and the Asia-Pacific region and has played an important role connecting art and artists in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Dr Gene Sherman was a trustee of the Powerhouse Museum from 1995 to 2001 and special advisor to the Museum from 2002 to 2004. Born in South Africa, Sherman lives in Sydney with her husband Brian Sherman.
Designed and made by Comme des Garçons for the 1997 Spring / Summer collection.
Information provided by Comme des Garçons Co. Ltd 25/2/09: "97 Spring Summer. Collection theme: Body meets dress-dress meets body".
Dr Gene Sherman has been collecting avant-garde Japanese fashion for more than 20 years. Dr Sherman bought her first pieces of Japanese clothing at Rhonda Parry's boutique in Double Bay in the mid 1980s. Since then, she has primarily worn clothes designed by Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons. Gene Sherman maintains a wearing wardrobe of approximately 20 pieces. She has said "when I acquire something, I retire a piece into my archive". Sherman had boxes made to museum standards and stored 'retired' pieces from the collection in her attic.
Referring to this garment Gene Sherman has said: "Comme des Garçons Black bubble skirt. Bought in Tokyo in 1998 at the Comme store. Worn only twice. Normally fastens with large traditional silver safety pin. Had made via a jewellry artist at 'Makers Mark' [Jeweller, Sydney] - a more interesting black pin." (Gene Sherman collection note book 2009/16/62)
"I don't remember wearing it often. It is very bubbly and kind of bushy. They gave me a traditional safety pin, a large one, because it has no fastener. I obviously intended to wear it regularly and hoped it would become a staple of my wearing wardrobe - because I had a pin made at Makers Mark, a more interesting pin that I felt served it better." (Interview with Gene Sherman by Claire Roberts, 15 December 2008)
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