Tao Kurihara (Japanese, b. 1973) for tao Comme des Garçons (Japanese, founded 2005). Ensemble, spring/summer 2007. Ivory silk knit; white paper; natural cotton canvas. Gift of Comme des Garçons, 2007 (2007.382.2a–f).
Tao Kurihara, like John Galliano and Alexander McQueen, is a graduate of the prestigious fashion program of Central Saint Martins in London. She was mentored at Commes des Garçons and, as a protégé of Rei Kawakubo and Junya Watanabe, was given her own label in 2005. Kurihara’s first designs expanded on the leitmotif of sweet femininity that expresses itself intermittently in the collections of Commes des Garçons by playing with the notion of combining knitwear and lingerie.
For her spring/summer 2007 collection, Kurihara juggled another unexpected pairing with her premise of “a shirt and a wedding.” As an originating conceit, it allowed for an exploration of subtly masculine and explicitly feminine elements, beautifully juxtaposed. The collection, executed completely in white, ended with bridesmaids in fine gauged silk knit polo shirts and crinoline hooped skirts of shredded paper. As Cathy Horyn described the conclusion of the show, “The more elaborate skirts, including the bridal number, made a huge heart-pounding rustle, as if to say ‘She’s coming!’”
March 30, 2008 at 12:18 pm
This piece does a wonderful job of playing with texture to create interest. The mono-color allows the interesting materials used to to be the focus as does the traditional shape. The main focus is clearly the texture.
March 31, 2008 at 5:43 am
I remember the work of Tao Kurihara for Comme des Garçons and it’s great she was given her own label. Her work is still amazing with a wonderful attention to detail. I’m very impressed!
April 1, 2008 at 8:55 am
I think the skirt is amazing, creating a level of excitement and expectation, but the chosen shirt isn’t really masculine. It’s just a limp ordinary polo which says to me, been washed too many times. I think it needs something weightier.
April 1, 2008 at 6:29 pm
eww… no thanks not 4 me
April 5, 2008 at 9:21 am
I hope this means tiered skirts are on their way back “IN.”
April 5, 2008 at 5:13 pm
‘it allowed for an exploration of subtly masculine and explicitly feminine elements, beautifully juxtaposed.’
The juxtaposition works well and the fact that the ‘polo shirt’ is made with silk adds another twist.
This magnificent piece invites meditation about the nature of fashion and its potential. There are one thousand and one possibilities to present an idea. Tao Kurihara makes a very personal statement. Her work is about ideas about fashion.
Rei Kawakubo and Junya Watanabe have been her mentors, it is clear, but Tao Kurihara speaks with her own voice, a strong, beautiful, poetic voice.
April 6, 2008 at 1:23 pm
this reminded me of hanging chinese laterns