The general Comme des Garçons logo is traditionally textual. It unites several fashion lines, as the company has many subsidiary brands. The bold font with semi-bold letters ensures easy readability and quick recognition of the fashion platform.
Comme des Garçons: Brand overview
Comme des Garçons is a Japanese-French company that emerged in Tokyo and later opened an office in Paris, operating in several countries worldwide. Its activities cover the two aforementioned cities, New York City and Hong Kong, as well as Melbourne and London, where it has established its stores. The brand offers clothing, footwear, perfume, and jewelry. The history of Comme des Garçons began in 1969 in Tokyo, when Rei Kawakubo, despite having no formal fashion education, created her clothing line inspired by European culture and artistic expression. Initially known for minimalist designs and monochromatic palettes, the brand gained global attention after its controversial 1981 Paris debut, labeled “Hiroshima chic” by critics for its dark, asymmetrical, and deconstructed aesthetic. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Kawakubo further experimented, launching men’s lines, perfumes, and accessories and introducing innovative concepts like temporary “guerilla stores” and the groundbreaking Dover Street Market retail experience. Collaborations with mainstream brands like H&M, Nike, Converse, and Supreme in the 2000s and 2010s further expanded its appeal and commercial success. A major 2017 retrospective exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art solidified Kawakubo’s influence in fashion. Even into the 2020s, with Rei Kawakubo continuing as creative director alongside her husband Adrian Joffe as president, the brand is committed to artistic innovation, independence, and global cultural impact.
Meaning and History
The Comme des Garçons brand was established in 1969 in the capital of Japan. It began its professional activities by introducing punk-style clothing to the world. The company was officially opened in 1973. It was named after a line from the song “Tous les garçons et les filles” by French singer Françoise Hardy: “Comme les garçons et les filles de mon âge.”
Despite its name (meaning “like boys” in French), the fashion brand only introduced its line of men’s clothing on the runway in 1978. The logo was established right at the moment of the brand’s inception. The sign is made in the traditions of the fashion industry, so it is predominantly textual. The basis of the logo is the brand’s name, written in uppercase letters. However, it is not devoid of a symbolic element. A miniature star fulfills this role, suggesting it is a luxury clothing brand.
What is Comme des Garçons?
Comme des Garçons (abbreviated as CDG) is a fashion company with offices in two fashion capitals: de facto in Tokyo and legally in Paris. It is involved in designing and manufacturing products and sales, opening a chain of its stores in several countries worldwide. Its product range includes clothing, jewelry, perfumes, and footwear. The founder of the fashion house is designer Rei Kawakubo.
1969 – today
The Comme des Garçons emblem features a harmonious combination of text and graphics. The key focus is the brand name, written in a straight, confident, and strict font without serifs, which is characteristic of high-fashion logos. The only drawn element is a star. It occupies the bottom position, located under the letter “C,” written in the French manner – with a subscript diacritical mark. In this case, the miniature star replaces the comma (,).
An image of a red heart with eyes often accompanies the word logo. This is the basic symbol of the brand used on branded products. It appears both alone and accompanied by the name. The author of this design symbol is Filip Pagowski, a Polish artist. He created it at the personal request of Rei Kawakubo after attending several fashion performances by the company. Thus, the star is not the only image in Comme des Garçons’ visual identity.
Font and Colors
The brand is set in a clean, confident typeface resembling Neue Helvetica Pro 93 Black Extended. The letters are large, uniform in height, and precisely aligned, giving the logo a cohesive and polished appearance. A distinctive detail is the small star replacing the standard diacritical mark beneath the letter “C,” which adds a touch of individuality.
A notable design feature is the inclusion of a preposition rendered in lowercase, contrasting with the uppercase styling of the other two words in the name. This choice lends the composition a lighter, less formal tone.
The company uses the Bohemian Typewriter typeface for slogans by Lukas Krakora, which introduces a sense of informality and creativity to complement the more structured main text.
The color palette is restrained and minimalist, centered on black. This approach results in a sleek, elegant look that maintains a sense of modernity and style.