5 Moments a Rei Kawakubo Exhibition Should Include

UPDATE (October 21, 2016 11:00 a.m.): The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today that the Costume Institute's spring 2017 exhibition will be called "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons." The exhibition will be on view from May 4, 2017 to September 4, 2017, and it will feature approximately 120 examples of the designer's work for Comme des Garçons, from her first show in Paris in 1981 to her most recent collection for spring 2017. The exhibition will feature Kawakubo's fascination with "space between boundaries," according to the press release. To reflect this idea, the mannequins will be arranged at an eye level with no physical barriers between the clothes and the visitors.

Every spring, fashion fans collectively stalk the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to get glimpses of the fashion-meets-art world’s annual gathering hosted by the Costume Institute. Past iterations of the iconic spring exhibitions have included “China: Through the Looking Glass,” “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty,” and most recently, “Manus x Machina,” a fashion lover's dream immersion into the art of balancing tradition and technology in couture. According to a report from WWD, Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo is said to be the Institute’s subject of a solo exhibition next spring.

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Kawakubo—a quintessential designer’s designer—is the creative genius behind the Commes des Garçons label. She's known for her ultra avant-garde collections, which are often peppered with political and sociocultural undertones. Her highbrow pieces have also amassed a major celeb following with fans like Marc Jacobs, Rihanna, and Lady Gaga. If the rumors are true, Kawakubo would be only the second living designer to be the subject of the Institute’s iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibit.

Until then, here are five of the designer's most memorable runway moments we hope to see revived next spring.

Comme des Garçons spring 1997 collection

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Lumps and Bumps

Kawakubo is perhaps best known for her “Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body” collection, which upended the idea of what the female form should look like. For the spring 1997 collection, she sent down pastel gingham tube dresses that had been stuffed with bulbous padded bumps, giving the models a deformed silhouette.

Comme des Garçons fall 2012 collection

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2D Frocks

For her fall 2012 collection, Kawakubo created real-life paper dolls out of felted fabrics. The clothes—a commentary on the static, or “flat,” nature of fashion—looked like Kawakubo’s sketches had walked off the page and onto the runway without picking up their third dimension.

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Broken Bride Collection

In 2005, the controversial designer debuted a very traditional yet unconventional collection of antique-inspired wedding dresses and headdresses made out of paper flowers. Dubbed the “Broken Bride” collection, it features Victorian ivory dresses that recalled Miss Havisham-like haunting vibes.

Undone Knitwear

Kawakubo’s 1982 collection has the post-apocalyptic aesthetic we’ve recently become reacquainted with thanks to Yeezy seasons one through three. The original master of high-end holey garments created a black sweater look that nailed the anti-chic aesthetic.

Comme des Garçons fall 2016 collection

The Washington Post/Getty Images

Pink Armor

For her latest collection, she made a massive statement with models decked out in over-the-top looks with fabrics you wouldn’t normally expect to see on the runway (think rubber, upholstery, and bondage straps). The unique amalgamation gave the distinct impression of armor—albeit daintily hued.

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