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COMME des GARÇONS has brought back Rei Kawakubo’s magazine Six, pairing archival pages with new work in a print edition distributed to select clients. The revival also includes installations in Tokyo, Paris and London and a limited 12-piece T-shirt collection; the London display is scheduled to remain on view through November 13.
COMME des GARÇONS has revived Six, the magazine created by designer Rei Kawakubo, with a new print edition, installations in Tokyo, Paris and London, and a limited collection of 12 T-shirts. The return brings the publication back after 35 years and places its archival imagery in public-facing displays during the Frieze period.
The new issue combines six archival covers and selected pages with work by contemporary image-makers intended to reflect the magazine’s approach. Kawakubo curated the material, according to the report. The publication is being circulated as a print mailer to select clients in the cities hosting the installations, rather than described as a general retail release.
The displays adapt the archive to each location. At COMME des GARÇONS Aoyama in Tokyo and Dover Street Market Paris, pillars wrapped in images from past issues form part of the installations. In London, Dover Street Market has a window exhibition visible from outside, alongside a pillar display inside the store.
A companion line of 12 T-shirts, each featuring artwork from Six, is available for a limited run online and in person at Dover Street Market, according to the report. The London exhibition is scheduled to remain on view until November 13 during Frieze London. The source does not specify an end date for the Paris or Tokyo displays or the shirt sale.
Six Returns Beyond the Magazine
The revival brings an influential part of COMME des GARÇONS’ publishing history into view again, but the format extends beyond a conventional magazine launch. The mail-out edition, architectural displays and wearable pieces turn archival material into a distributed presentation across stores and cities.
That approach also reflects Six’s original distance from standard fashion publishing. The source describes it as a conceptual look book that explored art, photography, film, design and architecture, with relatively few pages showing the brand’s clothing. The current project similarly foregrounds images and ideas rather than presenting the revival as a seasonal product catalogue.
For readers and visitors, access differs by format: the print edition is being sent to selected clients, while the installations and T-shirts provide other ways to encounter the project. The report does not say how many mailers were produced or how broad the public access to the print issue will be.
Comme des Garçons Six magazine print edition
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Eight Issues, 1988 to 1991
Six was first published in 1988 and ran for eight editions before ending in 1991. The report characterizes it as a biannual publication and a platform for a broader, image-led view of fashion. Its contributors included Salvador Dalí, Robert Frank, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Peter Lindbergh, Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto.
Kawakubo once described the magazine’s direction as “visual representation of the collection, purely for image,” in a quote cited by Hypebeast. The publication’s name also draws on the idea of a sixth sense: the first issue described it as “the sense of the surreal” and suggested that “flair” could be one aspect of it. The new edition draws on that archive while adding contemporary work, rather than simply reprinting an old issue.
““High fashion has to have a mystery about it. This is the next step: visual representation of the collection, purely for image.””
— Rei Kawakubo, in a statement quoted by Hypebeast
Print Access and Display Dates
Several practical details have not been provided. It is unclear whether the new print edition will be sold to the public, how many copies were made, or whether additional mailings are planned. The report says it went to selected clients in the cities hosting the installations but gives no further information about distribution.
The London display has a stated closing date of November 13, but dates for the Tokyo and Paris installations are not specified. The duration and availability of the T-shirt collection are also described only as a limited run. No details are given about the names of the contemporary image-makers included in the print edition.
London Display Runs to November 13
The next confirmed milestone is the end of the London presentation: Six is on view at Dover Street Market London through November 13, during Frieze London. Visitors can view the exterior window display and the installation inside the store.
The T-shirt collection is available online and at Dover Street Market for a limited run, though no closing date has been announced. Further information about the print edition’s availability, the other installations’ schedules or any additional events has not been provided.
Key Questions
What is COMME des GARÇONS bringing back?
The brand has revived Six, Rei Kawakubo’s magazine, with a new print edition combining archival material and contemporary image-makers’ work.
Where can people see the installations?
The project has installations at COMME des GARÇONS Aoyama in Tokyo and Dover Street Market locations in Paris and London. The London presentation is on view through November 13.
Can the new issue be purchased?
The report says copies are being sent as mailers to select clients in the installation cities. It does not confirm whether the print edition is available for general sale.
Are there products available to buy?
A limited-run collection of 12 T-shirts featuring artwork from Six is available online and in person at Dover Street Market, according to the report.
When did the original Six magazine run?
Six launched in 1988 and published eight editions before ending in 1991.
Source: rss
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