Comme des Garcons: Six
In one of my (all too infrequent) visits to Donlon Books in Hackney, the proprietor Conor introduced me to Six (aka Sixth sense), by Comme des Garcons. For those unfamiliar, as I was, Six was a short run of eight magazines, produced biannually by the fashion label between 1988 and 1991.
Each A3 issue coincided with the launch of a collection and each sought to explore the theme of the sixth sense. They are beautiful, and intriguing. Not just for the innovative way they sought to represent the brand, but also for their mysterious and unannotated aesthetic. Contributors included such heavyweights as Bruce Weber, Peter Lindbergh, Gilbert and George, Kishin Shinoyma, Saul Leiter and Javier Vallhonrat, with editing and art direction supplied by Atsuko Kozasu and Tsuguya Inoue respectively.
Of course now the concept of high end curated magazines isn’t a surprising or striking one; think Werk, A Magazine, Visionaire to name a few, but for the time this was innovative stuff. The somewhat abstract visuals and lack of any actual text within the covers still retain this cult publication’s air of mystery. Its limited availability guarantees that each issue can command up to hundreds of pounds, but if you can find a complete set in good condition (and can afford it) don’t hesitate to buy it for your collection. This publication perfectly preserves a moment of exploration in art and fashion publication, one that has since become industry standard for a large part of the alternative magazine market.
Contributor: Alexandra Duncan, Central Saint Martins (UAL)