Inside Out Suit AW1983

Comme des Garçons' debut Paris collection in 1981 — and the subsequent AW1983 collection — introduced "poverty chic" and deconstruction to the Paris establishment. The inside-out suits, with their seams exposed, linings visible, and construction made explicit, were a declaration of war against the concealed craft of traditional tailoring. Women's Wear Daily called the collection "Hiroshima chic" — an act of racism that Kawakubo refused to dignify with a response. The suits remain among the most radical garments ever shown in Paris. Value: $4,000–$15,000.