Adrian Joffe, CEO Comme des Garçons: "Passion is needed in fashion"

In the Moscow concept store of the Air Fashion Store, the corner of one of the lines of the Paris-Tokyo company Comme des Garçons - Comme des Garçons Black opened. Adrian Joffe, husband and business partner of CDG designer and founder Rey Kawakubo, came to Russia on this occasion. It is he who stands behind the commercial success of the avant-garde fashion house and many innovative techniques in retail, which are borrowed from shops and brands. Wonderzine met with Joffe and talked with him about the Dover Street Market in Moscow and Gosha Rubchinsky, love at first sight and the passion that young designers lack.

You were born in South Africa. Does the homeland affect you in any way?

Not. You know, the place of birth is a matter of chance. I went from there to Britain when I was 18 and returned twice in 50 years. I do not feel that there is something African in me. Of course, I follow the local political situation, I am very impressed with Nelson Mandela, but I don’t hear anything about local fashion. In Paris, I met a girl who tried to start the week in Johannesburg. But it seems that things were not going very smoothly.

How did you meet Ray Kawakubo and start working at the Comme des Garçons?

It was in 1987, I started working at the Comme des Garçons then. This is the same accident. I lived in Tokyo, and my friend helped Ray Kawakubo. He invited me to think about her concept, and I became friends with Rei.

You are not only her business partner, but also a husband - like Patrizio Bertelli for Miuccia Prada. Was it love at first sight?

Oh no! We began to meet in four years.

Duet you have what you need. Is it hard to work together?

Our duties are delimited. Rei Kawakubo is responsible for the design and concepts, and I try to make them commercially successful. Comme des Garçons is a story about creativity and innovation, not only in collections, but also in business strategy. But we influence each other and discuss all our questions by mail every day and every hour.

Do you manage not to mix work and your personal life?

Yes, you know, she has very strict rules, this also applies to this issue. Ray and I agreed not to transfer personal experiences to work, not to intervene with friends and family. Actually, I didn’t even have to answer this question, she wouldn’t approve it, but the interview will be in Russian, so I hope she doesn’t read.

nevertheless, you and Ray always call the brand team family. 

For Rey, it was important to write Comme des Garçons instead of Rei Kawakubo on the door of the company. She always says that she has just started a business, and success is the result of teamwork. And for us the team is the second family, because the members of one family are always together and share common views and goals. This approach helped us to create a very strong company, because employees really feel part of the family. People who come to us to work should share our views and ideals. If they don't have it, they leave quickly. But most remain. It's like some kind of blood bond - once and for all.

Illustrations from the book Kawakubo's Brand Rei Kawakubo Comme des Garçons: Fashion

You have a new project in Russia. What do you think about the state of Russian fashion? 

I know a few cool young designers, we even work with one, maybe you know him, Gosh Rubchinsky. Once we had Ukrainian designers in Dover Street Market, but they sold poorly. You know, it is clear that they are trying, but this is not enough. I think the Russians should support their own more. In Moscow, so few shops of Russian designers.

The third Dover Street Market will be located in New York in the not very passable area of ​​Curry Hill in the college building. And in Moscow would have opened this? 

If we open the fourth Dover Street Market, we will make it in Moscow, because the city is ready for it. Will you help me? And here you can find a great place. Of course, we will not choose something in the center, and I don’t know the city well enough, but personally I like all these plants on the coast.

Like the "Red October"?

Yes, if this is the place where Maria Baibakova’s gallery was, I would like something similar.

And which of the local stores do you like?

Aizel, SV, Leform, of course, Air Fashion Store.

In Air, you bring the line Comme des Garçons Black. Why chose this store?

You know, they have a very clear vision of their aesthetics. Larisa (Larisa Kolmykova, founder of Air. - Note ed.) formed a very good selection of brands, each of them has its own voice: there is the most successful Scandinavian brand Acne, and these strange guys Meadham Kirchhoff, and all these Japanese. This is a concept store, but its concept is tied to one person, and this attracts us. I really like the development of local retail. People here are trying to come up with something new and cool. I first came here in 1994, when we started selling flavors with Nikita Shalov. During this time, absolutely everything turned upside down, and it is interesting for me to watch everything that is happening here. I have not been to Tsvetnoy yet, and after the interview I will go there. How is he to you?

I look at many projects and think: how do they even make a profit?

Steep.

There after all works Anna Dulgerova. Is this fantastic week of Cycles & Seasons also her project?

Yes. It, unfortunately, closed. This is a big loss for fashion in Russia.

Yes, it is a pity. They say life was in full swing there.

What else are you planning in Russia? The market is more than attractive. 

Oh, except for the fact that we are opening here with Dover Street Market? I would like to understand the country better. Now I’m looking at the correct accounts for the brands from the pool of Comme des Garçons. Every brand needs a suitable store. Plus we have a new big customer, Le Grand Bazaar. Judging by your expression, you haven't heard about him. And you are already the third Russian person who has no idea about them: Anna does not know, Larisa does not know. I hope it exists at all!

Where is Le Grand Bazaar?

At the Four Seasons, this is a luxury mall en route to Barvikha. We will go to the Four Seasons today. But I'm not going to Barvikha! If we talk further about the market, then the big problem for Russia is the lack of licensed beauty shops. Our fragrances are sold in places we have never heard of. Sure, they are not real. It seems Articoli was well arranged, but the same L'Etoile is terrible. It also seems to me that local retailers do not value money. I look at many projects and think: how do they even make a profit? Apparently, too many girls decided to take up a hobby.

I recently saw that the Comme des Garçons are sold even in Kazan, where only Dolce & Gabbana used to feel well.

We sold only three seasons in Kazan and so far suspended the process. We also tried to start in Yekaterinburg and Perm, you know, it is not so easy, and people there are fighting for every movement. I think that sellers in such places should somehow educate their customers and tell them about the history of brands. There you can’t just hang the Comme des Garçons on a beautiful coat hanger, this coat hanger needs to be entered in some context. I think for our part we should help them prepare the right audience, and this will take some time. A similar situation in Kiev. There we only have one store, Atelier 1, which also formed a great concept. They have their own customer base, but it is still very small. People in Kiev prefer Dolce & Gabbana and, you just think, Escada. But the flavors sold there very well.

You often support young talents: starting from designer Gosha Rubchinsky and ending with the Central Saint Martins 1Granary student magazine, which makes Olga Kurishchuk from Ukraine. How do you choose who to help?

Of course, we do not seek to support all talented young people. We are a rather small company, we do not own hundreds of factories and workers, so we are always looking for some kind of collaboration that is close to synergy, and in general we choose only those projects that have commercial potential. Therefore, when such guys as Gosh Rubchinsky, whom Anna Dyulgerova introduced me, get in the way, we always strive to support them, but in a way that is beneficial for both of us. For Dover Street Market in New York, we found other talented designers out of money. Note that this is not charity: we work together and make business creative.

How can a young designer get Comme des Garçons? 

I cannot give one piece of advice, otherwise everyone would start using it. He must be very lucky.

Of course, most will have to achieve everything on their own. In Russia, children generally find it difficult to find any investments, because they have not yet learned how to invest in fashion projects. What should they do?

But what about government support?

Projects that are supported by the state are emerging, but rather pointedly, and it is hardly worth relying on them.

Then they need to be passionate, because many guys do not have the passion to achieve and succeed. Look at the example of Ray Kawakubo. When she started, nobody was going to help her. She sewed only five dresses and showed them to the stores. At first they sold five, then took another 10, and after a couple of years she saved up money for the office. Of course, in the 1970s, time was different. Now there is internet and it changes the rules. But designers still have to do their job and be very passionate - and then everything will work out. Such a story with Gosha Rubchinsky: we immediately told him that he would not have a big show in one season.

The very last question: are you not tired of fashion? Still, you're already 50 years in the business.

It is difficult to maintain your interest in fashion, but there are no easy things. Let's be honest: I'm tired of the fashion industry, but this is what I do and what I earn. You just need to continue to believe in your business and your future.