On the verge of the early 1990s, the Japanese fashion label Comme des Garçons began publishing a bi-annual magazine called SIX. The project discovered a unique and sophisticated way of exploring the theme of the sixth sense, also known as intuition.
SIX was designed by Tsuguya Inoue and edited by Atsuko Kozasu, with Rei Kawakubo at the helm. It was a space for fashion to experiment and challenge the usual glamour phenomenon. Each issue was different, with its own visual language and philosophy. The deep, low-contrast black and white of Number 3 were countered by the vibrant colours of the eclectic number 5; the breeze of global social history from the 1940s to the late 1980s captured in Number 4 was juxtaposed with the shelf, on which Number 6 asked questions from within—about the chaos and inner beauty, all set in Georgian landscapes.
The publication was accompanied by the launch of new CDG collections. SIX was at the forefront of visual work, with content almost entirely in the form of photographs by some of the most renowned creators of the time, including Peter Lindbergh, Brian Griffin, and Kishin Shinoyama.
Bringing a fresh perspective to the industry, SIX delved into versatile creative stories, from non-fashion-related artworks to the aesthetic angle of everyday life. The publication remains a rare and collectible item, and its influence can still be felt today, as it managed to pave the way for a new generation of experimental fashion magazines around the globe.
All photography courtesy of COMME DES GARÇONS
