PARIS, Jul 9, 2004/ FW/ --- Pop culture has always been an inspiration for designers, and for Spring / Summer 2005, Rei Kawakubo mined the “Pink Panther” craze, reintroducing it to a new generation.

For those who remember, “The Pink Panther” centers on Peter Sellers' incarnation of inspector Jacques Clouseau, a hopelessly bumbling detective with a genius for resting his hands in the wrong place (on the surface of a spinning globe, for instance) and mangling the English language.

Comme des Garcons’ collection personified the fun, with the iconoclastic kitty cat appearing on a black shirt proclaiming, “Comme des Garcons Homme Plus worn under a black and pink tuxedo jacket.

His paw marks were also seen everywhere – on shirts, jackets and pants, sometimes cleverly hidden amongst floral and geometric prints.

Rei Kawakubo even remembered the bling-bling fad, creating huge chains with pink pompoms and the pink panthers as charms together with crosses and keys, symbols of today’s urban males.

Though the designer was poking fun on pop culture, Rei Kawakubo exercised a sure hand in the silhouette and colors, from the monochromatic pink jackets and shirts, to the more elaborate prints.

Using two-tone fabrics, the designer created panels with checks and stripes, sometimes checks on checks. The end result is the same, an original take on working with prints and colors.

And to complete the atmosphere, the original Henri Mancini soundtracks from the movies were used. One cannot ask for more.

Comme Des Garcons by Rei Kawakubo

Comme Des Garcons by Rei Kawakubo

Comme Des Garcons by Rei Kawakubo

Comme Des Garcons by Rei Kawakubo