Paris’s Palais de Tokyo has become the runway home of none other than Rick Owens. His models gracefully descend those grand steps, each step accentuated by Owens’ iconic mega-platformed ankle-snapper boots. The colored smoke that made waves during his menswear show in June returned this season, painting the sky with bursts of vivid hues.
Now, Rick Owens may have earned his reputation as fashion’s Prince of Darkness, but recent shows reveal a departure from the all-black ensembles we’ve come to expect. That’s not to say there aren’t outfits that exude an aura of delicious malevolence. Take, for instance, the jacket with shoulders that seemingly reach for the heavens, evoking the image of an otherworldly emperor. Or the hooded lace number that veils the entire body, leaving only a shadowy silhouette to haunt the runway.
Yet, amidst this darkness, there’s a surprising elegance. Not everyone will find these creations to their taste, but some of the dresses in this collection are simply out of this world. If you’d told us that Rick Owens would one day present an elegant dusty pink gown, we’d have chuckled in disbelief. But here we are, and it’s nothing short of glorious. Turns out, a Björk concert was the catalyst for Owens’ transformation, as he fell under the spell of the Icelandic musician’s boundless positivity and joy.
Towards the end of the collection, it took a distinctly Dune-like turn, featuring remarkable boiler suits. Coupled with the models’ all-black contact lenses, it truly felt like a journey to another world. Unsettling, yet undeniably beautiful.
