During Paris Fashion Week, which ran from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7, Rick Owens debuted his new fall fashion line.
Through this line, Owens is keeping up with the vintage trends, including 80’s inspired silhouettes with exaggerated shoulder pads. Along with this, he included designs inspired by industrial aesthetics, using a very clean and neutral color pallet.
The collection is titled “Concordians” and was shown at the Palais de Tokyo, a museum in Paris. This namesake collection helped display the connection Rick Owens had to Concordia, Italy. This is where Rick Owens’ collections have been produced for over two decades, which is why it’s so significant to him. This reference to industrialism was to emphasize his personal experience of constant travel and industrial productions.
Some pieces that demonstrate this connection to industrialism are coats made of weather-proof materials and flared denim, based on workwear. The sculpted pieces created interesting silhouettes.
While many fashion fans enjoyed the runway, there were some who were opposed to it. “ I think it was a bit of an eyesore,” said Cardozo student Alessandro Levy. The strong reaction was caused by the almost futuristic alien-like vibe on the runways.
Levy went on to explain, “The guy looks like a munchkin. I don’t know whose idea that was,” in reference to the exaggerated proportions within the styles of coats included inside the collection. Pairing puffed arm sleeves with skinny dresses or revealed skin gives a stark contrast between the two styles of clothing.
On the runway, there were interesting choices for makeup, including bold lines and bare pale looking faces. The models also wore black contacts. This was an attempt to replicate when a cartoon characters’ pupils dilate to show love rather than the other worldly avant grade look. The choice was based on a collaboration with Owens and Parisian designer, Victor Clavelley.
Along with this, there was a different collaboration with Dr. Martens, a British footwear and clothing brand. Dr. Martens and Rick Owens created three waxed leather platform boots that will soon be available for purchase. This includes 160 pentlace boots with pentagram inspired lace up designs, 1460 megalace boots which is a spin on the original silhouette, with elongated pearl laces in the design.
This offers a nice clash of aesthetic as Rick Owens predominantly has a gothic alternative style inspired by other worldly beings while doc martens had punk rock roots specifically with their classic boots. The boots will be available for purchase on Oct. 16 on the official Rick Owens website for a limited time.
However, something important to note about the new Rick Owens’ collection is that it follows a fast fashion trend. This is because as fashion leads more into mass produced cheap clothes, they tend to become more neutral. This reflects greatly within the ready to wear collection as many of the outfits included neutral colors.
As many high school students may buy their own clothing, it is important to stay mindful of which brands they buy from. Doing so can help from contributing to fast fashion practices.
