AFTER 15 years of Paris shows, this season Rick Owens presents his AW21 womenswear collection in his very own garden. A product of the time, with a heavy focus on face masks, Owens embodies societal tensions as the collection sits in anticipation for something greater – a final reckoning.
Entitled Gethsemane, Owens takes inspiration from the Biblical garden where Jesus spent his last night before crucifixion. Owens’ garden looks out onto the beach on Venice’s Lido, where the lido is mutated into a runway with the disquiet waves forming the backdrop. Accompanied by a heavy base soundtrack – an exclusive remix of Squeeze by Ghostemane – the show evokes a sense of unease.
Rick Owens AW21
Long capes and quilted coats steal the spotlight as they transform the body into tall, menacing silhouettes. Shoulders are heavily emphasised features of the capes, signalling rebellion in the face of threat, while quilted coats are deconstructed into snap-on sleeves.
Bodysuits, a favourite of Owens, are exhibited with the intention to accentuate the frame due to the skin-tight design. Either generously covered in sequins or made from a sleek leather, the bodysuits are both unfaltering and mesmerising.
Again, Owens is inspired by the Bible where rendered garments were a result of grief or rage. The collection displays a number of distressed pieces; black denim is slashed repeatedly to reveal a cream-coloured material underneath.
A common thread that runs through the collection is the wearing of masks. However, the deliberate incorporation of face masks was not simply for protection but to make a powerful statement. Owens explains that “they are a vote for responsibility and consideration and an acknowledgement of our immediate collective experience.”
Owens’s versatility and creativity continues to shine in his latest collection, whilst also remaining mindful of the current world, and causing us to pause in both reflection and anticipation.
by Amie Bawa