AT THE Palais de Tokyo, four imposing men, sheathed in floor-length robes with hoods, stride in, monk-like. They stand at the drums that have been placed at the rear of the runway and start drumming away, the rhythm of their hits hypnotic and solemn. With that, the Rick Owens SS20 show has begun.
Endearingly named Tecuatl after Owens’s grandmother’s indigenous Mixtec maiden name, the collection was centred on the American designer’s Mexican heritage, a decision which was ironically prompted by the U.S. President’s obsession with building a wall. The drumming monks? They were musicians from Mexico, who sang traditional Danza Azteca ceremonial music in accompaniment to the background track (Acceleration by Lavascar, the band of Owen’s wife, Michèle Lamy).
As both the title and music allude, this collection was a very personal one for Owens. And so, he carried on with signature Owens-esque aesthetic sensibilities such as his sharp-shouldered tailoring, which manifested in several iterations – including one made with bright sequins reminiscent of the Mexican china poblana skirts that his mother used to wear in Puebla. Again, Owens combined utility and his avant-garde style: models marched to the beat under the unrelenting sun, donned in sharply constructed blazers and zippered jumpsuits or cargo shorts.
The collection also featured a number of collaborations. Firstly, a collaboration with Champion, a brand which also holds a personal significance for the designer, harking back to memories of the times spent with his Champion-clad cousins in Mexico. Aside from taking athletic wear and transforming them into pieces more aligned with his style such as togas and loincloths, Owens has also create a capsule of wearable t-shirts, sweats and outerwear with the Champion logo. His second collaboration comes in the form of new hiking sneaker with the environmentally sustainable sneaker brand Veja.
Some of the collection is also emblazoned with the flag logo of the United Farm Workers Association, yet another personal touch for the designer who grew up with an acute awareness of the aztec eagle that decorates the flag and all that it symbolised. Proceeds from this collaboration will be used to support the efforts of the association.
The last collaboration was perhaps an unexpected one, featuring the British artist Thomas Houseago, whose work happened to be showing at Palais de Tokyo Fountain. As a result of this joint effort, Houseago’s wall sculptures were reinterpreted for invitations, and some garments were created with a wax finish, in the vein of the textural qualities of his work. Houseago also provided the clay that swathed the runway, clay that will be donated to the L’École des Beaux-Arts in Paris to be reused by students.
The monks sing, in the traditional language of Nahuatl Aztec: “Lordess of water, here in front of your honorable gaze, is my heart. You know this life song you have laid out yourself like flowers…”. Indeed, almost every aspect of this collection has some sort of personal resonance for Owens. With his heart laid bare, his poetic vision is stronger than ever.
by Kay Leong