Nearly six hours after his show was live streamed across the Internet, Rick Owens was still trending worldwide on social networks. Under the watchful eye of one of Paris’ greatest landmarks, The Eiffel Tower, Owen’s produced a collection that remained true to his brand aesthetic of minimalistic fashion.
His designs are always otherworldly and futuristic and always created in a limited monochrome palette, with occasion hints of colour. This time was no different, combining toneless blacks and whites with rich mocha browns and sand tones, against pale greys and metallic bronzes.
His opening number in a soft subtle lavender hue crafted in tulle, gave off a light and delicate air to the proceedings. Its V neckline and floaty triangular silhouette came as a shock to some fans of the black haired designer. The garments layered tulle panels carried across the front echoed the structure in the Eiffel Tower, with it criss-cross stitching creating a quilted effect to the delicate introduction.
The shapes and panelling carried across several of the opening pieces. The use of tulle within the 45-piece collection was incorporated in most of the ensembles. As the softly sculpted show gained pace and reach the halfway mark, new styles emerged including strapless dresses incorporating the diamond-layered tulle. More structure sheer styles appeared constructed from panels of rectangles and squares, with triangular sections as under support.
As Owens’s Parisian performance drew to a close, his use of sheer fabrics became somewhat of a distant memory as block colours of tonal purple, midnight blue and bronze sartorial style surfaced.
The tulle of past proceedings had paved the way for a mixed media presentation of silk, zip details and heavy cotton fabrics. Owen’s use of these textural materials were crafted in such a way that it was dream like.
Several high funnel necked garments were sculpted to cascade over the left shoulder, creating the look of a cluster of foxgloves to closing ensembles.
The designer who told the New York Times his main influence is architecture, has built a collection that is delicately designed and completely new for the Rick Owens brand. Is this a change of direction for the designer entering his 20th year in the business? Or is this Owens showing his stylish supporters and the fashion world a softer side to his otherwise dark aesthetic? Whatever he is doing, this collection has divided opinions. I personally cannot wait to see if he carries this softer toned style into his next collection. Who knows what Owens will do next, only time will tell.
