Rick owens scandalous. Fashion designer Rick Owens striptease at men's fashion week
To shock the audience, to make a real show out of each show - that Rick Owens knows how to do like no one else. The designer presented his first runway collection in New York back in 2002 - it was then sponsored by Anna Wintour, who saw the future of American fashion in the fashion designer. From there, Owens moved to Paris, and since then, representatives of the fashion industry and all those who are simply not indifferent to fashion have been waiting for his show every year. Each fashion designer line is a discussion on topical issues, a fashionable philosophical essay about the problems of society and the planet. In honor of the designer's 56th birthday, we decided to recall 5 of the most unusual and grandiose shows of the Rick Owens brand, which are still being talked about.
VICIOUS, spring-summer 2014
Women's collection
The show of the women's collection called Vicious turned into an 11-minute performance of dancers. Aggressive and strong, they demonstrated the new line of the designer. Many critics noticed that behind the energetic performance of the dancers it was hard to see the brand's clothing itself. However, perhaps this was the whole point - you should not look for meaning in every product. It's just clothes.
VICIOUS, spring-summer 2014
Men's collection
At the men's show of the same year, the designer left the models alone - this time the show was staged by the musical group Winny Puhh from Estonia. Models presented a new collection to the sounds of heavy metal. Attention was drawn most of all by the drummers spinning on the wall. In the end, the whole group completely hung in the air - in the truest sense of the word.
SPHINX, autumn-winter - 2015/16
Men's collection
Perhaps the most scandalous collection of the designer fell on this period. This time there were no concerts and performances - attention was drawn to the clothes that Rick put on the models in a not quite traditional way. As a result, the cutouts on the throat ended up in the genital area of the models, who, by the way, were without underwear. It makes no sense to describe the situation further, but what the guests of the show saw was then discussed for a very long time.
CYCLOPS, spring-summer 2016
Women's collection
In the spring-summer 2016 collection, the designer focused on female power. To demonstrate this, Owens sent models to the catwalk, which were tied and strapped to other girls. So the designer told the story that all women have to bear a heavy burden - they are all responsible for raising another woman, be it a daughter or a sister. They are solidary and always support each other.
Rick Owens is an infamous California-born American designer. Gained popularity thanks to talent and an avant-garde look at modern fashion.
Biography
Jen Schenker (real name) was born in Los Angeles in 1961. However, he grew up in the city of Portville. After leaving school, he decided to return to his native "city of angels" to enroll in a famous and prestigious college of art and design. Otis/Parsons. Rick Owens studied painting for two years, but then turned his attention to fashion. Having dropped out of college, the guy enters the Trade and Technical College, where he is trained in sewing.
Upon graduation, Owens finds work in Garment District, where he has been working as a cutter for 6 years.
Career
In 1994, the designer founded his own brand "Rick Owens". Brand clothing sold in a boutique Charles Galley. Already at the beginning of his career, he formed a unique style that is focused on the pop cultural aesthetics of the 90s. But it is worth noting that Rick's vision was radically different from other people's views on fashion. There are hints of rock in his outfits, gloomy and unusual asymmetrical shapes, cut along the oblique line. Compared to other representatives of the fashion world from sunny Los Angeles, Rick stands out. The designer himself calls the style created on the basis of the synthesis of "grunge" and "glamour" - "glange".
Success and worldwide fame came in 2001 when Rick Owens signed with Eo Bocci Associati (international sales agent). According to the document, the production of his collections was transferred to Italy, and the clothes themselves began to be sold in boutiques around the world.
However, the designer received great attention from the public after the publication of pictures in the Parisian glossy Vogue magazine. The Vogue centerfold featured famous model Kate Moss wearing a leather jacket by the young designer.
The very next year, at New York Fashion Week, Rick Owens presents his first runway collection. Of course, not without patronage. The show was sponsored by Anna Wintour herself and the American edition of Vogue, who also organized the shooting of Rick and his muse Kendra Pfaler.
In 2003, Owens was appointed creative director of Revillon, a French fur brand founded in 1723.
Working in Europe becomes the impetus for making an important decision - to show his collection in Paris. It is in the capital of France that he begins a long-term collaboration with Ponos Yapanis (stylist), who to this day works at all his shows.
Rick Owens opened his first boutique in Paris in 2006, where he presented clothes from the men's and women's collections. In addition, his more accessible labels Rick Owens Lilies, DRKSHDW and a line of furniture were released at the same time as this event. And the exclusive collection of furs created by the designer was presented in Palais Royal. After such success, the fashion designer opened boutiques in Hong Kong, New York, Tokyo and London.
Rick celebrated the 10th anniversary season with the release of his own limited edition book. L'ai - Je Bien Descendu. Many provocative photographs were printed on its pages.
Style
Synthesized with grunge, glamor, thanks to the American designer, has become the most recognizable and favorite style for fans of extravagance. If you see asymmetrical sweaters, dresses and jackets, don't hesitate - this is another masterpiece created by Rick Owens. Shoes for men are a separate issue. Almost every collection includes boots with heels. However, despite the oddity, his clothes are practical and quite suitable for everyday life, as the designer never ties the cut to model parameters.
Rick Owens: collection or another scandal
2 years ago, the "dark prince of fashion" made me talk about himself again. At the beginning of the show, outerwear in the form of a trapezoid was demonstrated. But the scandal began a few minutes later, when models appeared on the catwalk, dressed in upside down tunics, jackets and capes. The piquancy was that they had no underwear.
Rick was never a prude, so he often turned to erotica, but he did it exquisitely and subtly. Therefore, at his shows there were never beefy models and men in thongs.
Collaboration with Adidas
Following the Belgian designer Raf Simons, Rick Owens collaborates with the Adidas brand. The sneakers, created by the designer, consisted of nylon and leather, they were presented in three shades: white, pearl and black. In total, 4 pairs of sports shoes for women and 6 pairs for men were developed.
Demonstration of unique sneakers was scheduled for June 27, 2013 at the fashion week in Paris. The sale of sports shoes began in December of the same year. The cost of one pair of sneakers ranged from $400 to $500.
Owens has his own line of sneakers, but he could not refuse to cooperate with Adidas, as he leads an active lifestyle.
celebrity personal life
Among the celebrities who are happy to wear the clothes of a famous designer are Madonna, Tokio Hotel lead singer Bill Kaulitz, Zaha Hadid, Courtney Love, Helena Bonham Carter. In addition, the main character of the film "The Devil Wears Prada" Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt have repeatedly flashed in the frame in outfits from Rick Owen.
Also a big fan of the designer and a lover of his men's shoes with heels is singer Adam Lambert.
As for his personal life, the American designer is married to Michelle Lamy. He met his muse while still working as a cutter. In 2003, the couple moved permanently to Paris.
Designer Rick Owens is considered gothic and black, but he prefers to call his sculptural clothing minimalist. To sort out the issue, Alena Nagornaya met with Rick Owens in his Parisian studio.
When he smiles, he looks like a black sphinx cat. High cheekbones, long black hair, muscular tattooed arms and a casual manner of dressing - designer Rick Owens looks not exactly younger than his age, he was born in 1961, but rather atypical.
“Who said it was disgusting, who decided what size male genitals should be and why? This is a story about liberation from the rules imposed by someone, - he says about the Rick Owens fall-winter 2015/2016 men's show that made a splash, in which he released models stripped below the waist on the catwalk. “But also about the naturalness that connects us with nature: imagine yourself dancing with a scarf in the middle of a flowering meadow - this is a story about beauty, love, acceptance and grace.”
Against the background of the incessant singing of birds outside the window, his words sound bewitching. "Aren't you cold?" Rick asks, pointing at the large open window behind me. We're talking in the production and press room on the second floor of the home of Owens and Michelle Lamy, his wife and muse. This mansion on the Place de la Bourbon was once built by Napoleon as a gift to one of his generals. In more recent times, it housed the headquarters of the French Socialist Party. Owens and Lamy's house also houses the main workspaces of the brand - the owners are always surrounded by close employees dressed in monochrome dresses and Rick Owens leather vests.
Rick Owens clothes don't make a woman look like a doll. The designer rather represents her as a priestess in sculptural robes
“Of course, I thought about the reaction I would evoke by showing male genitals at the show. It's no secret that I love bringing drama and tension to my fashion shows. And here I deliberately wanted to add provocations and get all this anger in return. A person is afraid of those things that are beyond his control, but at the same time accompany him all his life: sex, death, love - these are the mysteries that create the magic of life and serve as the deepest motives for actions. I want to believe that what I do is still important,” says the designer.
Rick Owens is always looking for provocative approaches in everything, including fashion shows. At the spring-summer 2014 show, forty non-model-sized step dancers took to the podium in the dance. In the fall-winter 2014/2015 fashion show, Rick Owens showroom employees participated along with the models: women of different builds and ages appeared several times on the catwalk in the same outfits. This was followed by a scandalous male display with naked genitals. The next women's show - autumn-winter - 2015/2016 - Rick Owens directed in a different manner. Models, among whom were Ukrainians Irina Kravchenko and Ella Zadavysvichka, took to the podium in closed draped dresses, decorated with fur and embroidered with sequins. Their faces through one were completely covered with gold and silver, which created the effect of a living mask. “Female nudity has been explored so many times that I don’t even consider it as a topic for my shows – and this served as another argument in favor of the male catwalk,” says Rick. - I noticed that men calmly perceive the naked female body, while they themselves, exposing themselves, feel uncomfortable. I don't think it would be a big disappointment for anyone if we did something like that during the women's show. But I'm glad we managed to keep the balance."
For all the provocativeness of Rick Owens fashion shows, the designer is close to the idea of “hidden luxury”. He likes everything Hermès does for its "restraint and great taste" and the fact that this house never draws attention to itself with "cheap tricks".
Owens emphasizes: he does not create conceptual things. His concept is just that you should not be overly conceptual. He loves simplicity and always tries to explain his love by the example of different directions in art. “All this has already been said before me. The work of the minimalist Donald Judd and the work of Baroque artists are equally valuable today. I'm just moving in the direction of Judd, not da Vinci, shall we say."
Wool under and overdress, leather over the knee boots, all by Rick Owens
Rick Owens clothes don't make a woman look like a doll. The designer rather presents her as a priestess in sculptural robes. Long sweater coats, sculptural dresses, baggy corduroy trousers and rugged leather jackets by Rick Owens first welcomed the big catwalk in February 2002, when Style.com, American Vogue and its editor-in-chief Anna Wintour hosted the brand's first New York Week show in February 2002. fashion.
A year after the debut fashion show, Owens accepted an invitation to become the creative director of the old French fur fashion house Revillon (their collaboration lasted from 2003 to 2006) and moved from Los Angeles to Paris, where he presented the autumn-winter 2003/2004 collection.
“Having a show in New York, you immediately attract the attention of an international audience and get involved in a big competition. And yet, despite Owens' many successes in Los Angeles, it was this collection that marked the brand's official breakthrough on the global fashion scene with its strong yet subtle gothic aesthetic." - Sara Mauer, Vogue.com columnist and one of the most influential critics in the fashion world, began reviewing Rick Owens' first Parisian fashion show. She finished it, however, not so rosy: “As for the total look, it cannot be said that something has changed in the Owens universe. The stylistic niche it occupies is more suited to a Belgian sensibility; As for the Parisian debut, it took place mainly thanks to the credibility earned by the brand earlier.”
Paris did not immediately accept Owens: the fashion press now and then pointed out the marginality of his style. And yet he did not change himself and managed to prove the opposite. Today, Rick Owens shows are among the most anticipated at Paris Fashion Week.
“In the modern world, everyone is cramped. Too many people, too much money, too fast. Therefore, it seems to me that it is impossible to repeat my path today. My biggest ambition has always been to get better, and my main dream is to perfect everything that we have already done at Rick Owens. Creating even more beautiful and unusual things is what I strive for,” says the designer.
His draperies and asymmetries are copied by major mass-market brands, thanks to him sports aesthetics became part of big fashion, Owens brought conceptual fashion to the mainstream, spawned many apologists for his style, created an empire of "hidden luxury" and a cult of belonging to it.
Unlike many fashion houses that are split between LVMH and Kering, Rick Owens is a successful independent brand that is not part of any of the major conglomerates and has been standing apart in the fashion industry for 20 years.
“The ability to express yourself is a real luxury. My life is different from the lives of those who work for big fashion houses and have to create thirty collections a year. I don't have to explain to others what I'm going to do." An important role in the fate of Rick Owens was played by the designer's muse and wife, Michelle Lamy. She once managed a successful restaurant project in Los Angeles, but supported Owens' decision to move to Paris, sold her business, and today successfully oversees the company's fur line and furniture line.
Wool underdress, wool, cotton and leather top, leather and metal sandals, all by Rick Owens
“Everything that Michelle says is so wise and true,” Owens admits, “that at some point I simply stopped consulting with her about my future collections. Otherwise, I risk losing my own vision of what I do. Of course, there is a lot of Owens in the lines that Michelle creates and that Rick tries not to interfere with. But even in his work, the influence of Lamy is felt - she has a special style in clothes and accessories, she often appears in streetstyle blogs around the world.
A few days after the show, I was invited to a private party that Rick Owens traditionally throws after the show. This time it was held in the bohemian Marais district, where the brand's showroom recently moved. Guests are mostly employees of the brand and its customers. At the entrance I was met by a security guard - the only person here who was not dressed in Rick Owens. Inside, no one was sitting at the bar: everyone was dancing and waiting for the designers. As soon as they crossed the threshold, the petite Lamy, the muse with the tattooed face, and the athletic Owens began to dance to minimal techno. This is how the new season starts in the world of Rick Owens.
Style: Olga Yanul
hairstyles: Ante Pazanin
Makeup: Sasa Jokovic
Photographer's Assistant: Martin Brkljaca
Stylist assistant: Ana Milin
Model: Marina Krtinic Cooper / Fox Fashion Agency / Women NY
Gratitude: Zadar region tourist board
After yesterday's Rick Owens show of the spring-summer 2016 season at Paris Fashion Week, the foreign press gushed all night with witticisms: “backpacks made of people”, “accessory models”, “where to buy such a “things””, etc. The reason was a strange fashion show, during which some models carried others on themselves with the help of special straps on their suits. Moreover, those who were carried were located in rather bizarre poses. Oddities are Rick Owens' strong point: remember, at least, the story of the naked models' penises that the guests of the show watched along with the men's autumn-winter collection 2014-2015. Then the fashion designer said that he wanted to show a world in which there is no shame and in which it is not customary to ask, “Why is it so small?” at the sight of the male genital organ in a "calm" state.
The fashion show with "accessory models" is another critical statement by Owens. While homegrown Internet fashion observers joked about how problematic it would be to get into public transport in such a suit, the fashion designer told the press that his show was an ode to the strength of a modern woman, a metaphor for her hard lot. “This show is dedicated to the female world, about which I have a rather modest idea: motherhood, sisterhood, solidarity. How a woman becomes a woman, how a woman raises a woman, and how women support each other,” Rick explained. By the way, the guests of the show did not even need to decipher the author's thought - it was replaced by the performance of the singer Eski Mtungwazi, who throughout the entire defile repeated the song from the movie "Exodus", the words of which emphasized what was happening on the podium: "I know that with God's help I can be strong ".
Human knapsacks at Rick Owens. She ain "t heavy, she" s my sister. pic.twitter.com/H7pltsJpaq
— Matthew Schneier (@MatthewSchneier) October 1, 2015
You don’t need to look far for inspiration for collections or for staging fashion shows: perhaps the whole of 2015 can be called the year of the fight against misogyny, gender stereotypes and sexual objectification - well, or at least attempts to fight, both successful and not very successful. No less is expected from fashion in this field than from politicians and officials. This is a business: if you ignore the current needs of society, you will not sell anything. And the most mobile players understand this very well and use it with might and main: they shoot transgender people in advertising campaigns, dress men in feminine clothes more actively than usual, release clothes with feminist slogans, etc.
The only question is whether social campaigns will bear fruit and whether speculation on sore topics will look like parodies. On the one hand, the models that took part in the Rick Owens show found in themselves both moral and physical strength to walk the catwalk - in the era of the information society, models are no longer resigned hangers, their voice is heard, and they are not obliged to unquestioningly do things that seem to them immoral. But, on the other hand, no matter how exciting yesterday's show was, one question remains for its organizers: why most of the strapped models were fixed in such a position that the photos of the show in a huge number of people caused associations with lesbian sex in the 69 position, scandalous furniture sculptures by Allen Jones and BDSM, but not with female solidarity?
