Rick Owens made a bold decision, choosing to showcase his Fall/Winter 2024 collection, titled PORTERVILLE, in his home, a cement palace. credits: OWENSCORP

Model on the catwalk at the Rick Owens fashion show in Paris, Fall Winter 2024 Menswear Fashion Week Photos by Valerio Mezzanotti

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Sh4PJi009M&t=165s

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Rick Owens made a bold decision, choosing to showcase his Fall/Winter 2024 collection, titled PORTERVILLE, in his home, a cement palace. This move, as he explains, is a respectful response to the challenging times we are currently living through. However, Owens expresses concern that this decision might inadvertently exclude a community that could have found solace and connection in his show. He contemplates the need to reconsider this approach. I personally know many that were very disappointed as his show is a major highlight of every season.

In the spirit of community, Owens extends an invitation to some of his favorite utopian creatives who embody a defiant and complete commitment to their aesthetics. Collaborating with Straytukay, a London designer known for experimenting in architectural volumes, Owens introduced inflated rubber pull-on stretch boots. He also acknowledges the inspiration he drew from London designer Leo Prothman’s cheekily improvised version of his Kiss Boot.

The collection features jackets and pants crafted from recycled discarded bicycle tires by Matisse Di Maggio, a member of the Parisian BDSM community specializing in rubber gear. Owens proudly includes Steven from Fecal Matter and Gena Marvin on his runway, praising their commitment to balancing condemning judgment with cheerful depravity and acknowledging Gena’s documented dedication to her aesthetic in Russia via the documentary QUEENDOM directed by Agniia Galdanova which premiered in Paris at ASVOFF this past November.

The garments themselves reflect the designer’s visionary approach. Grotesque and inhuman proportions respond to disappointing human behavior witnessed in our lifetime, yet maintain an eternal utopian hope for something better. Knit space suits made from recycled cashmere, alpaca, or merinos, along with turbo-ply shrouds and hoodies, showcase Owens’ commitment to sustainable fashion.

From shaggy jumpsuits and capes made from heavyweight felt with long alpaca fibers to 13oz Japanese denim treated with layers of wax and foil, the collection exemplifies Owens’ meticulous attention to detail. Cargo jumpsuits, cargo tunics, and cargoboots crafted from 1.5mm thick veg-tanned and washed calf leather highlight the designer’s preference for using only natural waxes in the finishing process.

The runway also featured super heavyweight hides for iterations of the Stooges biker jacket, tanned in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, and sewn in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture. Continuing collaborations with Bonotto, a 4th generation textile mill in Veneto, Italy, introduce resistant and durable materials such as heavy Cordura nylon, utilitarian wool canvas, and cotton whipcord.

Owens reintroduces his longtime staple Geobaskets, inflated to a louder proportion. The designer pays homage to the impact of music on his life, recalling the first time he heard Bowie’s “Warzawa” at Porterville Community College in 1977 and connecting its bleakness and yearning for dignity to his present experience.

In reflection, Owens addresses the small brutalities of his sensitive childhood in a judgmental community, paralleling them to the amateur version of brutality witnessed in human nature. The collection, a testament to Owens’ ongoing commitment to pushing the boundaries of fashion, demonstrates his ability to blend the wild and unconventional with genuine connection and intimacy, showcasing that even after thirty years, he remains at the forefront of his game.

Later,

Diane