Porterville Reverie: Rick Owens’ Intimate Odyssey Through Textures, Tones, and Time – because I just cannot get enough…all material ©OWENSCORP

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Naturally, we did review the show at the time, yet my appetite for it remains insatiable. After the men’s show, Rick Owens returns to his home and work compound where he started selling collections 25 years ago. The intimate move reflects the challenging times we are currently navigating. The show, titled ‘Porterville,’ recalls Owens’ upbringing in a judgmental environment, highlighting the banal hostility and intolerance prevalent today.

Owens reminisces about his strict father, who replaced TV with opera, shaping his world with stories of longing and disappointment. The collection, named after this formative place, features recycled cashmere and felted alpaca in weird but noble spacesuits, matched with hooded robes and turbo-ply knit ponchos. Jackets and skirts made from recycled bicycle tires by Matisse Di Maggio, a member of the Parisian BDSM community, add a unique touch.

Various materials, including heavy loden felt from an Austrian Alps mill and shaggy coats with long alpaca fibers, contribute to the collection’s texture and style. Japanese denim undergoes a meticulous treatment process in an Italian wash-house, prioritizing water efficiency and recycling. Tunics and cargo boots are crafted from veg-tanned and washed calf leather using natural waxes.

Cropped duvet pod jackets showcase Marlene Dietrich charmeuse or heavyweight merino shearlings from a second-generation family-owned and LWG-certified tannery in Tuscany. Brutalist shapes from the furniture collection influence sleek clutches, futuristic palladium finishes, and accessories adorned with hematite crystals from Tuscany.

Photographers Kristina Nagel, Hannah from Fecal Matter, and Gena Marvin grace the runway, each contributing their unique perspectives. Kristina’s self-portraits capture the weird elegance of Owens’ collection, while Hannah and Steven from Fecal Matter embody a balance of condemning judgment and cheerful depravity. Gena’s commitment to her aesthetic in Russia is documented in a beautiful film by Agniia Galdanova.

The show’s synthesized music, a version of ‘Pavane for a Dead Princess’ by Ravel, echoes Owens’ father’s influence, offering an eerie yet elegant escape from Porterville.

Later,

Diane

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Diane Pernet

A LEGENDARY FIGURE IN FASHION and a pioneer of blogging, Diane is a respected journalist, critic, curator and talent-hunter based in Paris. During her prolific career, she designed her own successful brand in New York, costume designer, photographer, and filmmaker.

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