Dear Shaded viewers,
While it wasn’t Arthur Robert’s direct intention, Ouest’s FW 25 collection was a homage to the recently departed David Lynch. The red curtains that lined the room of the intimate presentation were ordered days before his passing, inviting the audience into a timely moment of reflection that allowed Robert’s signature Americana references to propose a question of deeper sentiment: “What do you do when the American Dream disappears?”
Two rows of models stood on platforms lined along each side of the room, trying to maintain a straight face and furrowed brow as the audience inspected the clothing. Cowboy hats and bandanas tied around the neck set the Wild West tone instantly. The macho-masculine clichés that formed the backbone of the collection were interrupted by sensual necklines and cuts. Together, exposed chest hair, fingerless gloves, and heavy-duty Dr. Martens biker boots proposed a tougher, chicer, and modern image for a queer-coded cowboy.
Seams taken from biker and workwear uniforms were applied to light-washed Canadian tuxedos. Paired with big buckle belts and thumbs tucked into the waistline, the full denim getups recalled the homoerotic portraits of Karlheinz Weinberger and Stanley Stellar. The crisp blackness of regenerated black leather and thick boucle wool in outwear served as a reminder of the fetishizing lens of the Hollywood camera. Metallic detailing, including zippers running head-to-toe and silver buttons and grommets, redefined the Rhinestone Cowboy with an edge that’s Bad to the Bone.
Later,
Eliya
