Lets Talk Rick Owens Fall 24

Hey. So, as most all of you may know by now, Rick Owens Fall24 Menswear collection, was…well…beautiful. There was something about it, something that felt slower, simpler. But what is it? What is causing this tonal shift? We spent a few days thinking about it, meditating on the shapes and atmosphere. While we may not have anything per se conclusive, here is our working answer as to why this show is just so good. 

First, let’s think about Rick Owens’ shows of the past. Owens has a repertoire of fantasy. Each collection creates more-than-human worlds that constrict, expand, reinterpret notions of the human form. Humans, animals, technology and anything else out there comes together into one in his dark, often theatrical realms.

So what makes this collection so different? Yes, as you have probably already seen plastered all over the internet, this show took place in his Paris flat. But no, this was not done to shock everyone, in fact the notion of spectacle is so not the point here. Owens did it out of respect for humanity: “in observance of the barbaric times through which we are living” – Rick Owens. But Owens himself questions whether his intention is correctly executed. He shares, “But what I had intended as a respectful restraint may end up excluding a community that might have used my show to gather together for connection and solace. I might have to rethink this.” Owens’ questioning reveals, dare we say, a work in progress. Bear with us, we promise this idea will make more sense in a min. 

So moving on to the clothes, this show is characterised by soft lines. The silhouettes in the Rick Owens way turn the human into something more. However this time, there is a sense that the models could float away – literally. With inflated boots and large reshaped puffer jackets, there is an airiness infused into this collection. The softness is further developed through knit space suits and big, soft felt cape/fluff balls. This airy lightness speaks to Owens’ goal: hope.

“Collection proportions are grotesque and inhuman in a howling reaction to some of the most disappointing human behaviour we will witness in our lifetime…But there is the eternal utopian hope of someplace better” – Rick Owens

This quote perfectly speaks to the tonal shift that sparked our thinking. It is this longing for a utopia, grounded in a world that feels so far from it. Longing, dreaming, envisioning a new future. In fact Owens collaborated with a handful of his proclaimed favourite utopian creatives. This collection is the work of the dreamers. It is, therefore, a work in progress. It can not be complete while it still longs for change. The world that Owens has made for this menswear season is that with no stable foundation. It is a shifting universe. 

If you haven’t already, go watch the show and spend some time with the looks. This collection is def one to remember as we move forward into 2024.