Rick Owens AW25
Bathed in an air of anticipation, the room swirls with a thick haze, prompting murmurs among the crowd. Some joke that it must be the collective cigarette smoke of the Parisians present, while others are reminded of the dense fog enveloping northern Italy this time of year. “It’s my main concern in Veneto,” one voice remarks softly, “especially when driving—the visibility is just too low.” As we are lulled into a tranquil state by the fog’s embrace, the crowd jolts in unison as the season’s soundtrack starts–David Bowie’s 1997 Heroes. Blasting from the speakers (and we really mean BLASTING), the French version of the track echoed down the runway, followed by the German rendition, quickly giving way to the familiar English original we all know by heart.
This season, at the Palais de Tokyo, Rick Owens presents his AW25 menswear collection, titled Concordians—a subtle tribute to the small industrial town that houses the Owens Corp factory. After 22 years of travelling back and forth to the Italian region, it was time to honour the sanctuary where Rick Owens and his team converged from across the globe. Less a workspace, more a retreat, the mountainous silence keeps inviting Owens to dive deeper into his visionary mind. Foregoing hotels in the area Rick Owens opted for sleeping on the factory office couch for about half a decade, attuning himself to the hum of the machinery and the steady cadence of the industrial production schedule. This lasted until about 7 years ago when an apartment building was constructed right across the street. Perhaps let this serve as a gentle reminder to those finding their way, in a time when navigating the fashion world feels more challenging than ever: success is rarely instantaneous, and patience should accompany persistence.
In keeping with this seasonal shift, the collection featured thermal long johns, wool-blend long sleeves, and cammies, all exuding a sense of effortless lightness. As Rick put it, “Thermals changed my whole attitude about winter when I moved to Europe from California,” highlighting how the right gear can make the cold more manageable. The black, shiny accents on the denim were courtesy of Parisian rubber mistress Matisse Di Maggio, whose all-over frilling in natural rubber called to mind the beauty of industrial oil spills.
After a recent rewatch of Howl’s Moving Castle, we couldn’t help but draw a comparison to the layered fringe of the new boot silhouette. The design captures so much movement and fluidity, with the leather being meticulously laser-cut and hand-woven into its intricate, captivating form. Expanding on his vision, this stunning silhouette was brought to life in collaboration with Parisian designer Victor Clavelly, known for his talent in transforming the fantastical into the tangible.
While the soundtrack may never grace YouTube due to copyright restrictions, it endures in our memory (and in the minds of those who caught the live stream). Ultimately, it’s all about “What you listen to through your earbuds in an empty village train station on a cold, foggy night” as per Owens, a moment that stays with you, much like this collection itself.
Images courtesy of OWENSCORP
Words by Veronica Tlapanco Szabó