Rick Owens men’s Spring 2019 – Paris Fashion Week

 (Images from Vogue.com and wwd.com the public domain.  All rights.  Used in promotion of the designer.)

I don't like the term retrofitted, although I do use it from time to time, but it is hard to think of another term to describe projections of creativity which combine different aspects of visual discernments from popular culture, life, art, nature and structure.  Rick Owens Spring 2019 men's collection is a retrofitted fusion of previous shows, as a master designer, he is capable in refitting concepts that are his to present as a contemporary showpiece.  Truly a masterful approach utilizing ones own time line, to borrow and take from your own backlog.  Such is his latest collection.

As seen his recent shows of the last five years, Owens has been drawing from  history or at least the myth/s of history from Sisyphus to more contemporary historic linage such as the Studio 54 and the disco era.  Also noted from previous shows is a spiritual impression, while searching as an experienced designer for inspiration and meaning.  Which can be sourced from all around us, although for the most part it emanates from within - as it is personal.  An interpretation and attempt at understating the meaning of life.  As we live within the tumultuousness of worlds, that is both society and the self.  

Rick Owens men’s Spring 2019 holds that duality of those worlds, in art, it is always the artist who tries to bridge the two.  A vain effort, that in the end can be an exhausting process, as Owens pronounced in relation to his Spring 2019 collection the which he would like to "...die a burnt out wreak," when asked what the acrid smelling smoke was supposed to represent.  Owens overall theme for the show was the Tower of Babel (old testament) to fuse with the polar opposite of the Russian (communists) inspired Constructionist art movements.  In which Owens added in show remarks, that he saw earlier Futurism styled art movements, such as Constructivism, as art assisting in the transformation (control) of a society, giving it a sense of hope and inspiration.  As opposed to teachings of the Bible and God, who, whilst seeming the structure (Tower of Babel) being built denied man the power to become gods.  Therefor introduced and seeded puzzlement with the  different languages.  Leading to confusion and discourse, in turn dispersing the workers throughout world.  Babel means "to confuse".  There are paradoxical representations within Owens's themes and his 2019 men's Spring collection is no exception.  As chaos reigns overall regardless.

Broken up and remodeled styles from, as mentioned, previous Rick Owens shows, the over sized flared pants, inspired by the 1970s disco era, cropped denim and leather jackets.  There is certainly a rushed chaos here with the melding of concepts that seem to be in all directions.  The deconstructionist imagery is more apparent than any modernist take, which appears to be a runway trend in 2019.  As Owens commercialized sell with his Spring 2019 collection, there are noted inspiration from famous architects such as the late Zara Hadid and Frank Gehry.  Hanging attachments of figurative three dimensional designs, seen duplicated and set within pattern work via split and reworked cuts and fits.  Also noted are the conceptional pieces too.  Colour palette maintains the black and white fixtures, with neutral tones of grays and beige.  It is not overly a striking collection, sans the collaboration with Birkenstock shoes, seen as chunky, combat outwear appeal.  Yet, it reflects Rick Owens trying to define a balance between dualities; the hedonistic and the orderly sensibilities of a society.  Can they coexist?

Or maybe we should fuse the two as one without any scruples.