Rick Owens. Menswear Spring 2021. (Reviewed: June 24th 2021. A.Glass)

 I wrote an article for the Fashion magazine from London called OVERDUE, covering Rick Owens earlier years titled: “Rick Owens The early years 1994-2002: From Hollywood Boulevard to New York Fashion Week”.  He is undoubtedly well known as one of the last major independent fashion designers still remaining, emerging with his 1st collection as a 40 year old when he debuted at New York Fashion Week in 2002, it is there where he began to lay down a testament and foundation, which was unique to his own idealism of fashion and its concepts.  Yet, one cannot dismiss the skillful ineptness that Owens possesses of modifying, while studying the external aesthetics around him and projecting them as his own set pieces. 

The viral outbreak has crunched everything, more so due to the shutdowns, quarantines and closures of manufacturing.  With what was left in warehouses awaiting distribution prior to the pandemic, became backlogged as designers who had previous seasons ready for buyers, were awaiting to flow it on to the awaiting market, it has all but taken a dramatic setback.  Particularly the larger independents such as Owens’s signature brand.  Which would also mean budgets have to be reduced, this can be seen with the so called digital performances of other designers to date, with the lookbooks of Resort, Couture and now Spring 2021 been limited in enthusiasm and innovation.  As the extravagance of the runway shows have collapsed spectacularly in fashion, the adjustment has been a hard lesson, as designers, such as Owens have to piece together a patch work of coherency with what they have on hand.  Interestingly it has proven to more of challenge than not, despite the catch cry of slow fashion of yesterday.  Which, in all said and done, the pandemic that has floored everyone, may end up becoming more of a game changer for the industry.  Without really knowing what that change will be.

But Owens has always had an ability to source his own extensive backlog of ideas to rework into a newer collection, as he emerges from the European lock downs, I, like fellow Melbournians in Australia, however have been reunited to another 6 week strict quarantined while the anti-podeans face winter, in a prelude which could be a warning shot for the rest of the world end year.  Who knows, but this virus is extremely pesky while Owens continues to reestablish his brand for Spring Summer 2021, with his male muse Tyrone Dylan Susman, in a digital overview of Owens’s work space via Italy, which was Europe’s epicenter of Covid-19, have both created a straight forward and monochromatic exposé.  All the while an all clear has been tentatively given to open up the Northern Hemisphere’s economies, amidst the European and American Summers.

Owens’s latest collection titled “Phlegethon” from Greek mythology, of the five rivers of the underworld, which at a junction point within Hades, joins within Acheron.  Which is described as the river that burns, but does not consume.  A place without time or meaning. Whatever the mythology instilled within Owens latest collection, it does offer, what could be considered a frozen perspective of time, particularly what maybe already become a peak of creativity, as noted from my review of his Fall 2020 Collection.  Drawing from a past resonance is fine, while facing the complete uncertainty of what has transpired and may continue with a 2nd wave of the pandemic. The possibility that Hell is of the unknown, may not give any answers to the fears of humanity. Would it not be better to reign in turmoil?  Therefor Owens, like other designers seem to be faltering, while they scale back the extravagance of creativity, it would have been refreshing to see an experimentation of newer forms for his 2021 collection.