Excerpt: Rick Owens. Men's Fall 2025 - Paris Fashion Week

 

 

"...The spectra of death is an ever present shadow at an Owens show, noted with his recent grandiose Hollywood Babylon shows that were orchestrated, outside the Palais de Tokyo, as a large cult like funeral possession.  And for his Fall 2025 collection, Owens has returned to the underground bunker like interior of the Palais de Tokyo, the stalwart 1930s landmark which Owens has claimed as an eternal backdrop for his collections of the last 10 years.

Titling his latest array as "Concordians", Owens supercharged goth masculine appears to be slightly toned down, but only slightly, with a feminine infusion ala in its aesthetical similarity to Owens 'doomsday witches and orcales' of the last 5 years pre and post the global pandemic of 2020.  Concordian being the Roman goddess of societal harmony, with male models holding onto stylized clutch handbags, which is Owens collaboration with the luxury Italian luggage company Rimowa, as they walk to the sound track, played multilingually in reverse, of David Bowie's 1977 hit "Heroes".  The presentation plays out more as a homage to the goddess Discordia, rather than Concordia.  Thus, is Owens awareness of philosophical cues within the realms of dichotomy, as globally, governments begin to embrace proto-fascism to sow stability over a discontented populus, it may actually induce further instability. 

Also noted with Owens's Fall 2025 collection is the ever appealing androgyneity, of the vampiric masculine.  Brooding, mysterious and fluid within its sexuality.  Able to tap into the carnal desires of the feminine, as a reflection of darkness.  In this case, inside a neon lit brutalists style bunker.  Sealed off from the light."

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Full review:  chiasmusmagazine.blogspot.com/2025/01/rick-owens-mens-fall-2025-paris-fashion.html

(A.Glass 2025)