March 5, 2021 |
A concrete pier jutting into the Venice Lido served as Rick Owens’ AW21 catwalk. To match his men’s show, also unveiled on the Lido, he called the collection Gethsemane after the garden where Jesus prayed, the night before the crucifixion. Never short on drama or brinksmanship, Owens’ staging could have been directed by Visconti. His silhouettes were long and lean. Fishtail gowns were worn under dramatic quilted capes and, minus the lightsaber, had the look of Jedi couture.
Form-fitting sequin onesies, which looked like glam rock wetsuits, were the ideal dress code for the party at the end of the world. They were a glistening base layer for sculptural quilted parkas and fierce platform boots. It looked wonderfully heroic, powerful and defiant, and not only because of the dramatic overhead drone footage. Owens offered operatic looks that soar as high as a Callas aria.
Photography courtesy of Rick Owens.
