A monumental fashion spectacle of near biblical proportions, Rick Owens’ SS25 menswear show was one for the books. Owens, casting 200 models cloaked in white, conjured an ethereal procession reminiscent of Cecil B. DeMille’s Hollywood epics. Emerging from the shadows of the Palais de Tokyo, 200 models, each cloaked in pristine white descended the steps and encircled the venue’s tranquil square pool to the stirring sounds of Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7.”. Enlisting students and faculty from local fashion schools to walk in the show, the models were diverse in age, size, gender and background, as they emerged in groups of 20, some completing awe-inspiring feats of acrobatics whilst carried in as if on a throne.
“An army of Hollywood extras in white satin,” Owens mused backstage, as he shunned his usual black-dominated palette for something more hopeful. “The world needs gentleness and softness right now.” And gentle it was, models wore belted Jedi robes, funnel-neck biker jackets and shredded bodysuits, many of which featured the American designer’s archetypal exaggerated shoulders, hinting at a post-apocalyptic theme. The capes, some short and structured, others long and sheer, flowed like divine vestments and came paired with crisp Japanese denim treated with a tarnished gold megacrust coating for a subtle shimmer. And for those who miss his usual, darker tones, fear not – Owen’s assured that the showroom holds plenty of darker hues for the loyalists.
Owens’ “Army of Love” was more than a fashion show; it was a fashion manifesto – a statement against intolerance that’s certain to leave an indelible mark on the fashion landscape, blending cinematic drama with a heartfelt call for love, tolerance and an appreciation of alternative beauty.
Photography courtesy of Rick Owens.
