Rick Owens embraces the bleak and austerity of the times at PFW

For his Fall 2024 presentation Rick Owens reflected that the world is grim and intolerant, emphasising that his latest catwalk collection should not be viewed in a festival spirit. Instead, it was showcased to a select audience in his Paris home at the Place de Palais Bourbon.

Consistent with his approach, Mr. Owens has always resonated with and embraced the spirit of the times, preferring more intimate and sincere presentations over grand spectacles common in other major fashion houses. Reflecting a commitment to restraint, Owens' collections do not masquerade as decoys or themes to adopt but rather stand as authentic and brutalist expressions of its founder.

Behind the scenes, Owens mentioned that the inflatable stretch rubber boots were a collaboration with Straytukay and produced by London Garden Latex, with shoe design by Leo Prothman. Other rubber garments were developed in partnership with Matisse De Maggio.

In a post-show interview with System, Owens described the Fall 2024 clothes as barbaric and inhumane, challenging conventional beauty standards and commenting on the current global situation. Owens criticized the notion of generic 'airport beauty,' characterizing it as a narrow and intolerant standard promoted in beauty advertising. Instead, he aims to offer more diverse options and promote tolerance.

The Fall 2024 collection was named 'Porterville' after Owens' hometown in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range, a place he refers to as bleak. Owens explained in a pre-show letter that the collection is a reflection of his memories of the small hardships of a sensitive childhood in a judgmental country.