RICK OWENS FW26

These days, the world can be a pretty scary place. Rick Owens’ FW26 show, titled “Tower” is here to help. Under a dense shroud of fog, Owens debuted an avant garde collection that commented on pressing themes such as authority, protection, and resistance. All topical issues. All referenced through a visual language of monochromes and edgy silhouettes, that have become pretty much synonymous with Owens himself. 

As is standard for a Rick Owens collection, unconventional textiles were at the forefront. For this collection Owens experimented with felt, canvas, and kevlar. These are rough, raw, materials. In the case of kevlar, these are also materials that carry a real and figurative weight. Owens is calling it the way he sees it. We live in an age of authoritarians, and that much seems evident from the overtly militant looks that look like they’re ripped right out of Dune. 

Owens’ thesis is vague, maybe purposefully so. He is by no means eschewing the relevant issues that many luxury houses seem adept at ignoring. But whether Owens is dressing the oppressor or the resistance is distinctly unclear. The collection featured engorged military boots, exaggerated,  collars, and throat latches— textbook symbols of the fascist uniform. While these tend to elicit a sense of fear, Owens appears to be offering a wordless satire, amplifying the aesthetics of fear to the point of comedy. 

On the other hand, much of this collection also reads like a uniform for the resistance— for the rebels living on the outskirts of an Orwellian metropolis. By now, Owens blends rave chic and post-apocalyptic glam so well that the inclusion of bullet-proof fabric seems like a no-brainer. Even garments such as the mop-like shearling coat, or the skimpy argyle tunic, were surprisingly accessible, amidst a barrage of sci-fi styling. 

On the weirder side… There were a number of looks that featured an intensely-cropped capelet that bordered on abstract life preserver. As if that wasn’t enough, Owens also debuted executioner-style hoods made entirely from tassels that dangled to the floor. Both garments added a dose of the textbook strangeness that we have come to expect from a Rick Owens show. 

As for the remaining looks, it was more of the same Rick Owens’ staples: Long grey carcoats, padded-nylon labcoats, and plenty of sleeveless leather. These are the sorts of classic, brutalist pieces that Owens can churn out with ease. It’s refreshing to see that Owens is still attempting to refresh these looks, expanding his pitch-black palette to hues like “dust” and “mincy mauve.” The inclusion of shearling and alpaca wool make for similarly fresh changes in texture. 

Modern life feels undoubtedly pretty bleak. A police-state seems increasingly likely. Real-life supervillains rule the world. Resistance feels futile. In spite of this, much of the fashion world still seems eager to ignore the storm clouds on the horizon. But, when the high priest of all things dark starts making bulletproof clothes, I think anyone can agree that it’s time to get real.