Rick Owens

PARIS, October 2, 2005
By Nicole Phelps
The artillery fire on Rick Owens' soundtrack was a bit misleading. Despite the powdery white faces, thick-soled boots, and fondness for a drab palette, his army of goth girls looked less militaristic and dour than in the past. And they were more on trend, especially in slender, bias-cut chiffon gowns with vaguely thirties silhouettes.

The designer has developed a large cult following and a healthy retail business on the slimming power of his jackets, and his spring collection delivers plenty of them. Some were shown in his signature washed leather. A few had slashes in the back and were tied at the side, and still others displayed precision tailoring, elaborately pieced together from leather, silk, and pleated net and worn over another Owens' staple: the drapey tee.

Trousers cut in too-sheer georgette exposed inner workings like seams, pocket linings, and zipper plackets. Full chiffon pants were pleated in a zigzag manner that created bulk and drew attention to the backside, hips, and thighs, areas that even his sylphlike fans would often rather downplay. And a few hobble skirts proved too restrictive for even the most nimble of his models. But those missteps couldn't distract from his masterful jackets and vests with lapels of buttercup patent leather, lizard, and shagreen that blossomed like flowers. When Owens stepped out of character, as he did with a sleeveless, long wrap dress made from eyelet (in gray, but still), he really dazzled.

Follow us on Twitter

Loading...

Style File Blog

february 13, 2012

Shopping alert

LifeStyle Mirror Launches With Daphne Guinness

01:02 AM
"It's a mix between a concept store and a mega-mall," Emanuele Della Valle (son of Tod's...

Designer update

Saturday Night At Milk Studios: Alejandro Ingelmo And Ostwald Helgason

02:02 PM

more from the style file blog ›