NOVEMBER 2023

BRUTUS.JP — MONCLER + RICK OWENS. WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF DOWN JACKETS DRAWN BY RICK OWENS? WE SPOKE TO THE DESIGNER HIMSELF — NOVEMBER 30, 2023 — BY NAOKO SASAKI

RICK OWENS IS KNOWN FOR HIS UNIQUE AND AVANT-GARDE CREATIONS AND HAS NOW COLLABORATED WITH MONCLER ON THE MONCLER + RICK OWENS COLLECTION, WHICH FINALLY LAUNCHED IN JAPAN. WE INTERVIEWED RICK OWENS, THE DESIGNER WHO MASTERFULLY MANIPULATES JACKETS.

THIS MONCLER + RICK OWENS COLLECTION WAS ORIGINALLY UNVEILED IN FEBRUARY DURING LONDON FASHION. THIS IS THE THIRD COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TWO COMPANIES, FOLLOWING THEIR FIRST COLLABORATION IN OCTOBER 2020 AND LAST YEAR'S PROJECT FOR MONCLER’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY. WE SPOKE TO RICK OWENS ABOUT HIS THOUGHTS ON DESIGNING DOWN JACKETS AND THE SLEEPING POD.

YOUR BRAND HAS A LOT OF PASSIONATE FANS. DID YOU NEED A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO WORK WITH MONCLER?
RICK OWENS: MY APPROACH IS THE SAME WITH ANY PROJECT- HOW CAN I CREATE SOMETHING HONORABLE AND HONEST WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS AND RESOURCES PROVIDED? MONCLER OPERATES AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF PRESENTATION, AND MAKING SOMETHING POWERFUL BUT RESPONSIBLE IS MY PRIORITY WHEN WORKING WITH THEM.

WE BELIEVE THAT YOU PRIORITIZE HIGH-QUALITY MATERIALS IN YOUR DESIGNS. IS THIS REFLECTED IN THIS COLLECTION?
RICK OWENS: I WANTED TO EXPLORE WORKING WITH DENIMS WOVEN WITH ECO-CONSCIOUS COTTONS DYED RESPONSIBLY. I WANTED A SOFT, EARTHY, AND SYLVAN MOOD.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE SPACE YOU PRESENTED? RICK OWENS: I ALWAYS START WITH MY OWN PERSONAL NEEDS- I HAD BEEN CONSIDERING GETTING AN APARTMENT IN NY BUT WANTED TO BE ABLE TO ESCAPE THE CONSTANT BUZZ OF ENERGY AND CONSTRUCTION THAT IS UNAVOIDABLE THERE- I THOUGHT AN ISOLATION POD PANIC CHAMBER WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA AND CAME UP WITH THIS SLEEPING POD. I DECIDED AGAINST GETTING A PLACE IN NY AND AM NOW INSTALLING THIS BED IN MY HOUSE IN PARIS.

IS THE SLEEPING POD ITSELF A SPACESHIP? IT LOOKS LIKE A BED WITH A FUTON ON IT. IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SPACE AND 'SLEEP’?
RICK OWENS: IT IS A PRIVATE AND INSULATED PLACE OF REPOSE, RETREAT, REJUVENATION, AND RECHARGE. AN EXQUISITE ESCAPE.

PHYSICAL BEAUTY SEEMS TO BE AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT TO YOU. DOWN JACKETS TEND TO BE LIKE A QUILT COVERING UP THE BODY'S LINES. IS THERE A SPECIFIC AREA IN YOUR COLLECTION THAT YOU WANTED TO AVOID?
RICK OWENS: I LOVE TO DISTORT THE BODY AND PROPOSE ALTERNATIVES TO WHAT THE RULES ARE REGARDING WHAT IS FLATTERING AND WHY THAT MATTERS. I RESPECT CLASSICAL BEAUTY BUT ENJOY PROPOSING FLEXIBILITY.

THE RICK OWENS COLLECTION IN 2017 FW WAS IMPRESSIVE FOR ITS EXTENSIVE USE OF COLORFUL DOWN MATERIALS. HAVE DOWN JACKETS ALWAYS BEEN A SPECIAL ITEM FOR YOU?
RICK OWENS: PROTECTION AGAINST THE ELEMENTS WITH FEATHERS IS JUST A BEAUTIFUL DESIGN STORY…

GENERALLY, DOWN JACKETS OFTEN LOOK LIKE THE OPPOSITE OF THE FASHIONABLE WITH DENIM. HOWEVER, DOWN JACKETS FEEL VERY FREE IN YOUR COLLECTION. ISN'T IT CHALLENGING TO CREATE A DOWN JACKET THAT IS BOTH WEARABLE AND INTERESTING IN TERMS OF DESIGN?
RICK OWENS: ANYTHING CAN BE FASHIONABLE WITH INTEGRITY AND BOLDNESS

YOUR COLLECTIONS ARE ALWAYS SCULPTURAL, WITH BEAUTIFUL SILHOUETTES FROM ALL ANGLES. DO YOU THINK QUILTING IS THE KEY TO CREATING DOWN SILHOUETTES?
RICK OWENS: BEING ABLE TO SCULPT WITH FEATHERS IS POETIC- AND BEING ABLE TO ADD NEW VOLUMES TO THE BODY IN UNEXPECTED PLACES IS A MESSAGE THAT STANDARD EXPRESSIONS OF BEAUTY NEED NOT BE SO STRICT.

WHAT IS THE ATTRACTION OF DOWN JACKETS TO YOU?
RICK OWENS: I LOVE THE FUNCTIONALITY OF SOMETHING SO LIGHT AND COMPRESSIBLE

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE AND IN WHAT SITUATIONS WOULD YOU LIKE THIS DOWN TO BE WORN BY?
RICK OWENS: I WOULD LOVE ALL MY CLOTHES TO BE WORN BY GENTLE SOULS WITH OPEN SPIRITS WHO ARE ACTIVELY FOLLOWING KIND PURSUITS.