SS26 TEMPLE MEN’S
THURSDAY 26 JUNE 2025
PALAIS DE TOKYO, 13 AVENUE DU PRÉSIDENT WILSON, 75116 PARIS

THIS MEN’S COLLECTION IS NAMED ‘TEMPLE’, AFTER MY RETROSPECTIVE, NAMED ‘TEMPLE OF LOVE’ (‘LOVE’ IS A WORD REALLY WORTH PROMOTING RIGHT NOW), WHICH WILL BE OPENING IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE RUNWAY SHOW AT THE MUSÉE PALAIS GALLIERA RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. A RETROSPECTIVE SUMMONS UP THOUGHTS OF PEAKING, FINALITY AND DECLINE AND I WAS DELIGHTED TO LEAN INTO THAT.

THE EXHIBITION TRACKS THE PURSUIT OF GLAMOUR AND SLEAZE THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR ON HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, AND EVENTUALLY, IMPROBABLY, ENDING UP IN A PARIS MUSEUM. I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF WHAT I DO AS A FASCINATION WITH THE DENSENESS OF EUROPEAN AESTHETIC SOPHISTICATION SEEN THROUGH A FILTER OF AMERICAN BLUNTNESS.

THE BLUNTNESS HERE IS IN THE FIELDS OF FLESH SHOWN BETWEEN GAPS OF BLACK LEATHER. STUDDED STRAPS FROM HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD ARE DRAPED AND SWAGGED TO RECALL GARLANDS HELD BY NYMPHS TO TRAP A SATYR IN WILLIAM-ADOLPHE BOUGUEREAU’S SYLVAN NEOCLASSICAL PAINTINGS. STRAPS ARE ALWAYS A GOOD EXCUSE FOR MEN TO COMFORTABLY INDULGE IN SELF ADORNMENT THAT ALSO PROVIDES A WHIFF OF ACTION.

HEAVYWEIGHT LEATHERS VEG TANNED IN SANTA CROCE SULL’ARNO, TUSCANY, ARE ALSO SLASHED, FRINGED, SPIKED AND ZIPPED TO MOVE, SWAY AND BREATHE.

VOLUPTUOUSLY PROPORTIONED FLIGHT JACKETS AND PARKAS ARE RENDERED IN EITHER SILK TAFFETA, OR INDUSTRIAL NYLON CANVAS WOVEN IN THE COMO REGION OF ITALY BY A FAMILY OWNED MILL FOUNDED IN 1952. THE NYLON USED IS GRS CERTIFIED WHICH ENSURES A REDUCTION IN WATER CONSUMPTION, EMISSIONS AND HAZARDOUS WASTE, LESSENING THE DEPENDENCE ON NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES. THESE ARE WORN WITH VOLUMINOUS COTTON CANVAS SHORTS PAIRED WITH OPEN TOED VELCRO-STRAPPED PADDED ORTHOPEDIC FOOTWEAR WE CALL BURRITO SNEAKS.

I HAVE DONE A COLLABORATION WITH SUICIDE, THE NEW YORK PUNK BAND PIONEERING THE USE OF MINIMALIST ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTATION DURING THE 1970S. VOCALIST ALAN VEGA AND MUSICIAN MARTIN REV’S RAW, DISTURBING SOUND MIRRORED THEIR DESTROYED AND DECONSTRUCTED LEATHERS WHICH WE HAVE TRANSLATED HERE INTO JACKETS MADE FROM HEAVY HIDES TANNED AND PRODUCED IN HYOGO PREFECTURE, JAPAN.

TERRY-ANN FRENCKEN, WORKING WITH CASHMERE UNDER THE NAME TOTALKOSTER, WAS OUR FIRST SHOWROOM MODEL IN 2002 AND, INDULGING IN THE SPIRIT OF SHAMELESS NOSTALGIA, I ASKED HER TO REPRODUCE SOME OF HER FAVORITE KNITS FROM THAT TIME. POLAROID IMAGES I TOOK OF HER 20 YEARS AGO ARE AMONG THE FIRST PAGES OF THIS EXHIBITION’S CATALOG.

THE SOUNDTRACK IS KLAUS NOMI, ONE OF THE LEGENDARY WEIRDOS WHO HELPED LIBERATE THE WEIRDO IN ME, SINGING ‘DIDO’S LAMENT’ FROM DIDO AND AENEAS BY HENRY PURCELL.

THY HAND, BELINDA; DARKNESS SHADES ME,
ON THY BOSOM LET ME REST,
MORE I WOULD, BUT DEATH INVADES ME;
DEATH IS NOW A WELCOME GUEST.

WHEN I AM LAID IN EARTH,
MAY MY WRONGS CREATE
NO TROUBLE IN THY BREAST;
REMEMBER ME,
REMEMBER ME,
REMEMBER ME,
BUT AH! FORGET MY FATE…

DING-DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD

CASTING: ANGUS MUNRO (AMC CASTING), GEORGES LABBAT
STYLING: TYRONE DYLAN SUSMAN
HAIR: DUFFY (STREETERS)
MAKEUP: DANIEL SALLSTROM (MA WORLD GROUP)
PRODUCTION: LA MODE EN IMAGES
STUNT COORDINATOR: MICHEL BOUIS
MUSIC: DEATH (FROM ‘DIDO AND AENEAS’) BY KLAUS NOMI MIXED BY JEFF JUDD

SS26 TEMPLE WOMEN’S
THURSDAY 2 OCTOBER 2025
PALAIS DE TOKYO, 13 AVENUE DU PRÉSIDENT WILSON, 75116 PARIS

THIS WOMEN’S COLLECTION IS NAMED ‘TEMPLE’ — AS WAS THE MEN’S COLLECTION SHOWN IN JUNE — COINCIDING WITH THE OPENING OF MY RETROSPECTIVE AT THE MUSÉE GALLIERA ACROSS THE STREET. A RETROSPECTIVE RELISHED LEANING SUMMONS INTO UP THAT. THOUGH OFTEN A CITY, PEAKING AND DECLINE, AND I AS I WROTE IN MY MEN’S NOTES, “THIS EXHIBITION TRACKS THE PURSUIT OF GLAMOUR AND SLEAZE THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR ON HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, AND EVENTUALLY, IMPROBABLY, ENDED UP DISPLAYING IN A PARIS MUSEUM. I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF WHAT I DO AS A FASCINATION WITH THE DENSE NESS OF EUROPEAN AESTHETIC SOPHISTICATION SEEN THROUGH A FILTER OF AMERICAN BLUNTNESS.”

GLAMOUR AND BLUNTNESS ARE PROVIDED IN HAPHAZARDLY WHIPPED UP SKIRTS AND DRESSES DRAPED IN STURDY INDUSTRIAL GRS CERTIFIED NYLON. THESE SKIRTS AND DRESSES ARE ALSO EXECUTED IN RECYCLED NYLON TULLE EMBROIDERED WITH SEQUINS MANIPULATED BY MATISSE DI MAGGIO, RUBBER FETISH MISTRESS OF PARIS. PANELS ARE DIPPED IN LATEX BEFORE EACH INDIVIDUAL SEQUIN IS POSITIONED BY HAND. AFTER DRYING, THE PANELS ARE CLEANED, BRUSHED AND POLISHED MULTIPLE TIMES TO ACHIEVE THE FINAL CRUSTY LOOK.

THIS INDUSTRIAL YET AIRY NYLON IS ALSO CUT INTO MICRO CROPPED TRENCHES THAT CAN BE WORN WITH OR WITHOUT LONG MATCHING VESTS TO CREATE TWO-PIECE TRENCH COATS. THEY ARE MIXED AND MATCHED WITH LEATHER DRACU-COLLARED MICRO-BIKER JKTS WITH WEEPING LEATHER FRINGED SLEEVES, OR COTTON CANDY FLIGHT JACKETS.

HEAVY WEIGHT LEATHERS AND SLASHED, FRINGED, SPIKED VEG TANNED IN TUSCANY, HAND WOVEN BY LONDON DESIGNER STRAY TUKAY ARE MOVE, CRAFTED AND BREATHE.

UNDERNEATH, BODIES ARE LAYERED IN ARCHITECTURALLY SEAMED SHEER LAYERS, SUGGESTING NUDITY BUT COMPLETELY SUPPRESSING IT AT THE SAME TIME. GEOMETRIC LINES TRACE THE BODY LIKE RIGID AND CONTROLLED VEINING.

LAST SEASON’S SHOULDERS HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO HARDENED SHINY METALLIC SCULPTURES THAT SUPPORT DROOPING GLOBS OF GOTS CERTIFIED SILK CHIFFON WHICH ARE THE RESULT IN EXQUISITELY OPEN AND SWEEPING TANK DRESSES THAT REVEAL BRAS OR OF AN ARTISANAL COLLABORATION WITH LIVY, A PARISIAN LABEL SPECIALIZING IN LINGERIE.

I HAVE ALSO DONE A COLLABORATION WITH SUICIDE, THE NEW YORK PUNK ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTATION BAND THAT PIONEERED THE USE OF MINIMALIST SOUND DURING THE 1970S. VOCALIST ALAN VEGA AND MUSICIAN MARTIN REV’S RAW, DESTROYED AND DECONSTRUCTED LEATHERS MIRRORED THEIR MUSIC, WHICH WE HAVE DISTURBING TRANSLATED HERE INTO HEAVY HIDES TANNED AND PRODUCED IN HYOGO PREFECTURE, JAPAN.

INDUSTRIAL RECYCLED NYLON, RUBBER, HEAVY LEATHER, METAL SHOULDERS. STEELY TENACITY.

TOUGH CLOTHES FOR TOUGH TIMES.

IN THE IMMORTAL WORDS OF GRACE SLICK FROM JEFFERSON AIRPLANE:
WHEN THE TRUTH IS FOUND, TO BE LIES
AND ALL THE JOY WITHIN YOU DIES
DONT YOU WANT SOMEBODY TO LOVE
DONT YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO LOVE
WOULDN’T YOU LOVE SOMEBODY TO LOVE
YOU BETTER FIND SOMEBODY TO LOVE

CASTING: ANGUS MUNRO (AMC CASTING)
STYLING: TYRONE DYLAN SUSMAN
HAIR: DUFFY (STREETERS)
MAKEUP: MAC COSMETICS AND DANIEL SALLSTROM (MA WORLD GROUP)
PRODUCTION: LA MODE EN IMAGES
MUSIC: ‘SOMEBODY TO LOVE’ BY BASSTROLOGE MIXED BY JEFF JUDD

THE ASTRO PRINT FEATURES AN EXACT COPY OF RICK OWENS’ ASTROLOGICAL NATAL CHART, HAND-DRAWN BY HIS FATHER JOHN ON THE DAY OF HIS BIRTH IN 1961.

THE INK-JET PRINTING PROCESS BEGINS WITH PREPARING THE FABRIC INSIDE A RAMEUSE (STENTER FRAME), WHERE THE TEXTILE IS STRETCHED TO THE CORRECT WIDTH AND TENSION WHILE RECEIVING A PRE-TREATMENT COATING.

ONCE READY, THE FABRIC MOVES TO AN EIGHT-HEAD INDUSTRIAL DIGITAL PRINTER, WHICH DEPOSITS MICROSCOPIC DROPLETS OF INK DIRECTLY ONTO THE SURFACE. EACH HEAD CONTROLS A DIFFERENT COLOR CHANNEL, USING HIGH-RESOLUTION FILES TO REPRODUCE COMPLEX GRAPHICS, DETAILS, AND GRADIENTS WITH EXTREME PRECISION.

UNLIKE TRADITIONAL SCREEN PRINTING, THE DESIGN IS BUILT DOT BY DOT RATHER THAN PRESSED THROUGH A SCREEN, ALLOWING GREATER FREEDOM IN SCALE, COLOR VARIATION, AND REPEAT DIMENSION. THIS TECHNOLOGY REMOVES LIMITATIONS ON COLOR QUANTITY AND DESIGN SIZE, ENABLING HIGHLY DETAILED MULTI-CHROMATIC COMPOSITIONS. HOWEVER, ON HEAVYWEIGHT FABRICS, THE INK OFTEN REMAINS MORE ON THE SURFACE RATHER THAN FULLY PENETRATING THE MATERIAL.

TO FIX THE COLOR PERMANENTLY, THE PRINTED FABRIC IS PLACED INSIDE LARGE STEAMING CHAMBERS. DURING THIS PHASE, HEAT AND HUMIDITY ACTIVATE THE CHEMICAL REACTION BETWEEN THE INK AND THE FIBER, MAKING THE COLOR FAST AND WASH-RESISTANT.

AFTER STEAMING, THE TEXTILE UNDERGOES A WASHING PROCESS TO REMOVE ANY EXCESS DYE AND ELIMINATE THE INITIAL PRE-TREATMENT COATING. THIS STEP IS CRUCIAL TO ACHIEVE BOTH COLOR STABILITY AND A CLEAN SURFACE FINISH.

FOR THE FINAL TOUCH, THE FABRIC IS PROCESSED THROUGH THE ENAIRGY MACHINE, WHICH FUNCTIONS SIMILARLY TO AN INDUSTRIAL TUMBLER. THIS MECHANICAL FINISHING SOFTENS THE MATERIAL, RELAXES THE FIBERS, AND GIVES THE TEXTILE A MORE NATURAL, FLUID HAND FEEL.

“WHERE DID MY DAD LEARN TO DRAW AN ASTROLOGICAL CHART? FUCK IF I KNOW!
MOM SENT ME A BUNCH OF BOXES AFTER DAD DIED AND ALEXANDER SAMSON WHO CURATED OUR SHOW AT THE PALAIS GALLIERA FOUND IT IN THERE…
IT WAS A SURPRISINGLY MYSTICAL THING FOR HIM TO DO, BEING SO PEDANTIC AND SO FIRST-DEGREE ABOUT EVERYTHING…BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE SCIENCE OF IT THAT APPEALED TO HIM. HE WAS LOOKING AT IT FROM A SCIENTIFIC ANGLE – I DON’T THINK HE TOOK IT ALL THAT SERIOUSLY - I THINK IT WAS JUST A WHIM…BUT TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO IT THAT DEEPLY IS A SURPRISE.
I CAN ASSUME THAT HE WENT TO THE LIBRARY AND RESEARCHED ASTROLOGY, BECAUSE THE LIBRARY WAS HIS CHURCH. WHEN I WAS A KID, WE USED TO GO TO THE LOS ANGELES LIBRARY A LOT – I REMEMBER IT AS BEING THIS WONDERFUL CASTLE…IT’S A REALLY IMPRESSIVE, KIND OF ART-DECO CALIFORNIA INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING…IT STILL LOOKS WONDERFUL. I REMEMBER THE SMELL, I REMEMBER THIS SORT OF WONDERFUL CAVERNOUS CASTLE…”

 “WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THERE WAS NEVER ANY CONSIDERATION OF TRAVEL. TRAVELING WAS FOR RICH PEOPLE – DAD’S GREATEST AMBITION FOR ME WAS TO BECOME A DENTIST IN PORTERVILLE. I THINK HE FIGURED THIS OUT BECAUSE OF ME GETTING BRACES – I THINK HE WAS THINKING OF ALL THE MONEY HE HAD TO PAY FOR MY BRACES - THAT IT WAS GIVING THE DENTIST A GOOD INCOME… SO HIS DREAM FOR ME WAS TO BE A DENTIST IN PORTERVILLE AND PAINT IN THE GARAGE IN MY SPARE TIME.
WE DIDN’T HAVE TONS OF BOOKS WHEN I WAS LITTLE, BUT DAD SUBSCRIBED TO AN ENCYCLOPEDIA WHERE YOU GOT ONE BOOK EVERY MONTH OR SOMETHING AND YOU PAID IT BOOK BY BOOK…WE ALSO HAD “MUSEUMS OF THE WORLD”…IT WAS LIKE TWENTY VOLUMES AND IT’S JUST ALL OF THE MUSEUMS IN THE WORLD
AND EVERYTHING THAT’S IN THEM. WHICH WAS KIND OF WONDERFUL IN PORTERVILLE, AND VERY WORLDLY FOR A MAN WHO WASN’T VERY AMBITIOUS. ISN’T THAT NICE?
IN THAT BOX MOM SENT, I ALSO FOUND COPIES OF THE STUFF HE WAS WRITING TO GAY ORGANIZATIONS TO PROPOSE THAT HOMOSEXUALITY WAS A DEPRAVITY…HE WAS FINDING FLAWS IN THE “HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA” AND TUSSLING WITH THEM. HE WOULD TYPE IT ALL OUT ON THIS BEAUTIFUL ONION-SKIN PAPER AND SEND ME COPIES... THIS WAS AFTER I MOVED TO LA – HE WAS DOING IT TO ENCOURAGE ME NOT TO ENGAGE IN HOMOSEXUALITY. IT’S FUCKED UP BUT IT’S SO MOVING THAT HE WAS TRYING SO HARD TO SAVE ME. THIS WAS AT THE TIME HE WAS VISITING SCHOOLS TO GIVE LECTURES ABOUT HOW HOMOSEXUALITY CAUSED HIV/AIDS. AND TO THINK HE MADE AN ASTROLOGICAL CHART – THAT’S AS GAY AS GETTING MISTY-EYED OVER OPERA,
WHICH HE ALSO DID…”

- RICK OWENS

“MY FATHER HAD BEEN STATIONED IN JAPAN DURING WW2 AS A POSTMAN, NOT IN COMBAT, BUT IN THE BARRACKS AND UNIFORM... WHEN I WAS GROWING UP HE HAD A TRUNK IN THE BACK OF THE CLOSET FILLED WITH THE SILK KIMONOS, HAND-PAINTED SCROLLS AND PICTURES HE COLLECTED WHILE HE WAS THERE. THE FATHER I KNEW WAS CONSERVATIVE AND SOMEWHAT PURITANICAL. THAT IS WHY THE WHOLE PERIOD IN JAPAN IS SUCH A MYSTERY TO ME... HE SEEMED TO HAVE ALLOWED HIMSELF AN ATTRACTION TO EXOTICISM AND BEAUTY THAT I NEVER WOULD HAVE SUSPECTED HE WOULD INDULGE IN EXCEPT FOR THE PROOF IN THAT TRUNK. I SAW PICTURES OF HIM WEARING KIMONOS IN BLOSSOMING GARDENS WITH ELABORATELY ROBED JAPANESE GIRLS HOLDING PAINTED UMBRELLAS...WHEN I UNPACKED
HIS COLLECTION OF KIMONOS, THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS THE SCENT - A MOTH BALL, SANDALWOOD SMELL THAT I LATER GAVE TO MY PERFUME GUY TO REPLICATE.” -RICK OWENS

THE STRETCH TULLE IS MADE USING GRS CERTIFIED RECYCLED POLYAMIDE WHICH ENSURES A REDUCTION IN WATER CONSUMPTION, EMISSIONS AND HAZARDOUS WASTE, LESSENING THE DEPENDENCE ON NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES.
THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY DEVELOPED AND UTILIZED TO CREATE DRESSES, TOPS, AND SHORTS, AS WELL AS TO CONSTRUCT LAYERED SILHOUETTES FOR THE WOMEN’S RUNWAY SHOW.
IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE FEATURED PROMINENTLY WITHIN THE WOMEN’S COLLECTION, WHILE ALSO APPEARING IN SELECTED PIECES OF THE MEN’S COLLECTION, REINFORCING ITS VERSATILITY ACROSS CATEGORIES.

RECYCLED NYLON IS SUPPLIED IN LARGE SPOOL FORM AND CAREFULLY MOUNTED ONTO THE KNITTING MACHINERY.
EACH INDIVIDUAL FILAMENT IS THEN MANUALLY POSITIONED AND INSERTED INTO EVERY SINGLE NEEDLE BY A SPECIALIZED TECHNICIAN TO GUARANTEE UNIFORM ELASTICITY AND STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. ONCE THE THREADING PHASE IS COMPLETED, THE MACHINE BEGINS THE KNITTING PROCESS, INTERLOCKING THE RECYCLED NYLON FILAMENTS TO GRADUALLY CONSTRUCT THE FINAL FABRIC.

THROUGH THIS CONTROLLED AND HIGHLY TECHNICAL PROCEDURE, THE MATERIAL DEVELOPS ITS CHARACTERISTIC LIGHTWEIGHT TRANSPARENCY, FLEXIBILITY, AND RESILIENT STRETCH, RESULTING IN A FABRIC THAT COMBINES DELICACY WITH PERFORMANCE.

MATISSE DI MAGGIO IS A PARIS-BASED MATERIAL ARTIST WHOSE PRACTICE MERGES FETISH CULTURE WITH ARTISANAL INNOVATION.
RENOWNED FOR HER RADICAL MANIPULATION OF RUBBER AND LATEX, SHE TRANSFORMS MATERIALS THROUGH PROCESSES THAT EVOKE TENSION, CONTROL, AND ENDURANCE. FOR THIS SEASON’S RUNWAY, SHE TREATED SEQUINS USING NATURAL LATEX THAT COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED ITS CHARACTER.

EACH PANEL OF FABRIC WAS IMMERSED IN THE NATURAL LATEX SOLUTION,SATURATING THE SURFACE AND COATING EVERY ELEMENT UNIFORMLY. ONCE SOAKED, THE PIECES WERE MANIPULATED, CAREFULLY REPOSITIONING EACH SEQUIN BY HAND BEFORE BEING LAID OUT TO DRY. THIS IMMERSION-AND-DRYING CYCLE WAS REPEATED MULTIPLE TIMES TO BUILD DEPTH AND RESILIENCE IN THE
MATERIAL.

THROUGH THIS ELABORATE, HANDS-ON PROCESS OF BRUSHING AND REFINEMENT, THE FABRIC ACHIEVED A HARDENED, LUSTROUS FINISH—A SURFACE THAT CAPTURES LIGHT WITH A CRUST-LIKE TEXTURE WHILE MAINTAINING DIMENSIONAL INTEGRITY.

THIS SEASON FEATURES A COLLABORATION WITH NEW YORK PUNK DUO SUICIDE AND FEATURES A SIGNATURE LABEL ON THE INTERIOR.

THE BAND PIONEERED THE USE OF MINIMALIST ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTATION DURING THE 1970S.

THE RAW, DISTURBING SOUND AND THREATENING, CHAOTIC LIVE SHOWS OF VOCALIST ALAN VEGA AND MUSICIAN MARTIN REV WERE MET WITH HOSTILITY EARLY ON - THEY WERE CONSIDERED OUTSIDERS AMONG THEIR CONTEMPORARIES AND LARGELY VILIFIED, BUT THEIR INFLUENCE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT IN THE DECADES SINCE.

HIS SEASON FEATURES A COLLABORATION WITH NEW YORK PUNK DUO SUICIDE AND FEATURES A SIGNATURE LABEL ON THE INTERIOR.

THE BAND PIONEERED THE USE OF MINIMALIST ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTATION DURING THE 1970S.

THE RAW, DISTURBING SOUND AND THREATENING, CHAOTIC LIVE SHOWS OF VOCALIST ALAN VEGA AND MUSICIAN MARTIN REV WERE MET WITH HOSTILITY EARLY ON - THEY WERE CONSIDERED OUTSIDERS AMONG THEIR CONTEMPORARIES AND LARGELY VILIFIED, BUT THEIR INFLUENCE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT IN THE DECADES SINCE.