“‘BROTHER WOLF, SISTER MOON’ BY THE CULT IS A SONG I WOULD LISTEN TO OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN REALLY LOUD ALL NIGHT IN THE WAREHOUSE I LIVED IN BY SOME RAILROAD TRACKS IN CULVER CITY IN LA – YOU HAD TO CLIMB A SET OF OUTDOOR STAIRS UP TO A ROOF TO CLIMB IN THROUGH A WINDOW-DOOR – AND I WAS ALWAYS WEARING CAPES AND PLATFORMS BACK THEN. IT WAS A GLORIOUS TIME, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF INSECURITY – AND WITH THIS SHOW, I WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THAT EXPERIENCE WHILE ENJOYING THE TRIUMPH OF BEING ABLE TO RECREATE IT AT FULL POWER INSTEAD OF WHEN I WAS UNFORMED AND FRUSTRATED…” -RICK OWENS

FW23 LUXOR MEN’S
THURSDAY 19 JANUARY 2023, 12H30
PALAIS DE TOKYO, 13 AVENUE DU PRÉSIDENT WILSON, 75116 PARIS

IF VENICE, ITALY, HAS BEEN MY SUMMER RETREAT THEN LUXOR, EGYPT, HAS BECOME MY WINTER RETREAT. THE VASTNESS AND SCALE LINE UP WITH THE CECIL B. DEMILLE FANTASY OF EGYPT IN THE MOVIE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (ART DIRECTED BY PAUL IRIBE!), WHICH I WATCH NIGHTLY WHILE WORKING OUT WITH BRUTALISMUS 3000 PUMPING THROUGH MY EARPHONES. MERGING REAL LIFE WITH FANTASY LIFE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS. AND MEASURING THE INSIGNIFICANCE OF CONTEMPORARY DISCOMFORTS AGAINST THAT AMOUNT OF HISTORY COMFORTS ME.

I HAVE ALSO USED EMBROIDERED IMAGERY FROM NEA OFFENDING PERFORMANCE ARTIST RON ATHEY — AN OLD FRIEND FROM HOLLYWOOD, WHO USED KENNETH ANGER’S VERY STYLIZED INTERPRETATION OF EGYPTIAN CEREMONY IN HIS 1970S UNDERGROUND FILMS AS THE INSPIRATION
FOR HIS PERFORMANCE PIECE INCORRUPTIBLE FLESH, FROM WHICH HE GRACIOUSLY LENT ME AN IMAGE.

THIS COLLECTION IS ABOUT REDUCED ARCHITECTURAL SHAPES WITH A WHIFF OF SLEAZY SEVENTIES PSEUDO-MYSTICISM. SHARP SHOULDERS AND HIGH, TIGHT WAISTS FLARE TO THE ANKLE RECALLING AN ALMOST VICTORIAN SILLHOUETTE — A REFLECTION OF A PRIMNESS WE SEE IN A PREVALENCE OF CURRENT ONLINE JUDGEMENT.

FLIGHT JKTS ARE MADE IN NYLONS MADE FROM GRS (GLOBAL RECYCLED STANDARD) CERTIFIED RECYCLED POLYAMIDE AND DYED USING A SPECIALIZED TECHNIQUE THAT ALLOWS ECOLOGICAL NATURAL PIGMENTS TO BE USED ON SYNTHETIC FIBERS. BLACK IS DYED WITH BAMBOO CHARCOAL WHILE GREEN IS ACHIEVED USING OLIVE WASTE.

TAILORING IS EXECUTED IN A COMPACT MOHAIR BROKEN TWILL WOVEN ON 1950S VINTAGE SHUTTLE LOOMS EXCLUSIVELY FOR US BY BONOTTO, A 4TH GENERATION TEXTILE MILL FOUNDED IN 1912, SITUATED JUST BELOW THE PRE-ALPS IN VENETO, ITALY.

MIDI A-LINE SKIRTS AND SPIKE SHOULDERED BLOUSONS ARE IN 18OZ JAPANESE INDIGO SELVEDGE DENIM. OUR DENIM WASH HOUSE IN VENETO, ITALY, USES ONLY ZDHC CERTIFIED PRODUCTS AND UTILIZES A WATER PURIFYING PROCESS THAT ENABLES THEM TO RECYCLE A LARGE PORTION OF
THE WATER USED.

OUTERWEAR AND JUMPSUITS IN HEAVYWEIGHT AND CRISP MOLESKINS ARE WOVEN IN LOMBARDY, ITALY USING GOTS (GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD) CERTIFIED ORGANIC COTTON. THE MILL
AND FAMILY RUNNING IT HAVE ROOTS GOING BACK TO 1597.

SHAGGY JACKETS COME IN HEAVYWEIGHT UNSHAVEN HAIR-ON COWHIDES TANNED IN THE VENETO AREA OF ITALY BY A 2ND GENERATION FAMILY-OWNED TANNERY THAT HAS A LWG GOLD RATING. THIS ENSURES TRACEABILITY OF RAW MATERIAL, HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS, AND EFFICIENT USE OF ENERGY AND WATER CONSUMPTION IN THE TANNING PROCESS.

WE CONTINUE OUR USE OF WAXY AND SOFT PIRARUCU FISH SKINS. BY RECYCLING THESE GIANT SKINS, INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN BRAZIL ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT INCOME FROM SOMETHING THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE DISCARDED. THE SKINS ARE TANNED IN BRAZIL THROUGH A LOW-IMPACT TANNING PROCESS AND FINISHED IN ITALY.

CUFFS AND CHOKERS PRODUCED IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF FLORENCE ARE MADE FROM SOLID ALUMINUM IN DARK BRONZE FINISH ORNAMENTED WITH SMOKEY QUARTZ CRYSTALS CUT OUTSIDE OF VENICE.

GLOVES MADE IN GLOSSY OR SHAVED HAIR-ON CALF LEATHER ARE MADE BY A 5TH GENERATION FAMILY COMPANY FOUNDED IN 1923 AND SITUATED IN THE CENTER OF NAPLES, ITALY. EACH GLOVE TAKES NO LESS THAN 25 STAGES TO PRODUCE, CARRIED OUT STRICTLY BY HAND.

THERE IS A BITTERNESS TO CREATING A COLLECTION DURING A WAR — A DESIRE TO CONTRIBUTE OUR SOMBRE BEST IN AN INDUSTRY THAT MUST REMAIN STALWART, BUT WITH A SENSE OF FRUSTRATION THAT NOTHING IS ENOUGH.

CASTING: AM CASTING (CLM)
HAIR: DUFFY (STREETERS)
MAKEUP: DANIEL SALLSTROM (MA WORLD GROUP)
PRODUCTION: LA MODE EN IMAGES
MUSIC: EXTENDED MIX OF ‘BROTHER WOLF, SISTER MOON’ BY THE CULT

FW23 LUXOR WOMEN’S
THURSDAY 02 MARCH 2023, 17H30
PALAIS DE TOKYO, 13 AVENUE DU PRÉSIDENT WILSON, 75116 PARIS

FOR THE MEN’S ‘LUXOR’ RUNWAY COLLECTION PRESS NOTES IN JANUARY, I WROTE THE FOLLOWING: “IF VENICE, ITALY, HAS BEEN MY SUMMER RETREAT THEN LUXOR, EGYPT, HAS BECOME MY WINTER RETREAT. THE VASTNESS AND SCALE LINE UP WITH THE CECIL B. DEMILLE FANTASY OF EGYPT IN THE MOVIE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (ART DIRECTED BY PAUL IRIBE!), WHICH I WATCH NIGHTLY WHILE WORKING OUT WITH BRUTALISMUS 3000 PUMPING THROUGH MY EARPHONES. MERGING REAL LIFE WITH FANTASY LIFE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS. AND MEASURING THE INSIGNIFICANCE OF CONTEMPORARY TENSIONS AGAINST THAT IDEA OF ETERNITY COMFORTS ME.”

FOR THE WOMEN’S ‘LUXOR’ RUNWAY COLLECTION, WE ARE ONE YEAR INTO A WAR AND WITNESSING HOW INSPIRING DIGNITY IN THE FACE OF AGGRESSION CAN BE. TIMES LIKE THESE MIGHT CALL FOR A RESPECTFUL FORMALITY AND SOBRIETY WITH MOMENTS OF DELICACY AS REMINDERS OF WHAT IS AT RISK AND AT STAKE.

CLOTHES HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO THE SIMPLEST OF SHAPES. THERE’S A GENTLE BUT DEFIANT SWOOP TO THE SOFT JUMBO PADDED GARLANDS SLUNG OVER SHOULDERS OR THE SWINGING FOLDS OF A FLOWING CAPE. THESE ARE WORN OVER LENGTHS OF WOOL WRAPPED AT THE BOSOM AS ELONGATED BUSTIERS… OR WRAPPED AT THE HIP TO CREATE SKIRTS WITH SINUOUS TRAINS.

THE GARLANDS ARE SIMPLY DUVET-FILLED DONUTS OF VARYING SIZES EXECUTED IN AIRY AND LIGHTWEIGHT GRS (GLOBAL RECYCLED STANDARD) CERTIFIED RECYCLED POLYAMIDE OR ENZYME-FINISHED HEAVYWEIGHT PURE SILK CHARMEUSE, BOTH WOVEN IN COMO, ITALY. DONUTS AND COWLS ALSO COME IN LIGHTWEIGHT VEG TANNED AND WAXY LAMB SKINS FROM SOLOFRA OUTSIDE OF NAPOLI IN THE SOUTH OF ITALY. VEG TANNING MEANS ONLY VEGETAL AND NATURAL TANNINS ARE USED IN THE PROCESS OF TANNING AND PRESERVING THE LEATHER.

KNIT TUNICS AND DRESSES ARE SLASHED TO THE ARMPIT OR SLIT TO THE THIGH, SUGGESTING THE PHYSICALITY OF ACTION. LEGGINGS, STOCKINGS, AND BRIEFS ALLOW THEM TO BE WORN IN LAYERS COVERING OR REVEALING AT WILL. THEY ARE MADE FROM GRS CERTIFIED RECYCLED CASHMERE.
USING RECYCLED CASHMERE HELPS TO FIND A PURPOSE FOR RAW MATERIALS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE DISCARDED AND LESSEN THE DEPENDENCY ON VIRGIN FIBRES.

MATTE SEQUINS IN MUTED TONES ARE EMBROIDERED ONTO COATS CUT IN RWS (RESPONSIBLE WOOL STANDARD) CERTIFIED FELTED PURE WOOL. USING RWS WOOL ENSURES A HIGH STANDARD OF ANIMAL WELFARE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. EACH BALE OF WOOL IS ALSO TRACEABLE BACK TO ITS SOURCE.

SKIRTS, DRESSES, AND DONUTS ARE ALSO SHOWN IN 13OZ JAPANESE INDIGO SELVEDGE DENIM, WHICH IS MINERAL WASHED AND FINISHED WITH AN ACID COLORED DEGRADE OR SHREDDED BY
LASERS. OUR DENIM WASH HOUSE IN VENETO, ITALY, USES ONLY ZDHC CERTIFIED PRODUCTS AND UTILIZES A WATER PURIFYING PROCESS THAT ENABLES THEM TO RECYCLE A LARGE PORTION OF THE WATER USED.

CUFFS AND CHOKERS PRODUCED IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF FLORENCE ARE MADE FROM SOLID ALUMINUM IN A DARK BRONZE FINISH ORNAMENTED WITH SMOKEY QUARTZ CRYSTALS CUT OUTSIDE OF VENICE.

GLOVES MADE IN GLOSSY OR SHAVED HAIR-ON CALF LEATHER ARE MADE BY A 5TH GENERATION FAMILY COMPANY FOUNDED IN 1923 AND SITUATED IN THE CENTER OF NAPLES, ITALY. EACH GLOVE
TAKES NO LESS THAN 25 STAGES TO PRODUCE, CARRIED OUT STRICTLY BY HAND.

OUR LUCITE-HEELED PLATFORM BOOTS ARE SWOLLEN TO NEW DIMENSIONS WITH DUVET PADDING IN VEG TANNED LEATHER FROM TUSCANY, ITALY. THE TANNERY MAKING THIS LEATHER HAS A LWG
GOLD RATING. THIS ENSURES TRACEABILITY OF RAW MATERIAL, HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS, AND EFFICIENT USE OF ENERGY AND WATER CONSUMPTION IN THE TANNING PROCESS.

PEACHES, A QUEER PIONEER GOING ON TOUR TO COMMEMORATE 20 YEARS SINCE HER DEBUT ALBUM, THE TEACHES OF PEACHES, INTRODUCES A NEW SONG FOR THE SOUNDTRACK TITLED ‘SURVIVE’. THE GRAPHIC SEXUALITY IN HER INTELLIGENT LYRICS OVER TIGHT BRUTAL ELECTRONIC BEATS HELPED MAKE A GENERATION OF FEMINIST WOMEN SINGERS REVEL IN AS MUCH SEXUAL CONTROL AS HAD BEEN TRADITIONALLY HELD BY THEIR MALE MUSICAL COUNTERPARTS. SHE IS AN ESSENTIAL COUNTERBALANCE TO INTOLERANT ENERGY THAT IS STILL UNFORTUNATELY A FACT OF LIFE. AND HER SCRAPPY RESISTANCE AND FEROCITY IS AN EXAMPLE MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER.

CASTING: AM CASTING (CLM)
HAIR: DUFFY (STREETERS)
MAKEUP: DANIEL SALLSTROM (MA WORLD GROUP)
PRODUCTION: LA MODE EN IMAGES
MUSIC: EXCLUSIVE MIX OF ‘SURVIVE’ BY PEACHES

“THERE IS A NEW COYNESS ABOUT GENDER BUT GLITTER ROCK WAS NOT COY – IT WAS ALL-OUT HARDCORE: IT WAS DISPLAY, SWAGGER, AND KITSCH WITH DELIBERATE BAD TASTE. IT’S SO EASY TO BE CRITICIZED TODAY WITH THE INTERNET, SO MAYBE THAT’S WHY EVERYONE IS PLAYING IT SO SAFE...EVERYONE IS CONGRATULATING THEMSELVES ON BEING SO GENDER FLEXIBLE, BUT IT’S NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST. GLITTER WAS A STOMPING JUBILANT CELEBRATION OF SLEAZE!” -RICK OWENS

“I WAS WEARING CUT-OFFS, TANK TOPS AND FLIP FLOPS, OR I WAS BAREFOOT... I HAD SHAGGY ROD STEWART HAIR... AND I COULDN’T EVER GET IT RIGHT, I HAD A BLOW DRYER... BUT I COULDN’T MASTER GELS OR HAIRSPRAY, I COULDN’T GET IT TO STAND UP... IT WAS TOO CURLY... I DIDN’T HAVE A HAIR STRAIGHTENER AT THE TIME...THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE INVENTED THEM YET....” -RICK OWENS

THE DECISION TO HIGHLIGHT OUR WORK WITH BONOTTO SPECIFICALLY IS ENHANCED NOT ONLY IN APPRECIATION OF THEIR USE OF VINTAGE 1950S JAPANESE SHUTTLE LOOMS, BUT ALSO THEIR HISTORY AND ASSOCIATION WITH THE FLUXUS ARTISTS - PARTICULARLY JOSEPH BEUYS AND YOKO ONO, BOTH OF WHOM FREQUENTED THE FACTORY AND HOUSE OF LUIGI BONOTTO II - THEY CREATED A LOT OF WORKS THERE AND BONOTTO NOW HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST COLLECTIONS OF FLUXUS ART IN THE WORLD.

BONOTTO’S CONNECTION TO THE OUTSIDER ART WORLD INSPIRED THE DECISION TO WORK WITH UNDERGROUND ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS FOR THE PHOTO SHOOTS. THE CAPSULE CAMPAIGN FEATURES CULT MUSICIAN, WRITER AND FILMMAKER IAN F. SVENONIUS, LAWRENCE, AN ENGLISH MUSIC ICON KNOWN FOR HIS WORK IN HIS BANDS FELT, DENIM AND MOZART ESTATE, AND SAUL ADAMCEWSKI OF FAT WHITE FAMILY AND INSECURE MEN.

“I’M ONLY INTERESTED IN DEAD THINGS...I LIVE IN DEAD CITIES, MAYBE THAT IS NOT A NICE THING TO SAY BUT I MEAN IT IN THE NICEST WAY POSSIBLE. FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, I HAVE ESTABLISHED MYSELF IN PARIS AND IN VENICE AND THEY ARE BOTH ARE BRIMMING WITH HISTORY. BUT QUIET.” -RICK OWENS

“OTHER CITIES ARE BRISTLING WITH NEWER ENERGY. BUT I WANT TO KNOW THE WHOLE STORY...THE BEGINNING AND THE END. IN VENICE, THEY HAVE THE ART OLYMPICS – THE BIENNALE, WHICH IS ABOUT NEWNESS, BUT I FEEL COMFORTED BY THE BIENALLE BEING HOSTED IN A DILAPIDATED PARK BUILT IN THE 1920S. PARIS IS ALLL ABOUT OLDNESS - IT DOESN’T HAVE THE SAME VIBRANT NEW-NESS OF NYC, OR OTHER BIG CITIES. IT’S AN OLD USED DOILY, BUT A BEAUTIFUL ONE.” -RICK OWENS

“I’M STILL LEARNING FROM ART NOUVEAU AND HISTORY, I AM DELVING DEEPER… I HAVEN’T REALLY FOUND INSPIRATION IN THE NEW... PARTLY BECAUSE THE THINGS I’M INTERESTED IN NEED THE PATINA AND MELANCHOLY OF BEING SEEN FROM A CONTROLLED DISTANCE.” -RICK OWENS

“MY DRIVE AND DETERMINATION COME FROM MY DAD – SO DOES THE ARROGANCE TO THINK I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING AND THAT WHAT I’M DOING IS RIGHT. ANY KIND OF KINDNESS OR EMPATHY COMES FROM MOM.

SOME MAY KNOW ME MAINLY FROM MY RUNWAY SHOWS, WHICH CAN BE AS BOMBASTIC AND PROVOCATIVE AS I CAN GET AWAY WITH… WHEN I DRAG PEOPLE TO A SHOW, I WANT THEM TO SEE A SHOW. BUT THE MAIN MESSAGE I AM PUTTING OUT THERE IS EMPATHY. I AM ASKING PEOPLE TO CONSIDER AESTHETIC OPTIONS THAT MIGHT NOT BE STANDARD AND TO OPEN THEIR HEARTS TO DIFFERENT KINDS OF BEAUTY. THE FASHION WORLD CAN BE A VERY RIGID AND RESTRICTIVE PLACE AND IF I CAN ENCOURAGE PUSHING ON THOSE RESTRICTIONS, MAYBE I CAN ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE MORE OPEN TO OTHER IDEAS REGARDING TOLERANCE AND KINDESS IN THINKING.” -RICK OWENS

“THERE IS A SIDE OF ME THAT EMBRACES BAD TASTE... I FEEL A MORAL OBLIGATION TO ENCOURAGE MORE EXPRESSION AND FREEDOM AND TO EMBRACE SOMETHING SLIGHTLY RIDICULOUS - THAT IS SINCERE. THE WORLD IS SUPER MORALISTIC NOW. I WANT SOMETHING THAT BRINGS JOY AND GLEE...” -RICK OWENS