ELLE FRANCE — RICK OWENS THE EXCESS OF POSSIBILITY — JULY 2025 — By MARGUERITE BAUX AND ILARIA CASATI

FOR THIRTY YEARS, HIS TRANSGRESSIVE WARDROBE HAS BOTH ENCHANTED AND UNSETTLED US. AS THE PALAIS GALLIERA PRESENTS A MAJOR RETROSPECTIVE OF HIS WORK, THE DARKEST OF AMERICAN DESIGNERS LOOKS BACK ON HIS JOURNEY.

“OH, GUSTAVE MOREAU HAS ARRIVED!” RICK OWENS EXCLAIMS JOYFULLY AS HE SPOTS A SMALL PAINTING PERCHED ABOVE A PROCESSION OF SPECTACULAR LONG GOWNS. WITH HIS CAP PULLED LOW OVER LONG HAIR, A STUNNING BLACK JACKET WITH BROAD SHOULDERS, AND HIS TRADEMARK OVERSIZED SNEAKERS, OWENS WEAVES BETWEEN CRATES AND BOXES WHILE TOURING HIS RETROSPECTIVE AT THE PALAIS GALLIERA. BORN IN 1961, HE’S PRESENTING NOT ONLY HIS FAMOUSLY SCANDALOUS, DECONSTRUCTED, THEATRICAL GARMENTS, BUT ALSO THE ART, VIDEOS, AND PERFORMANCES THAT FORM A UNIVERSE WHERE BEAUTY MEETS SEX AND CONCEPT.

THE OPENING ROOM, ALMOST LIKE A CHAPEL, RECOUNTS HIS EARLY DAYS IN LOS ANGELES IN THE ’80S AND ’90S: DRAWINGS, KINKY (AND CHEEKY) SKETCHES, VINYL RECORDS, AND HIS SACRED TRINITY OF “ESSENTIALS,” AS HE CALLS THEM—IGGY POP FOR “RAW ENERGY,” BOWIE FOR “GLAMOUR,” AND KLAUS NOMI FOR “SEXUAL AMBIGUITY.”

THERE’S ALSO THE PRESENCE OF MICHÈLE LAMY—HIS MUSE, PARTNER, AND “DISCOVERY,” AS HE PUTS IT. AFTER WORKING IN PARIS, SHE JOINED HIM TO FOUND THE BRAND IN 1992. WARM, WELCOMING, AND ENDLESSLY CHARISMATIC, SHE’S OFTEN SEEN WITH HENNA-STAINED HANDS, A GOLD-GRILLED SMILE, AND AS BOTH A BUSINESS PARTNER AND NIGHTTIME ACCOMPLICE.

AT THE HEART OF THE EXHIBIT, AMONG A HUNDRED ICONIC SILHOUETTES, TWO INTIMATE SPACES STAND OUT: ONE RECREATES THE COUPLE’S BEDROOM, AND THE OTHER SHOWCASES A “FETISHIST” ALTAR, “NOT RECOMMENDED FOR MINORS.” DESPITE ITS PROVOCATIVE EDGE, THIS “LORD OF DARKNESS,” OFTEN LABELED BY THE PRESS, OFFERS US A SURPRISINGLY GENTLE AND TENDER VISION.



ELLE. HOW DID YOU APPROACH THIS EXHIBITION? IS IT A RETROSPECTIVE, A PORTRAIT?

RICK OWENS. I LIKE THE IDEA OF A RETROSPECTIVE—UNLIKE MICHÈLE. BUT MICHÈLE IS STILL AN ADOLESCENT; I’M AN OLD MAN NOW [EDITOR’S NOTE: SHE’S 81 AND HE’S 63]! A RETROSPECTIVE IS A BAD OMEN. IT MEANS YOU'VE REACHED YOUR PEAK—AND NOW COMES THE DECLINE.



ELLE. DOESN’T THAT BOTHER YOU?

R.O. NOT AT ALL. A BIG PART OF MY WORK IS ABOUT HOW WE HANDLE WHAT LIFE THROWS AT US—FEAR, SHAME, PRIDE, EGO. ALL OF THIS REFLECTS IN HOW WE DRESS, HOW WE PRESENT OURSELVES. I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THE PHRASE “YOU CAN'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER.” I HAVE A VERY STRONG OPINION ABOUT FASHION.



ELLE. WHY THE REPLICA OF THE BEDROOM YOU SHARED WITH MICHÈLE LAMY IN L.A. IN THE LATE 1980S?

R.O. THAT WAS ALEXANDRE SAMSON’S IDEA—HE CURATED THE SHOW. HE WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT OUR TIME IN L.A., WHICH IS SO PERSONAL AND INTIMATE TO THE EXHIBITION. IT’S THE FOUNDATION OF MY AESTHETIC. MICHÈLE ALWAYS SAYS I’M ONLY INTERESTED IN DEAD ARTISTS, EVEN THOUGH I’M SO DRAWN TO YOUTH AND NOVELTY. IT’S TRUE—I NEED TO KNOW HISTORY, BUT I ALSO WANT ARTISTS TO STAY FAITHFUL TO THEIR AESTHETICS THROUGHOUT. WE’VE RECREATED OUR FIRST FURNITURE PIECE TOGETHER, AND THAT’S HOW WE’VE WORKED EVER SINCE. FOR ME, IT’S FUN TO REVISIT THAT WORLD.



ELLE. WHAT BOOKS SHAPED YOU? YOU’VE MENTIONED A LOVE FOR PROUST AND HUYSMANS...

R.O. HUYSMANS IS FEATURED IN THE CENTRAL CASE BECAUSE HE WAS CRUCIAL FOR ME—HIS BOOKS WERE IN MY DAD’S LIBRARY. I GREW UP IN CONSERVATIVE PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA. MY DAD WAS A REACTIONARY, BIGOTED, HOMOPHOBIC VIETNAM VET, BUT HE HAD A SENSITIVE SOUL AND LOVED CLASSICAL MUSIC AND LITERATURE. I DIDN’T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND IT AT THE TIME, BUT I KNEW SOMETHING QUEER WAS HIDDEN BETWEEN THOSE COVERS. THAT’S WHAT HUYSMANS GAVE ME: A SPACE OF MY OWN, A KIND OF AESTHETIC SAFE BUBBLE.



ELLE. WHAT WAS YOUR MOTHER LIKE?

R.O. MY MOM WAS AMAZING. WE DIDN’T TALK MUCH ABOUT EMOTIONS, BUT WE WERE DEEPLY CONNECTED. MY DAD’S TRAUMA LEFT HIM EMOTIONALLY DISTANT, SO WE UNDERSTOOD EACH OTHER IN SILENCE. SHE TAUGHT ME TENDERNESS. SHE WAS SO POLITE—IT WAS ONE OF HER GREATEST LESSONS. WE WERE CLOSE. WHEN SHE DIED FIVE YEARS AGO, I COULDN’T SPEAK TO ANYONE. I THINK IT WAS HARD FOR HER TO ACCEPT MY SUCCESS WHEN IT CAME FROM REJECTING THE VALUES SHE HELD. THERE WAS SO MUCH LOVE, BUT ALSO CONFLICT. SHE WOULD COME WITH ME TO FASHION SHOWS, SITTING BESIDE DRAG QUEENS. THAT WAS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

I SECRETLY BOUGHT HER A LITTLE HOUSE IN PORTERVILLE, WHERE SHE COULD NAP IN PEACE. I DECORATED IT JUST THE WAY SHE LIKED, WITH CURTAINS AND FLOWERS—EVERYTHING SHE COULDN’T HAVE WITH MY DAD. WHEN HE PASSED, WITHOUT TELLING ME, SHE MOVED INTO THAT HOUSE. IT WAS OUR SECRET. WHEN SHE GOT CANCER, I TOOK HER TO VENICE AND WE STAYED IN A BEAUTIFUL SUITE AT THE EXCELSIOR, WITH A SEA VIEW. SHE DIED TWO YEARS AGO. I STILL CAN’T LOOK AT PHOTOS OF HER. NOT YET.



ELLE. WAS MEETING MICHÈLE WHAT SAVED YOU? [EDITOR’S NOTE: SHE WAS 45 AT THE TIME]

R.O. YES, SHE SAVED ME. WE DRANK TOGETHER, LAUGHED EVEN MORE. SHE, MORE THAN ANYONE, IS WHY I HELD ON TO LIFE.

MICHÈLE. WE KISSED A LOT!

R.O. WE DID! I HAD COMPLETELY STOPPED DRINKING FOR 20 YEARS. BACK THEN, I WAS FULL OF FRUSTRATION, FEELING UNSEEN, AND MY WORK WASN’T RESONATING. THAT FRUSTRATION TURNED INTO AGGRESSION, TO PROVE SOMETHING. LOOKING BACK, MAYBE THAT WAS ARROGANCE? BUT I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO—AND DRANK THROUGH IT. THEN ONE DAY I STOPPED. A FEW YEARS AGO, I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS TIME TO DRINK AGAIN. MODERATELY. BUT THE VOICE IN MY HEAD SAID: “YOU’LL JUST GET COCKY AND SCREW IT ALL UP AGAIN!”



ELLE. WOULD YOU SAY YOU'RE A CONTROL FREAK?

R.O. PROBABLY, YES. BUT THAT DOESN’T STOP ME FROM HAVING FUN. I LIVE A VERY DIFFERENT LIFE FROM OTHER LUXURY FASHION HOUSE DESIGNERS. I ANSWER TO NO ONE.



ELLE. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ASKED TO HEAD ONE OF THOSE HOUSES?

R.O. A LONG TIME AGO, YES—BUT IT WOULD’VE BROUGHT MORE COMPLICATIONS THAN ANYTHING ELSE. MY WORLD IS WELL-DEFINED, AND I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO SATISFY THE EXPECTATIONS THAT COME WITH THAT ROLE. BUT I DO ENJOY THE FASHION CALENDAR, THE PUZZLE OF CRAFTING A CREATIVE VISION WITHIN A LIMITED TIMEFRAME AND RESOURCES. YOU JUST HAVE TO STAY ORGANIZED AND DO YOUR BEST WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT—AND THAT IN ITSELF IS A MEANINGFUL WAY TO LIVE.



ELLE. IN THE MAIN GALLERY, WE SEE KEY PIECES FROM YOUR PAST RUNWAY SHOWS. WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

R.O. WHEN I FIRST STARTED, I DIDN’T DO SHOWS—I SOLD IN STORES. MARIA LUISA IN PARIS, MISS B AT BROWNS IN LONDON, JOYCE IN HONG KONG… THEN ANDRÉ LEON TALLEY DISPLAYED MY CLOTHES IN A WINDOW AT HENRY BENDEL’S, WHICH CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF ANNA WINTOUR. THAT WAS AFTER 9/11 AND THE VOGUE US WANTED TO SUPPORT EMERGING AMERICAN DESIGNERS. WITH MY FIRST SHOW, I EMBRACED THE RISK OF PUTTING MYSELF OUT THERE, EVEN THOUGH I HAD VERY LITTLE MONEY. IT WAS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME CHANCE. I HAD NEVER EVEN BEEN TO A RUNWAY SHOW! I DIDN’T KNOW HOW IT WORKED, BUT I KNEW WHAT I WANTED: SOMETHING OTHER THAN BEAUTIFUL WOMEN IN HIGH HEELS WEARING HARD-TO-WEAR GOWNS. I WANTED NOT ONLY GREAT CLOTHES BUT ALSO GREAT ATTITUDES, AND TO CREATE A KIND OF CEREMONY. THAT’S HOW MY SHOWS BECAME ABOUT PHYSICAL PERFORMANCES, RAW BODIES, AND USING MODELS WHO WEREN’T TRADITIONAL MODELS. SOMETIMES, YES, EVEN SHOWING THE PENIS.



ELLE. WHAT WAS THE RUNWAY SHOW THAT REALLY MADE WAVES?

R.O. THE IDEA WAS TO MOCK MALE POWER—THE KIND OF THING THAT WOULD’VE MADE MY FATHER FURIOUS. I WANTED TO PROVOKE THE MALE EGO, SHOWING LIMP, NON-SEXUALIZED PENISES—AS IF THEY WERE JUST ANOTHER PART OF THE MALE BODY. EVEN KARL LAGERFELD FOUND IT DISGUSTING. HE SAID, “WE SHOULD CALL HIM ‘DICK OWENS.’” I WAS SURPRISED, BUT IT MADE ME LAUGH, BECAUSE I NEVER REALLY LIKED LAGERFELD. A MAN WHO WOULD PHOTOGRAPH YOUNG NAKED MEN FROM BEHIND BUT COULDN’T BEAR TO LOOK AT A PENIS HEAD-ON?



ELLE. SPEAKING OF SEX… TELL US ABOUT THE FETISH ROOM IN THE EXHIBIT.

R.O. OH, YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT THE PORN? ON THAT WALL, THERE ARE VIDEOS OF ME. AT THE CENTER, THERE’S A WAX STATUE OF ME PEEING LIKE A FOUNTAIN. IT’S PRETTY WILD—I FIRST SHOWED IT AT PITTI UOMO IN FLORENCE [IN 2006]. IT’S MY VERSION OF THOSE TRADITIONAL STATUES OF MEN PEEING THAT ARE HUNG OVER FIREPLACES. I’M ALSO SHOWING ONE OF THE FIRST IMAGES I EVER PUBLISHED IN THE PRESS, IN I-D MAGAZINE: A POLAROID OF ME PEEING ON MYSELF. THE CULTURE I GREW UP IN WAS DEEPLY REPRESSED—PISS WAS TABOO, A SECRET THING. BUT TODAY, IN SEX CLUBS, IT’S BECOME A RITUALIZED WAY TO RELEASE SHAME, ANGER, AND HUMILIATION IN A STYLIZED FORM. WHEN SOMEONE FINDS IT DISGUSTING, THE REFLEX IS ALWAYS: “AH YES, BUT YOUR DISGUST JUST REVEALS YOUR OWN REPRESSED HOMOSEXUALITY. YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO THAT.”



ELLE. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE NICKNAME YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN: "LORD OF DARKNESS"?

R.O. IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE I’VE ALWAYS BEEN DRAWN TO MORTALITY, COLLAPSE, REJECTION—THE DARKER PARTS OF LIFE WE TRY TO MAKE SENSE OF. WHILE MANY BRANDS GO FULL DISNEY, WITH FLOWERS, MAGIC, AND FANTASY, I’M MORE ON THE SIDE OF ITALIAN NEOREALIST CINEMA. IF I FOCUSED ONLY ON SWEETNESS, I’D FEEL FAKE. I LOVE OLD HORROR FILMS FROM THE 1920S AND 1930S—ESPECIALLY LE CHAT NOIR, A FILM FROM 1932. THE IDEA OF AN ARCHITECT LIVING IN A DUNGEON, SURROUNDED BY RELICS OF LOST LOVES… I LOVED THAT. AND OF COURSE, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW WAS A HUGE INFLUENCE. I SAW IT WHEN I WAS 15, AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I FELT LIKE I TRULY BELONGED, LIKE THERE WAS THIS WONDERFUL TRIBE OF MISFITS OUT THERE. THAT’S THE FEELING I TRY TO RECREATE WITH THIS EXHIBIT.