“THE LIDO DI VENEZIA IS ONE OF THE MOST MAGICAL, LEGENDARY PLACES ON THE PLANET.” -RICK OWENS

“‘ONE OF THE BIGGEST ASSETS WE HAVE IS THAT THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT COMPANY THAT ISN’T COMMITTEE-RUN OR COMMITTEE-DESIGNED... FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, IT’S A SINGLE VOICE AND THAT’S REALLY UNUSUAL IN THIS DAY AND AGE, SO IT’S IMPORTANT FOR THE WORK TO BE AS PERSONAL AS POSSIBLE. TO EMPHASIZE HOW PERSONAL THIS IS, I’VE RECENTLY BEEN NAMING THE COLLECTIONS AFTER PLACES THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME – VERY INTIMATE, PERSONAL PLACES LIKE THE LIDO, LUXOR, EDFU…” -RICK OWENS

SS24 LIDO MEN’S
THURSDAY 22 JUNE 2023, 12H30
PALAIS DE TOKYO, 13 AVENUE DU PRÉSIDENT WILSON, 75116 PARIS

WITH OUR WORLD CONDITIONS UNDER INCREASING THREAT, JUBILANCE SEEMS LIKE THE WRONG NOTE BUT MAYBE IT’S THE ONLY CORRECT MORAL RESPONSE? BEYOND BEING NICE TO EACH OTHER, ISN’T PERSONAL JOY WHAT WE ARE PUT ON EARTH TO DO?

CONSIDERING JOY A MORAL OBLIGATION, I PROPOSE A GRIM, DETERMINED ELEGANCE, ALL IN A FORMAL, RESTRAINED, ALBEIT ADMITTEDLY DRAMA QUEEN, BLACK. HOW ONE HANDLES ADVERSITY IS WHAT DEFINES ONE’S CHARACTER.

STRICT STRUCTURED TROUSERS IN WOOL, SILK OR COTTON FAILLE ARE HIGH AND CINCH WAISTED AND SKIM THE LEG FLARING OUT TO DRAG ON THE FLOOR, AND ARE PAIRED WITH SILK OR LEATHER T-SHIRTS THAT WRAP AND STRETCH AND TWIST AND DRAPE AROUND THE UPPER TORSO.

CROPPED TAILORED JKTS IN GOTS CERTIFIED ORGANIC COTTON ORGANDY OR SILK GAZAR HAVE TRANSPARENT SILK ORGANZA LININGS TO REVEAL THE INTRICATE CONFECTION OF THE INNER CONSTRUCTION. SHARPLY EXTENDED SHOULDERS ARE CAUGHT WITH A SKINNY KNIT SLEEVE TO CONTROL THE VOLUME AND ELONGATE THE ARM.

THIS CONSTRUCTION IS EXTENDED TO COATS THAT CREATE AN IMPOSING SILHOUETTE WHILE BEING AIRY AND LIGHT AS A FEATHER THANKS TO THE MILLE-FEUILLE CONSTRUCTION OF THE THINNEST, LIGHTEST, CRISP LAYERS OF SHEEREST SILKS. SILK ALSO COMES IN WEIGHTLESS HABOTAI USED FOR SHIRTS, TUNICS AND ROBES THAT FLOAT AROUND THE FIGURE IN CONSTANT MOVEMENT. ALL SILKS IN THIS COLLECTION ARE WOVEN IN THE COMO REGION A FEW HOURS DRIVE FROM OUR FACTORY.

TAILORING ALSO COMES IN PURE WOOL GRAIN DE POUDRE WOVEN FOR US AS PART OF A CAPSULE IN COLLABORATION WITH BONOTTO, A 4TH GENERATION TEXTILE MILL FOUNDED IN 1912 SITUATED JUST BELOW THE PREALPS IN VENETO, ITALY. WOVEN ON 1950S JAPANESE LOOMS, WITH RWS CERTIFIED WOOL WHICH ENSURES A HIGH STANDARD IN ANIMAL WELFARE, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, EACH BALE OF WOOL IS TRACEABLE BACK TO ITS SOURCE. BONOTTO ALSO INCIDENTALLY HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST FLUXUS ART COLLECTIONS IN THE WORLD.

SHORTS, TANK TOPS, AND JKTS ARE MADE IN OILY CALF LEATHER VEG TANNED USING WOODEN DRUMS IN SANTA CROCE SULL’ARNO, TUSCANY, ITALY BY A SMALL FAMILY OWNED TANNERY WITH A LWG GOLD RATING. THE LWG CERTIFICATION ENSURES TRACEABILITY OF RAW MATERIALS, HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS, AND EFFICIENT USE OF ENERGY AND WATER CONSUMPTION IN THE TANNING PROCESS.

FROM A CONTINUING CAPSULE MADE IN JAPAN, WE PRESENT LEATHER JACKETS MADE IN 1MM OIL WAX CALF LEATHER, TANNED IN TATSUNO, HYŌGO PREFECTURE AND SEWN IN ATSUGI, KANAGAWA PREFECTURE.

CUTOFF SHORTS AND CARGO PANTS ARE CUT IN 13OZ JAPANESE SELVEDGE DENIM, STONE WASHED, OVER-DYED AND WAXED AT OUR DENIM WASH HOUSE IN VENETO, ITALY USING ONLY ZDHC CERTIFIED PRODUCTS AND UTILIZING A WATER PURIFYING PROCESS THAT ENABLES THEM TO RECYCLE A LARGE PORTION OF THE WATER USED.

ALL JERSEY TOPS ARE IN GOTS CERTIFIED ORGANIC COTTON BY A MILL LOCATED 20KM FROM OUR HOME BASE IN CONCORDIA.

SILK BANDANAS COME PRINTED WITH AN IMAGE FROM RON ATHEY’S 2014 PERFORMANCE ‘INCORRUPTIBLE FLESH’. I HAVE KNOWN AND ADMIRED RON SINCE THE 1980S AND HAVE MARVELLED AT THE AESTHETIC HE HAS DEVELOPED AND FULLY COMMITTED HIMSELF TO SINCE THEN.

SHOES COME IN A SANDAL VERSION OF LAST SEASON’S SPLINT BOOTS IN A HEELED VERSION AND TWO HEIGHTS OF FLAT SOLES. THERE IS ALSO A TRIPLE STRAPPED HOOF SPLINT. LIKE HAVING LEATHER PILLOWS STRAPPED TO YOUR FEET.

I RECENTLY REALISED THAT FEW KNOW OUR LABELS HAVE BEEN HAND STAMPED IN OUR VILLAGE FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS BY GIORGIA MALAVASI, A RETIRED RELATION OF ONE OF OUR TEAM. HAND STAMPED LABELS WERE ONE OF THE THINGS I DIDN’T WANT TO CHANGE WHEN I STARTED PRODUCING MY FIRST COLLECTIONS INDUSTRIALLY IN ITALY AND WILL CONTINUE THIS TRADITION AS LONG AS THIS LABEL EXISTS.

CASTING: AMC CASTING (CLM)
HAIR: DUFFY (STREETERS)
MAKEUP: MAC COSMETICS AND DANIEL SALLSTROM (MA WORLD GROUP)
PRODUCTION: LA MODE EN IMAGES
MUSIC: EXCLUSIVE MIX BY LIL TEXAS

SS24 LIDO WOMEN’S
THURSDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2023, 17H30
PALAIS DE TOKYO, 13 AVENUE DU PRÉSIDENT WILSON, 75116 PARIS

I WENT TO A BJÖRK CONCERT EARLIER THIS MONTH AND HER INTELLIGENT, LIFE AFFIRMING ENERGY MADE ME KIND OF EMBARRASSED OF MY OWN MOPEY ADOLESCENT PESSIMISM… AND HERS WASN’T A DISNEY ESCAPIST OBLIVIOUSNESS, BUT A CONCERNED AND THOUGHTFUL TRUST IN MOVING FORWARD. SHE EXPRESSED HOPE.

I SUPPOSE I EXPRESS RESIGNATION. MY DEFAULT SETTING IS TO PROPOSE A MORE SOMBER SOBRIETY RESPECTFUL OF AN AILING AND STRUGGLING WORLD OBSERVING A WAR.

MY ENTHUSIASM IS MORE TEMPERED AND SUSPICIOUS. BUT I TRY TO EXPRESS THE HOPE FOR JOY WHILE CAUTIONING EMPATHY AND RESPONSIBILITY.

CONSIDERING JOY A MORAL OBLIGATION, I PROPOSE A STARK ELEGANCE, MOSTLY IN DRAMA QUEEN BLACK AND GENTLE GREY, BUT ALSO MOMENTS OF TENDER PINK AND EXULTANT RED.

STRICT, STRUCTURED SKIRTS AND TROUSERS IN LEATHER OR OVERDYED DENIM ARE HIGH WAISTED AND NARROW AND LONG. THESE ARE PAIRED WITH MODEST JERSEY OR SUMPTUOUS LEATHER TOPS THAT WRAP AND STRETCH AND DRAPE AROUND THE UPPER TORSO. CROPPED VARIATIONS OF LEATHER BIKER JACKETS ALSO REVEAL AND DEFINE THE WAIST, SOME WITH SCULPTED SHOULDERS THAT DISTORT AND CORRUPT THE FIGURE INSTEAD OF DECORATE IT.

ALL OUR JERSEYS ARE INGOTS CERTIFIED ORGANIC COTTON BY A MILL LOCATED 20 KM FROM OUR HOME BASE IN CONCORDIA, ITALY.

LEATHER GLOVE STOLES ARE MADE BY A 5TH GENERATION FAMILY COMPANY FOUNDED IN 1923 AND SITUATED IN THE CENTER OF NAPLES, ITALY. EACH STOLE GLOVE TAKES NO LESS THAN 25 STAGES TO PRODUCE, CARRIED OUT STRICTLY BY HAND.

OUR CALF LEATHER IS VEG TANNED IN THE SOLOFRA AREA OUTSIDE OF NAPLES, ITALY. I HAVE WORKED WITH THIS TANNERY EVERY SEASON SINCE I STARTED PRODUCING MY BRAND IN ITALY 22 YEARS AGO AND IT IS STILL RUN TODAY BY THE 3RD GENERATION OF THE SAME FAMILY THAT STARTED IT IN 1966.

LAST SEASON’S DUVET DONUTS ARE TRANSFORMED INTO SPRING CONFECTIONS IN SILK ORGANZA AND ALSO A TULLE PRODUCED OUTSIDE OF MILANO, ITALY, FROM ECONYL®, A RECYCLED YARN MADE IN ITALY USING 100% WASTE MATERIAL THAT WOULD OTHERWISE POLLUTE OUR LAND AND WATERS.

SOME DONUTS AND JACKETS ARE GEOMETRICALLY TRACED WITH FRILLED LAYERED STRIPS OF DENIMS THAT ARE STONEWASHED, OVER-DYED, WAXED, FRAYED, AND SEWN ONTO A NYLON MESH BASE. 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.

I MENTION OUR EFFORTS TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY NOT OUT OF VIRTUOUSNESS– WE HAVE A WAYS TO GO– BUT AS AN EXAMPLE THAT WE CAN ALL START SOMEWHERE.

THE LIGHTEST HABOTAI SILK IS CUT INTO TUNICS AND HOODED ROBES THAT FILL LIKE SAILS AND FLOAT AROUND THE FIGURE IN CONSTANT MOVEMENT. THESE ARE WORN OVER THE SIMPLEST VOLUMINOUS GOWNS OR JUMPSUITS IN SILK GAZAR THAT CRISPLY STAND AWAY FROM THE BODY LIKE SUMPTUOUSLY IMPOSING TENTS.

HUN’S TRAVEL BAG, NOW WITH OUR CERBERUS HOOK CLOSURE, IS WORN SLUNG ACROSS THE BODY, BECOMING ANOTHER DRAPED ELEMENT IN A FEW SHORT DRAPED BUBBLE SILHOUETTES.

LAST SEASON’S PLATFORMED SPLINT BOOTS ARE SPLIT OPEN TO CREATE SANDALS, EFFECTIVELY STRAPPING LEATHER PILLOWS TO THE ANKLE.

DIANA ROSS ALLOWED ME TO DO A REMIX OF HER MOST RECENTLY RELEASED SONG, WHICH I IMAGINED AS A HYMN, WITH THE REPEATED REFRAIN “I STILL BELIEVE IN LOVE” AS A SIMPLE BUT DETERMINED EXPRESSION OF FAITH AND HOPE.

CASTING: AMC CASTING (CLM)
HAIR: DUFFY (STREETERS)
MAKEUP: MAC COSMETICS AND DANIEL SALLSTROM (MA WORLD GROUP)
PRODUCTION: LA MODE EN IMAGES
MUSIC: EXCLUSIVE MIX OF ‘I STILL BELIEVE’ BY DIANA ROSS

“AFTER APPROACHING NUMEROUS FACTORIES IN ITALY FOR A LICENSING AGREEMENT, THE FACTORY IN CONCORDIA WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WOULD ACCEPT ME WHEN I WAS JUST STARTING OUT – AND GRADUALLY, WE JUST GREW UP AND BUILT A LIFE HERE – AND VENICE IS SO CLOSE...” -RICK OWENS

“MICHÈLE AND I STARTED GOING TO VENICE EVERY SUMMER AND STAYING AT THE EXCELSIOR HOTEL, WHICH WAS LIKE A FADED HOLLYWOOD MOVIE SET - KIND OF LIKE THE CHATEAU MARMONT, WHERE WE HAD LIVED IN HOLLYWOOD. I WAS ATTRACTED TO THE LIDO BECAUSE OF ITS 1930S CAST OF CHARACTERS, LIKE NIJINSKY DANCING ON THE BEACH WHILE DIAGHILEV HUNG OUT WITH CHANEL AND COCTEAU…” -RICK OWENS

“VENICE IS ONLY TEN MINUTES AWAY, AND THERE’S ALWAYS MAJOR ART HAPPENING THERE, WHETHER IT’S THE BIENNALE OR BILLIONAIRES BUILDING MUSEUMS TO THEMSELVES…IT CAN BE RURAL AND SYLVAN AND COSMOPOLITAN AND A STAGE SET ALL AT THE SAME TIME – IT’S PERFECT.” -RICK OWENS

“THE LIDO HAS NEVER BEEN MOBBED LIKE A LOT OF THE ITALIAN BEACHES ARE, WHERE THEY HAVE ROWS OF RENTAL DAY BEDS WITH POUNDING MUSIC – IT’S NEVER BEEN THAT, IT’S ALWAYS SUPER QUIET AND SUPER RESERVED, BECAUSE IT’S NOT THE PRETTIEST BEACH IN ITALY – THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER BEACHES THAT ARE A LOT PRETTIER AND A LOT MORE FUN FOR PEOPLE.” -RICK OWENS

“THE LIDO IS SLEEPY – THERE ARE NO NIGHTCLUBS - IT’S LIKE A LITTLE SUBURBAN VILLAGE, WHICH I LOVE, BECAUSE THERE ISN’T AN ARTIFICIAL HUM OF ENERGY CAUSED BY AMBITION, COMPETITION AND ENVY WHICH I AM ALWAYS SUSPICIOUS OF IN BIGGER CITIES….. THE LIDO REALLY IS A RETREAT - AN ISOLATED RETREAT.” -RICK OWENS

LOCATED IN NORTHERN ITALY, THE COMO REGION IS RENOWNED FOR ITS SILK PRODUCTION. OUR OWN SILK HABOTAI AND CHARMEUSE SILKS, AS WELL AS OUR COCOON CREPE TEXTILES ARE WOVEN, WASHED AND DYED HERE IN A SECOND GENERATION, FAMILY-OWNED FACTORY
FOUNDED IN 1986.

THE MILL IS KNOW FOR ITS INNOVATION IN THE REALM OF SUSTAINABILITY, FOCUSING HEAVILY ON THE REDUCTION OF WATER CONSUMPTION IN THE PRODUCTION CYCLE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE TEXTILES. THE ENERGY POWERING THEIR OWN FACILITIES HAVE BEEN GRADUALLY BEEN CHANGING TO RENEWABLE SOURCES, RELYING HEAVILY ON THE INSTALLATION OF SOLAR PANELS ACROSS THEIR PROPERTIES. 

OUR COCOON CREPE QUALITY IS MADE USING FSC CERTIFIED ACETATE, ENSURING THAT THE FIBERS ARE PRODUCED USING RESPONSIBLY MANAGED SOURCES THROUGH WHICH NO DEFORESTATION OCCURS. 

DURING THE LOOM-WEAVING PROCESS, LIGHTER-WEIGHT YARNS MAY OCCASIONALLY BREAK AND REQUIRE HUMAN-ASSISTANCE - AS EACH YARN IS EXCLUSIVELY KNOTTED BY-HAND, THE TECHNICIAN MUST SEEK OUT THE BROKEN THREAD, LOOP IT THROUGH AND RE-TIE IT WITHOUT THE AID OF ANY TECHNOLOGY.

WOVEN IN THE SAME MILL IS OUR WASHED AND FINISHED HABOTAI SILK, FEATURED PROMINENTLY IN OUR MEN’S AND WOMEN’S RUNWAY PRESENTATIONS.

THE BIELLA REGION IS INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED FOR WOOL PRODUCTION, WITH OFFICIAL STATUTES REFERRING TO WOOL WORKERS AND WEAVERS’ GUILDS DOCUMENTED AS FAR BACK AS THE 13TH CENTURY.

OUR PAPER WOOL IS PRODUCED IN BIELLA, WOVEN IN A SECOND-GENERATION, FAMILY-RUN MILL ESTABLISHED IN 1958.

FOCUSED ON THE BALANCE OF TRADITION AND PROGRESS, THE MILL COMBINES HALF A CENTURY OF EXPERTISE IN THEIR CRAFT WITH A DEDICATED COMMITMENT TO RESEARCHING AND IMPLEMENTING NEW WAYS TO ENSURE THEIR PROCESSES ARE AS ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE AS POSSIBLE.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT TO HTTPS://WWW.DISCOVERZQ.COM/VALUES TO LEARN MORE

PRODUCED IN JAPAN, CUPRO JERSEY IS AMONG THE MOST ECOLOGICALLY SENSIBLE TEXTILES ON THE MARKET. CUPRO IS A REGENERATED CELLULOSE FIBER MADE FROM COTTON WASTE - SPECIFICALLY USING COTTON LINTER, THE SILK-LIKE FIBERS CLOSE TO THE PLANT’S SEED.

IN ADDITION TO BEING A NATURALLY VEGAN ALTERNATIVE TO SILK, CUPRO IS A PRODUCT ESSENTIALLY MADE USING WASTE MATERIALS FROM COTTONSEED OIL PRODUCTION, AS THERE ARE NO OTHER KNOWN USES FOR THE LINTER FIBERS.

THE FACILITY RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCTION OF CUPRO YARNS USES ELECTRIC POWER FROM THEIR OWN HYDROELECTRIC PLANTS, REDUCING CO2 EMISSIONS BY APPROXIMATELY 11,000 TONS ANNUALLY. THEIR CUPRO YARN IS BIODEGRADABLE IN ITS NATURAL STATE AND ”INCLUDES A PROPRIETARY CLOSED-LOOP SYSTEM ENABLING RECOVERY AND REUSE OF MAJOR CHEMICALS, WHILE ACHIEVING ZERO EMISSIONS OF WASTE.”

“RON ATHEY’S WORKS WERE CREATED DURING THE AIDS CRISIS, WHEN ARTISTS WERE DEALING WITH THAT MOMENT OF DESPAIR WITH PHYSICAL DEMONSTRATIONS OF RAGE. THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL OF HIS WORKS WAS HIS PRINTING PRESS PERFORMANCE, DURING WHICH HE CUT SYMBOLS INTO HIS FRIEND’S BACK, PRESSED PAPER TOWELS TO THEM AND CLIPPED THE BLOOD PRINTS TO A PULLEY SYSTEM THAT HOISTED THEM OVERHEAD IN THE PERFORMANCE SPACE. ALTHOUGH MINIMALLY SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, THIS PERFORMANCE BECAME PART OF THE POLITICAL DISCOURSE AND CONTROVERSY REGARDING WHICH ARTWORKS WERE SUITABLE FOR PUBLIC FUNDING.

I HAVE KNOWN RON ATHEY SINCE THE 1980S WHEN OUR PATHS WOULD CROSS IN THE FILTHIEST L.A. CLUBS I COULD FIND. RON WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CREATURE I HAD EVER SEEN, AND I AM AFRAID I WAS QUITE SMITTEN. HE BECAME A GOGO BOY AT CLUB FUCK, WHICH ATTRACTED THE HARDCORE PIERCING TECHNO SUBCULTURE THAT WAS STARTING TO EMERGE THEN, AND EVENTUALLY HIS DANCING DEVELOPED INTO ACTIONS WHICH BECAME THE PERFORMANCE ARTWORK FOR WHICH HE IS KNOWN TODAY.

HIS WORK SPEAKS TO THE ETERNAL PRIMITIVE IN ALL OF US AND TO OUR SHARED HUMAN EXPERIENCES — FEAR, SHAME, SEXUALITY, MORTALITY, AND FAITH — IN A TIMELESS TRADITION OF BLOOD RITUALS, FROM THE DRAMA OF HUMAN SACRIFICE ON MAYAN ALTARS TO A MESSIAH ON A CROSS TO CHILDBIRTH TO BLOOD TESTS TO OUR CURRENT WAR…

I ASKED RON IF I COULD USE THIS IMAGE FROM HIS 2014 PERFORMANCE CALLED ‘INCORRUPTIBLE FLESH’ WITH A PLASTIC CAST HEADPIECE BY HERMES PITTAKOS; AN EXAMPLE OF HOW ELEGANTLY REAL TRANSGRESSION — AND OUR INDIVIDUAL SEARCHES FOR TRANSCENDENCE — CAN BE.” -RICK OWENS