JUNE 2023

MYTHERESA: THE ALBUM — LESS IS MORE — ISSUE 9 — BY MICHAEL HAINEY

BORN AND RAISED IN PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA, IN THE SHADOW OF THE SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, RICK OWENS IS ONE OF THE TOWERING FORCES IN FASHION. WHEN HE LAUNCHED HIS “GRUNGE MEETS GLAMOR” LABEL OUT OF A SMALL STOREFRONT ON HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD IN 1994, FEW PREDICTED THE INFLUENCE HE WOULD HAVE. SINCE THEN, HE HAS PUSHED INTO NEW TERRITORY, AS HE DID WHEN HE LAUNCHED A FURNITURE LINE IN 2006. NOW, ALMOST THIRTY YEARS AFTER HE BEGAN, WHILE HIS DESIGNS CAN BE PERCEIVED BY SOME AS INTENSE AND INTIMIDATING, IT’D BE A MISTAKE TO THINK THEY REPRESENT THE SPIRIT OF OWENS. IN FACT, THE 61 YEAR-OLD OWENS IS ONE OF THE SWEETEST PEOPLE ONE COULD HAVE THE GOOD LUCK TO SPEND TIME WITH. A KIND, THOUGHTFUL MAN WHO IS QUICK TO LAUGH AND SHARE HIS WARM AND REASSURING SMILE, OWENS SPENT PART OF AN AFTERNOON WITH US, SHARING HIS INSIGHTS INTO HOW HIS HOMES ACROSS THE YEARS HAVE SHAPED HIS SENSE OF FASHION AND DESIGN, AS WELL AS HOW THEY FEED HIS CREATIVITY.

WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW?

I’M IN MY HOUSE IN PARIS, THE HOUSE I’VE BEEN LIVING IN FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS. AFTER THIS LAST SHOW IN MARCH, I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO HAVE A QUIET RETREAT AT HOME. I DIDN’T WANT TO TRAVEL. I WANTED TO REACQUAINT MYSELF WITH MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND EXPLORE IT AND TREAT IT LIKE I WOULD DO A TRIP SOMEWHERE EXOTIC. SO I’VE BEEN GOING TO THE LITTLE CHURCH AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY HOUSE. I’VE BEEN GOING TO THE GYM AT THE HOTEL DOWN THE STREET. I’VE TRIED NEW CAFES IN THE AREA. I SPEND TIME ON MY TERRACE THAT OVERLOOKS THE GARDEN OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. AND IT’S JUST BEAUTIFUL BIRDS AND BEAUTIFUL TREES. IT’S REALLY THE PERFECT PLACE TO BE, OUR CORNER OF PARIS. IT’S VERY QUIET. IT’S ON A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE SQUARE, PALAIS BOURBON.

I LIKE WHAT YOU’RE SAYING BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT’S THAT THING WHERE YOU GO AWAY AND YOUR EYE IS REFRESHED AND YOU SAY, I WANT TO HOLD ON TO THIS PERSPECTIVE. BUT THEN YOU GET HOME AND IF YOU DON’T STAY ALIVE TO THAT FEELING, YOUR EYES GLAZE OVER.

YEAH. AND I DON’T WANNA GET INTO THAT SENSE OF ALWAYS LOOKING FOR STIMULATION AND THINKING THAT YOU’RE GONNA FIND IT SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THINKING THAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP RUNNING FROM ONE POINT OF STIMULATION TO ANOTHER POINT OF STIMULATION. LIKE, OH, WE HAVE TO GO TO A PARTY AND THEN AFTER THAT WE HAVE TO GO TO A SPOT IN SWITZERLAND TO RECOVER FROM IT. THEN WE HAVE TO GO TO SOME SHOW IN LONDON…

WELL, AND THAT’S AN OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD OF A LIFE IN FASHION.

BUT I UNDERSTAND HOW IT HAPPENS BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE MORE OF A SENSE OF ADVENTURE THAN I DO, SO IT’S EASY FOR ME TO BE SATISFIED WITH LESS. MAYBE I’M ALSO JUST GETTING OLDER. YOU’RE LESS SATISFIED, YOU KNOW? LIKE, YOU GO SOMEWHERE AND YOU’RE THINKING, I SCHLEPPED HERE FOR THIS? AND IT’S KIND OF MORE TROUBLE THAN IT WAS WORTH. (LAUGHS) I’M TURNING INTO A CRANKY OLD FUCK, AREN’T I?

YOU’RE NOT A CRANKY OLD FUCK. IT’S JUST ABOUT WISDOM. KNOWING WHAT YOU WANT AS YOU MOVE THROUGH LIFE. HERE’S A QUESTION: WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A MONTH IN A SIMPLE CABIN UP IN THE DOLOMITES, WITH ONLY A BED AND A TABLE, THAN A MONTH ON LAKE COMO AT VILLA D’ESTE?

I’D TAKE VILLA D’ESTE.

NOW YOU’RE BLOWING MY MIND.

THAT’S ONE OF THE MOST MAGICAL PLACES ON THE PLANET. BUT GRANTED, I DO SPEND MY SUMMER IN LIDO AND I HAVE A RELATIVELY SMALL APARTMENT IN A VERY RESIDENTIAL AREA IN THE LIDO VILLAGE. AND IT’S SUPER NON-FABULOUS. SO, I DID THAT DELIBERATELY BECAUSE I DIDN’T WANT THERE TO BE A STEADY BUZZ OF STIMULATION IN MY LIFE IN SUMMER. I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU GUYS LIVE IN NEW YORK. THERE’S ALWAYS A SENSE THERE’S A PARADE OUTSIDE, THAT YOU’RE MISSING SOMETHING IF YOU STAY INSIDE.

I FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT PARIS. NOT A PARADE I’M MISSING. BUT IF I’M INSIDE, THEN I’M NOT OUTSIDE SEEING THE LIGHT AND SKY AND BEAUTY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING I’M REALLY CONSCIOUS OF IS THAT MY SENSE OF VALIDATION HAS BEEN SATISFIED WAY MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE EVER GET TO HAVE HAPPEN TO THEM. BECAUSE I’VE EXPRESSED MYSELF AND IT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY AND EMBRACED BY SO MANY PEOPLE. I NEVER EXPECTED THAT TO HAPPEN. AND THAT IS AN INCREDIBLE BLESSING BECAUSE COMMUNICATION AND WANTING TO CONNECT, WANTING TO BE HEARD, BY PEOPLE—THAT IS ONE OF THE MAIN MOTIVATIONS OF LIFE. AND I’VE REALLY BEEN LUCKY THERE. I’VE REALLY BEEN SATISFIED THERE. I’VE HAD ENGAGEMENT, AND I REALIZE HOW FORTUNATE THAT IS. SO I’M ALWAYS CONSCIOUS OF THAT. I REALLY LUCKED OUT IN GETTING THAT KIND OF VALIDATION.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD NOT REALIZE WHAT A GIFT THAT IS.

I TALKED TO SOMEBODY WHO SOLD THEIR COMPANY AND I WAS WONDERING HOW IT FEELS TO HAVE BUILT SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE SO CONNECTED TO, AND THEN WALK AWAY FROM THAT. TO WALK AWAY FROM SOMETHING THAT HAS MOMENTUM AND IS MOVING AND IT IS A CALL AND RESPONSE TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU. HOW DO YOU WALK AWAY FROM THAT? JUST RETREAT TO YOUR GARDEN?

IT’S LIKE A GENERAL WITH AN ARMY. FOR INSTANCE, EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT FASHION BEING SO FAST. I WOULDN’T WANT IT ANY SLOWER. NOT FOR ME. I LOVE THE CYCLES OF THE SEASONS AND THE COLLECTIONS AND I LOVE THE ASSIGNMENT OF HAVING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME AND A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AND MAKING IT ALL FIT TOGETHER. AND I LOVE DOING THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT’S MY CROSSWORD PUZZLE OF LIFE. SO I WOULD BE TERRIFIED IF I HAD TO LET GO OF THAT. (LAUGHS)

IF YOU COULD CONCEIVE THE PERFECT ROOM IN YOUR HOUSE, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE?

AT THE POMPIDOU, THERE IS A JOSEPH BEUYS ROOM THAT IS ALL PANELED WITH FELT, AND IT HAS A BLACK GRAND PIANO IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. AND THEN THERE’S A CARL ANDRE LEAD FLOOR, JUST LEAD TILES ON THE FLOOR. AND THEN THERE IS A GIUSEPPE PENONE ROOM THAT IS BALES OF LAUREL LEAVES. AND WHEN YOU WALK IN, YOU CAN SMELL THE LAUREL LEAVES. AND I ALWAYS THINK THAT’S MY IDEAL HOUSE. THOSE THREE ROOMS. IF I COULD HAVE ALL THREE OF THOSE, THAT WOULD BE MY FANTASY. THAT, OR A FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT HOUSE. ALTHOUGH, I WENT BACK TO LOS ANGELES LAST YEAR, AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I’VE BEEN IN 27 YEARS. BECAUSE I REALLY DON’T GO BACK TO THE STATES THAT MUCH. AND FOR SOME REASON WHEN I LIVED IN HOLLYWOOD, I HADN’T DEVELOPED MY TASTE FOR ARCHITECTURE. I DON’T KNOW WHY. I JUST WASN’T INTERESTED IN ARCHITECTURE SO I NEVER VISITED HOLLYHOCK HOUSE, THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT-DESIGNED HOME IN HOLLYWOOD. AND SO I WENT FOR THE FIRST TIME AND IT WAS EVERYTHING I WANTED IT TO BE. EXCEPT IT WAS MINIATURE. THE SPACES WOULD’VE BEEN SO AMAZING IF THEY WERE JUST TEN TIMES BIGGER. (LAUGHS)

THE CEILINGS ARE ALWAYS LOW IN HIS HOMES. NOT MADE FOR TALL GUYS LIKE YOU AND ME. AND IT’S STRANGE BECAUSE HE’S KNOWN FOR BANDS OF LIGHT, ALL THE WINDOWS, AND YET YOU ARE RIGHT. YOU WANT THE WINDOWS TO BE FIVE TIMES AS TALL. BUT THEN I GUESS THAT WOULD THROW OUT THE DYNAMIC OF IT.

WOULD IT? BECAUSE THEN, YOU KNOW, I WALK OUTSIDE THE LOUVRE AND THOSE COLONNADES ARE SO HIGH. YOU’RE THINKING, PEOPLE WERE SMALLER THEN AND THEY DIDN’T HAVE EFFICIENT HEATING. AND STILL THEY INSISTED THAT THE CEILINGS BE THAT HIGH. (LAUGHS)

WHEN YOU WENT BACK TO CALIFORNIA, WHAT ELSE CAUGHT YOUR EYE, IN TERMS OF DESIGN?

WELL IT WAS DURING COVID AND I WAS STAYING AT THE CHATEAU MARMONT AND IT’S FUNNY BECAUSE MICHELE AND I HAD LIVED IN THE CHATEAU WHEN I STARTED MY COLLECTION. BACK THEN, THIS WAS 1992 OR SO I THINK, I HAD A SEWING MACHINE AND A CUTTING TABLE IN OUR LIVING ROOM. AND WE WEREN’T RICH. MICHELE HAD THE RESTAURANT, LES DEUX CAFE, AND IT WAS VERY HAND TO MOUTH. AND THAT WAS A TIME WHERE WE WERE STAYING IN ONE OF THE ROOMS IN THE BACK OF THE HOTEL, OVER THE KITCHEN. AND OUTSIDE THE WINDOWS, YOU COULD SEE THE HILL GOING UP, WITH THE BUILDINGS ON THE HILL AND ALL OF THE GREENERY AND EVERYTHING. I CREATED MY FIRST COLLECTION THERE. IT’S FUNNY, BUT ALL OF THAT STUFF, EVERY SINGLE PIECE IS STILL IN THE COLLECTION EVERY SEASON.

BUT WHEN I WENT BACK THIS TIME, THEY GAVE ME A ROOM THAT WAS HIGHER, BUT IT WAS IN THE SAME CORNER. I THINK IT WAS ONE FLOOR ABOVE THE ROOM THAT WE USED TO LIVE IN. AND I OPENED THE WINDOWS AND THERE WAS JUST THIS RUSH OF EMOTION FROM RECOGNIZING THE SMELL, RECOGNIZING THE CONFIGURATION OF THE ROOM, BEING BACK AT THAT SPOT. I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S JASMINE OR IF IT WAS THE IVY OR IF IT WAS THE TREES, BUT THAT COMBINATION OF THAT GREENERY AND THE ROOM, IT WAS VERY MOVING.

I MENTION THIS BECAUSE THE CHATEAU IS SUCH A SYMBOL OF LOS ANGELES AND HOLLYWOOD, BUT IT’S ALSO LIKE A SYMBOL OF MY PAST LIFE, AND MY PERSONAL LIFE AND MY CAREER. BUT WHAT WAS FUNNY IS WHEN I FINALLY WENT BACK TO PORTERVILLE [CALIFORNIA, THE TOWN WHERE I WAS RAISED] TO GO SEE MY MOM. I HADN’T BEEN THERE AND I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD WANT TO GO BACK BECAUSE IT WAS A PLACE THAT I HAD GROWN UP FEELING BULLIED AND UNRESOLVED AND AMBITIOUS. AND A LITTLE BIT HOPELESS. IT HAD BEEN A CHALLENGING PLACE TO GROW UP IN. A VERY CONSERVATIVE, SMALL TOWN AND VERY JUDGMENTAL.

SO I ALWAYS THOUGHT, I’M NEVER GOING BACK THERE. LIKE, FUCK THAT. AND SO I WENT TO VISIT MOM, AND I WAS SHOCKED AT HOW THERE WAS SUCH A WAVE OF COMFORT IN BEING THERE; A WAVE OF BELONGING AND FEELING GOOD. I TOTALLY UNDERESTIMATED HOW GREAT IT WOULD FEEL TO COME BACK AT FULL POWER. TO FEEL LIKE I WON. (LAUGHS) YEAH. I HADN’T ANTICIPATED THAT AT ALL. AND IT WAS LIKE A TOTAL SURPRISE.

SO WHAT WAS IT LIKE GOING BACK TO YOUR BOYHOOD HOME?

WELL, IT WASN’T MY BOYHOOD HOME. IT’S A FUNNY STORY. MY DAD, AS HE HAD GOTTEN OLDER, HE’D GOTTEN VERY KIND OF DARK AND CRANKY. HE WAS KIND OF AN OPPRESSIVE, DARK SPIRIT, DARK ENERGY, WHICH WAS ALWAYS A SURPRISE TO ME BECAUSE HE’D ALWAYS BEEN SOMEBODY WHO STUDIED PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY. AND HE BELIEVED IN CLASSICAL LITERATURE AND CLASSICAL MUSIC, AND LIVING THOUGHTFULLY WAS SO IMPORTANT TO HIM, I WOULD’VE THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD’VE FOUND A WAY TO FIND SERENITY AS HE AGED. BUT IT WAS THE OPPOSITE. THE OLDER HE GOT, THE MORE INTOLERANT HE BECAME. SO I TOLD MOM, WE’RE GOING TO BUY YOU A HOUSE ACROSS TOWN. YOU’RE GOING TO DECORATE IT. AND SHE DID. FRILLY CURTAINS. GOLD MIRRORS. PILLOWED FURNITURE WITH FRINGE AND TASSELS. AND EVERY DAY, SHE TOLD DAD THAT SHE WAS GOING TO LUNCH WITH HER FRIENDS. BUT SHE WOULD GO OUT TO THE HOUSE. SOME DAYS, JUST TO TAKE A NAP. SOME DAYS TO PLAY CARDS WITH HER FRIENDS AT THE HOUSE. (LAUGHS) AND DAD NEVER FOUND OUT. HE PASSED AWAY NEVER KNOWING THAT SHE HAD THIS SECRET LIFE. (LAUGHS)

IS THERE ANYTHING FROM YOUR OWN CHILDHOOD HOME THAT INFLUENCES YOUR FURNITURE DESIGN?

ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE, DAD, YOU KNOW, I CRITICIZE HIM SO MUCH, BUT I DO PRAISE HIM. AND I’M VERY GRATEFUL TO HIM FOR HAVING A BEAUTIFUL LIBRARY AND NOT ALLOWING A TV IN THE HOUSE UNTIL I WAS 16. HE HAD A LIBRARY FULL OF JAPANESE ABSTRACT INK BRUSH PAINTINGS, AND ENCYCLOPEDIAS OF ALL OF THE MUSEUMS OF THE WORLD. AND HE LOVED SILENT MOVIES, SO HE HAD A LOT OF BOOKS ON SILENT MOVIES. AND SO THIS IS WHAT I HAD TO ENTERTAIN MYSELF WITH AS A BOY. AND AMONG ALL OF THE SILENT MOVIE BOOKS, THERE WAS A LOT OF CECIL B. DEMILLE IMAGERY AND FRITZ LANG.

AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS ONLY MAYBE TEN YEARS AGO I FINALLY SAW FRITZ LANG’S THE NIBELUNGS, AND WHEN I SAW IT, I REALIZED, OH, I HAD SEEN THESE IMAGES A LOT IN MY CHILDHOOD. AND THEY FORMED MY AESTHETIC. BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THAT MOVIE NOW, IT’S LIKE I DESIGNED IT. IT’S LIKE ALL OF MY FURNITURE IS IN IT. ALL OF THE CLOTHES ARE IN IT. EVEN THE WAY THE PEOPLE LOOK—THESE HEROIC, STOIC FACES. IT’S LIKE I LIFTED MY WHOLE AESTHETIC FROM THIS MOVIE WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT. AND ALSO METROPOLIS BY FRITZ LANG AND ALL OF THE BIBLICAL MOVIES BY CECIL B. DEMILLE, BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME I WAS GOING TO A CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND WE HAD MASS EVERY MORNING. SO I HAD A STRONG SENSE OF MORALITY AND ETHICS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS FASCINATED WITH THE EXOTIC GLAMOR OF THESE NUNS IN THESE DRAPED ROBES IN OUR JUDGMENTAL HICK TOWN. SO THAT TAUGHT ME YOU CAN BELONG TO AN OTHERNESS AND RETREAT INTO YOUR OWN AESTHETIC WORLD. AND ALSO THOSE BIBLICAL EPICS, THEY ALWAYS HAD A MORAL ENDING BUT THEY ALWAYS RELISHED AND SHOWED YOU ALL THE SIN THAT IT TOOK TO GET THERE. SO THEY WERE MORAL, BUT VERY LURID AT THE SAME TIME. YOU KNOW, THERE’S ALLIGATORS EATING VIRGINS IN THE COLISEUM AND EVERYTHING IS THROUGH AN ART DECO FILTER. AND THE MAKEUP I DO IS FROM THAT ERA. AND LIKE BIASED DRESSES, BIASED ROBES… AND IT’S ALL IN BLACK AND WHITE.

IT’S FASCINATING THAT THE TEMPLATE WAS SET BACK IN YOUR BOYHOOD.

IT’S AMAZING. BUT ALSO SO LOGICAL AND INEVITABLE. BECAUSE THAT IS YOUR MOMENT OF CREATIVE AWAKENING. YOU’RE CHOOSING, YOU’RE LOOKING AROUND. CHOOSING YOUR FAVORITE THINGS. AND THEY STAY WITH YOU FOREVER BECAUSE THAT IS HOW YOU STAY AUTHENTIC. BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU LOVED WHEN YOU WERE FIRST AWAKENING CREATIVELY. SO THERE’S THAT SENSE OF LOYALTY BECAUSE THAT WAS THE MOMENT WHERE YOU WERE ENGINEERED TO MAKE THAT CHOICE.

WHAT WAS BEHIND YOUR DESIRE TO BEGIN TO DESIGN FURNITURE?

IT WAS CREATING AN AESTHETIC. LIKE PROTECTING MYSELF AESTHETICALLY AS MUCH AS I COULD. MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING REACHED AN AESTHETIC STANDARD THAT I WAS COMFORTABLE WITH. AND I’M NOT ASKING FOR THE MOON. WELL, I WAS THEN, BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ALL I REALLY WANTED WAS EILEEN GRAY AND ROBERT MALLET- STEVENS FURNITURE. (LAUGHS) BUT THEN I THOUGHT, I’M GONNA DO MY INTERPRETATION OF THAT AESTHETIC. OF BAUHAUS AND ART DECO AND BRUTALIST. I’M GOING TO DO MY INTERPRETATION, BECAUSE I CAN. BECAUSE I WANTED TO LIVE IN A CERTAIN KIND OF AESTHETIC BUBBLE. AND I STILL DO. YEAH, THAT’S WHY I DID IT.

THAT’S BEAUTIFUL.

IT WASN’T LIKE, I’M GONNA START A FURNITURE COLLECTION. IT WAS MORE LIKE, I’M GONNA FURNISH MY HOUSE. I NEED PLACES TO SIT AND I WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE THIS. AND THEN I LOOKED AROUND AND THOUGHT, THIS WOULD BE A KEY THING TO PRESENT AS A FURNITURE COLLECTION DURING ONE OF OUR MEN’S SHOWS. SO THAT’S WHAT WE DID. AND IT WAS MEANT TO BE KIND OF A ONE SHOT DEAL, BUT THEN IT JUST KIND OF HELD ON AND IT WAS FUN TO DO AND IT JUST KIND OF DEVELOPED. AND THEN MICHELE DECIDED SHE WANTED TO NURTURE THAT AND TURN IT INTO SOMETHING. AND SO THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED. I MEAN, SHE DOES A MILLION OTHER THINGS. BUT SHE’S ALWAYS DEVELOPING IT AND FINDING NEW MARBLES, NEW PETRIFIED WOOD, NEW ALABASTER. SHE IS COORDINATING ALL OF THAT AND DEVELOPING IT. IT BECAME HER BABY.

DO YOUR CLOTHING DESIGNS FEED THE FURNITURE DESIGNS?

I HAVEN’T FIGURED IT OUT LITERALLY. BUT I’M SURE THAT IN TEN YEARS WE’LL LOOK BACK AND WE’LL SEE HOW IT WORKED. IN THE FURNITURE I’M MOVING MORE TOWARDS STEEL BECAUSE WE WERE SO ORGANIC FOR A WHILE USING ANTLERS AND PLYWOOD. AND NOW I’M LIKING THE HARDNESS AND THE CLINICAL LOOK OF METAL. AND THEN I DID A FEW OTHER THINGS IN ALUMINUM. FOR MONCLER LAST MONTH WE PRESENTED A BED. IT’S FUNNY: WE HAD SOME CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING AROUND THE HOUSE. AND IT WAS MAKING ME CRAZY. AND I WAS THINKING, WHAT DO I NEED PERSONALLY NOW WHEN IT COMES TO FURNITURE? AND, CONCEPTUALLY I WAS THINKING, I NEED SOMETHING THAT I CAN MAKE AN EASY QUICK RETREAT INTO. I NEED A SAFE ROOM. SO I MADE THIS GEOMETRIC BED THAT SEALS SHUT. IT’S SOUNDPROOF AND IT HAS A VENTILATION SYSTEM INSIDE AND IT HAS VIDEO AND CONTROLS AND EVERYTHING, BUT IT IS VERY INSULATED. IT’S LIKE A PRIVATE LITTLE SPACESHIP/PYRAMID/ISOLATION POD.

YOU’VE SAID IN THE PAST “DOMESTICITY IS FUSSY” BUT IS THERE ANYTHING FROM YOUR BOYHOOD THAT YOU STILL HAVE, THAT IS A BIT OF A TOTEM FOR YOU?

NO, BUT YOUR QUESTION REMINDS ME THAT WHEN WE WERE POOR IN HOLLYWOOD, AT ONE POINT WE LIVED IN THESE STOREFRONTS ON HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD AND THE PROPORTIONS WERE BEAUTIFUL. THEY USED TO BE THESE STOREROOMS FOR A MAGAZINE STAND DOWN THE STREET. THEY HAD HIGH CEILINGS AND CONCRETE WALLS. AND IN ONE OF THE SPACES I COMPLETELY LINED IT WITH GRAY WOOL ARMY BLANKETS FROM THE ARMY SURPLUS STORE DOWN THE STREET. AND I MADE A BED THAT I COVERED IN ARMY BLANKETS. AND WE STILL SELL THAT BED. WE JUST MADE ONE FOR TRAVIS SCOTT. MICHELE AND I HAVE THAT BED HERE IN PARIS.

BUT THEN I DID MY FIRST SHOW IN NEW YORK AND I GOT A DISTRIBUTOR AND A MANUFACTURER IN ITALY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD MONEY. I WASN’T RICH, BUT IT WAS A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT MORE MONEY THAN I’D BEEN MAKING FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS. AND THE FIRST THING THAT MICHELE AND I GOT WAS A LINCOLN TOWN CAR BECAUSE THERE WAS THIS CELEBRITY CAR RENTAL PLACE THAT WOULD DELIVER A FRESH LINCOLN TOWN CAR EVERY TWO WEEKS, AND TAKE THE OLD ONE BACK. SO THERE WAS LIKE A FRESH NEW LINCOLN TOWN CAR IN THE PARKING LOT ACROSS THE STREET EVERY TWO WEEKS. SO I GOT THAT AND A BLACK BABY GRAND PIANO FOR THE MAIN ROOM. AND NEITHER OF US PLAY THE PIANO. (LAUGHS) BUT IT WAS JUST THE VISION OF THAT SHINY BLACK PIANO IN THE ROOM AND THE SHINY BLACK LINCOLN TOWN CAR ACROSS THE STREET IN THE PARKING LOT. THAT WAS A MOMENT.

YOU HAVE TO PUT THOSE IN A SHOW ONE DAY, THE LINCOLN TOWN CAR AND THE PIANO.

YOU’RE RIGHT. I ABSOLUTELY SHOULD… I HADN’T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT FOR A WHILE. THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME ABOUT THEM. IT PUTS ME IN SUCH A GOOD MOOD.

I CAN SEE THEM BOTH SUSPENDED BY CRANES OUTSIDE THE PALAIS DE TOKYO THIS SUMMER.

YEAH, RIGHT. THAT’D BE FUCKING SICK.

WITH SMOKE MACHINES GOING OFF UNDERNEATH.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE SMOKE. THAT’LL BE THERE. BELIEVE ME.