SPRING/SUMMER 2023

BUFFALO ZINE — ETERNAL SLEAZE WITH RICK OWENS — SPRING/SUMMER 2023 — BY PATRIK SANDBERG



STRIPPING DOWN TO THE BONE IS AS ESSENTIAL TO THE MYTHOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF RICK OWENS AS DRESSING UP TO THE EXTREME IS: SCALE IS PART OF HIS CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVING STORY. HERE IS A DESIGNER WHO, 30 YEARS AGO, DECIDED TO START A SMALL BRAND BY HIMSELF IN THE NAÏVE HOPE SOMEBODY WOULD HELP HIM TURN IT INTO A BUSINESS. AS FATE UNFOLDED, IT TURNS OUT THE IDEA WASN’T VERY NAÏVE AT ALL: RICK OWENS SITS ATOP THE MERIDIAN OF FASHION AND DESIGN AS AN ARTISTIC RENEGADE AND CONSUMER SUCCESS MODEL.

HAVING SEARED HIS OWN MODEL OF CREATION ONTO OUR MEMORY, OWENS OCCUPIES A SINGULAR SPACE IN THE GLOBAL FASHION IMAGINATION. HIS PIECES CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS AN ORGANIC COTTON T-SHIRT OR AS MIND-EXPANDING AS HIS WEEPING ALABASTER WALL ARTWORK THAT TOURS AMERICAN MUSEUMS. LATELY, HIS TANK TOPS AND SNEAKERS HAVE GIVEN WAY TO A PHANTASMAGORIA OF ULTRA-SCULPTED PUFFERS, TWISTED HOLLYWOOD COLUMN GOWNS, TULLE ERUPTIONS, GLAM ROCK NYMPHO BOOTS AND SEVERE-SHOULDERED TATLIN COATS, AS WELL AS CONCRETE SCULPTURES AND FURNITURE FORGED FROM ALABASTER, FUR, OX BONE, AND 500,000-YEAR-OLD PETRIFIED WOODS FROM ITALIAN FORESTS.

INDEPENDENT, EXTRAVAGANT, BRUTAL, AND OCCUPYING ITS OWN VERNACULAR, RICK OWENS IS A BRAND WITHOUT COMPROMISE, BUILT ON ITS OWN TERMS, AND OBSESSED OVER BY ITS OWN PARTICULAR CLIENTELE—PERHAPS THE MOST AUTHENTICALLY ALTERNATIVE AND FREAKY-FABULOUS, DECIDEDLY DEVOTIONAL CADRE OF CHARACTERS THE FASHION WORLD HAS YET SEEN. IT’S A FULL-BLOWN SCENE. OWENS HAS WHAT OTHER DESIGNERS COULD ONLY WISH FOR: A GENUINE SUBCULTURE ALL OF HIS OWN, AND ONE UTTERLY UNCONCERNED WITH THE LUXURY FASHION ESTABLISHMENT, WHICH HE DESCRIBES HERE AS “A COMPETITIVE SPORT WITH PLAYERS BEING BOUGHT AND TRADED AND STRATEGIES EXPOSED AND DEBATED.”

HUMOUR, SPONTANEITY, DEDICATION TO CRAFT AND OBSESSIVENESS FUEL THE MAGIC TRICK, AND IT ALL COMES FROM A VERY REAL ATTITUDE THAT OTHER BRANDS FAKE. RICK SPEAKS TO US FROM PARIS AND HIS DISPATCHES COME IN LOUD AND CLEAR.

PATRIK SANDBERG: WHERE ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON? WHAT IS INSPIRING YOU LATELY?

RICK OWENS: I’M IN PARIS WORKING ON THE SPRING PRECOLLECTION, ENJOYING MY NEIGHBOURHOOD. I’M VISITING NEW CAFES AND STOPPING BY MY FAVOURITE CHURCH, BASILIQUE SAINTE-CLOTILDE, AND ENJOYING THE PARKS IN MY AREA. I’M EXPLORING AND APPRECIATING MY IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGS AS IF I WERE ON A VACATION. I’M FEELING THERE IS AS MUCH TO DISCOVER IMMEDIATELY AROUND ME AS A TRIP TO THE MOON.

PS: LUXURY FEELS LIKE IT’S IN UPHEAVAL, OR MAYBE UPHEAVAL HAS BECOME THE NORM. WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND AT THE ECOSYSTEM OF LUXURY FASHION IN PARIS AND MILAN, WHAT CONCERNS YOU THE MOST?

RO: I’M ALWAYS REACTING (GENTLY, I HOPE) AGAINST THE NARROWNESS OF THE ASPIRATIONAL BEAUTY THAT IS SO STRIDENTLY PROMOTED IN OUR CULTURE—LIKE THE GAUNTLETS OF PERFUME ADS WE ARE FORCED TO MARCH THROUGH IN AIRPORTS. ADS PROMOTING A VERY SPECIFIC KIND OF PRIVILEGE AND ENTITLEMENT AND SEXUALITY. I CERTAINLY DON’T REJECT OR CONDEMN THEM, BUT I WANT TO BE SOMEONE WHO PROPOSES AN ALTERNATIVE AND, IN MY OWN WAY, DIVERSITY. BUT I CERTAINLY DON’T THINK MY WAY IS THE ONLY WAY, JUST A PROPOSAL.

PS: WHAT IS MOST ENCOURAGING ABOUT THE FASHION CLIMATE NOW? WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE CURRENT STATE OF GLAMOUR?

RO: FASHION HAS BECOME MUCH MORE OF A COMPETITIVE SPORT WITH PLAYERS BEING BOUGHT AND TRADED AND STRATEGIES EXPOSED AND DEBATED. THIS ALL JUST MAKES NICHE BRANDS WITH NUANCED AND GENUINE STORIES STAND OUT ALL THE MORE. I DON’T REALLY CONSIDER MYSELF EITHER, BUT I THINK EITHER ARE EQUALLY VALID. I LOVE CORRUPTION AND I LOVE SUBVERSION.

PS: I NO LONGER ATTEND FASHION WEEK, HAVING CHANGED CAREERS DURING THE PANDEMIC. BUT YOUR SHOWS IN PARIS WERE ALWAYS MY FAVOURITE TO ATTEND, AND I WISH I COULD HAVE SEEN THE VENICE SHOWS. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE FASHION SHOW FORMAT NOW?

RO: I HAVE NEVER WAVERED IN MY OPINION OF FASHION SHOWS—ANY EXCUSE FOR PEOPLE TO GATHER TOGETHER TO COLLECTIVELY BOND OVER A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE IS ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF LIFE. RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS ARE A FASHION SHOW, FOOTBALL GAMES ARE FASHION SHOWS. ALL THESE FORMATS ARE GREAT. LET’S NOT BE GREEDY AND DEMAND SURPRISES EVERY MINUTE.

PS: I’VE HEARD PEOPLE SAYING THE IDEA OF SUBCULTURE IS ANTIQUATED, THAT SUBCULTURES ARE NO LONGER POSSIBLE DUE TO THE ATOMISED CULTURAL EXPERIENCE WE ALL LIVE IN NOW. YET, THE MEDIA TO ME SEEMS TO BE A MONOCULTURE MORE THAN EVER, AT LEAST IN THE US. AND ENTERTAINMENT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY MONOPOLISED BY THE BIG STREAMERS. IS IT POSSIBLE TO OCCUPY A SUBCULTURE TODAY? OR TO EVEN SIMPLY PROMOTE THE IDEA OF ONE? IF YOU WERE TO START A NEW SUBCULTURE, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? WHAT WOULD YOU INCLUDE IN YOUR MANIFESTO?

RO: THE MANIFESTO WILL ALWAYS BE THE SAME— PROTESTING THE GENERATION THAT CAME BEFORE YOU. AND SUBCULTURES WILL ALWAYS EXIST, LIKE THE GLAMOROUS MONSTERS MATIERES FECALES AND DAHC DERMUR WHO FULLY LIVE THEIR AESTHETIC EVERY DAY, NOT JUST AS DRESS-UP FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION. THAT’S THE KIND OF COMMITMENT THAT INSPIRES ME. THEY FOLLOW IN THE LONG AND HONOURABLE TRADITION OF THE MARCHESA CASATI, ANNA PIAGGI, LEIGH BOWERY.

PS: A NEW WAVE OF MORAL PANIC HAS EMERGED RECENTLY OVER IMAGERY AND WORDS PEOPLE FIND OFFENSIVE. IS THERE A PLACE FOR LIFESTYLES AND ATTITUDES THAT FALL OUTSIDE THE NORM?

RO: DEALING WITH BULLIES WILL JUST HELP US INVENT AND DEVELOP BETTER DEFENSIVE SKILLS. ALWAYS HAS.

PS: IS THERE A FUTURE FOR SLEAZE?

RO: SLEAZE IS ETERNAL

PS: YOU’VE TALKED ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH A MEMENTO MORI CAN REMIND YOU NOT TO TAKE LIFE TOO SERIOUSLY. IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF “GALLOWS HUMOUR”, AND YOUR COLLECTIONS. THERE IS HUMOUR AND LEVITY TO THEM EVEN THOUGH THE COMMON PERCEPTION IS ONE OF DARKNESS. HOW DO YOU FEEL LIGHTNESS AND DARKNESS INTERPLAY IN YOUR WORK?

RO: HUMOUR IS THE MOST ELEGANT THING IN THE WORLD— THERE IS NOTHING MORE CHIC THAN NOT TAKING YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY. ANY DARKNESS THAT I PRESENT IS DONE SO WITH A WINK—SURE, THERE IS A RESIGNATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE BEAUTY AND THE HORRORS OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE AND AN UNBLINKERED AWARENESS THAT DISAPPOINTMENTS AND SOME PAINS ARE INEVITABLE AND PART OF LIFE. THESE ARE ISSUES WE ARE ALL GRAPPLING WITH AND THAT I EXPLORE IN WHAT I PROPOSE. THE BEST ADVICE MY FATHER EVER GAVE ME WAS, “RICHARD, LIFE ISN’T FAIR”.

PS: THIS ISSUE OF BUFFALO IS ALL ABOUT STRIPPING THINGS DOWN TO THE ESSENTIALS. IT’S THE FIRST ALL-BLACK- AND-WHITE-ISSUE. WHAT DOES BLACK AND WHITE EVOKE FOR YOU? WHICH IMAGES OR MOVIES COME TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF BLACK AND WHITE?

PS: YOUR RECENT COLLECTION, EDFU, EVOKES THE ANCIENT AND ALSO THE ALIEN—MAYBE THE PAST IS AS ALIEN TO US AS THE FUTURE. MAYBE THEY BEND SO FAR AWAY FROM US THAT THEY BECOME QUITE THE SAME THING. DO YOU THINK WE ARE HEADING TOWARD A PRIMITIVE FUTURE?

RO: AS FUTURISTIC AND SOPHISTICATED AS WE GET, LIFE WILL ALWAYS BE DUMB. OUR SHIT STILL STINKS. THE ETERNAL CYCLE OF CONCEIVING OF UTOPIAN VISIONS WILL RESULT IN THE ATTEMPT TO FORCE THEM ON OTHER PEOPLE, DEFEAT AND REPEAT. I ALWAYS ASSOCIATE UTOPIA WITH DOOM. UPSIDE-DOWN SMILEY FACE EMOJI.

PS: YOU ALSO BRING ABOUT A NEW EXPRESSION OF OPULENCE IN A WAY THAT IS PERVERSELY HOLLYWOOD, WITH LARGE VOLUMES, CORUSCATING, TRANSLUCENT LEATHERS AND BIG POOFS OF TULLE. ARE THERE ANY FILMS CURRENTLY ON YOUR MIND?

RO: I HAVE BEEN WATCHING TOP HAT WITH FRED ASTAIRE ON REPEAT WITH THE SOUND OFF RECENTLY. THE BLACKAND- WHITE FROTH AND ARTIFICE AND HIS DANCING ARE INVIGORATING AND INSPIRING.

PS: EVERYONE IS SAYING MOVIE STARS ARE DEAD. WOULD THIS BE A LOSS?

RO: WE HAVE ALWAYS NEEDED GODS AND GODDESSES TO MYTHOLOGISE—THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ASPIRATIONAL FIGURES THAT WILL HAVE ALLURE AND LEGEND.

PS: WHO IS THE LAST SUPERSTAR YOU BECAME ACQUAINTED WITH OR AWARE OF?

RO: I WAS THRILLED BY RIHANNA’S HALFTIME SHOW. WHAT OTHER PEOPLE CONSIDERED LACK OF ENERGY, I SAW AS LACK OF DESPERATION. HER NONCHALANT BUT CAREFULLY EDITED MOVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE REMINDED ME OF MARLENE DIETRICH, WHOSE CABARET SHOWS ARE A STANDARD OF ELEGANT CONTROL AND ARCH HUMOUR FOR ME.

PS: A LOT OF INDEPENDENT DESIGNERS ARE UNABLE TO SUSTAIN A BUSINESS IN THE LONG TERM AND YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED AT IT. MANY DESIGNERS LOOK UP TO YOU BUT STILL CANNOT WEATHER THE MARKET AND THE SYSTEM. WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR SOMEONE JUST BEGINNING TO CREATE A BRAND OR A LINE TODAY?

RO: ALL I DID WAS JUST KEEP MY STUFF OUT THERE NO MATTER WHAT IT TOOK. ALL IN MY OWN DIY WAY UNTIL I COULD ATTRACT SOMEONE WHO COULD HELP—I HAD NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO RUN A BUSINESS BY MYSELF. AND MIRACULOUSLY, MY NAIVE LITTLE PLAN WORKED AND I AM STILL WITH THE SAME PARTNERS WHO FOUND ME ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO. I HAD FULLY INTENDED TO BE AN OBSCURE BUT AUTHENTIC ECCENTRIC LIVING IN SQUALOR FOREVER, BUT THINGS TURNED OUT DIFFERENTLY.

PS: IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY NOW THAN YOU DID WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?

RO: I WOULD HAVE DRUNK MORE WATER.

PS: YOU’VE DESIGNED FASHION, FURNITURE, OWENSCORP FACILITIES, OFFICES, CAFES. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU HAVE YET TO DESIGN THAT YOU PLAN TO TRY? A MALL? A SPORTS CAR? A SPACESHIP?

RO:I HAVEN’T DONE A WALLED GARDEN YET—THAT’S NEXT.