American designer Rick Owens speaks with BoF editor Tim Blanks about drawing inspiration from imperfection in his latest collection born from 'anger and darkness.' The discussion covers the references behind the collection, the importance of limitations for creativity, and the personal ritual of presenting without a live audience. Owens reflects on lockdown life, the bonding exercise with his team, and the reminder that limitations can drive creative ingenuity.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Backyard Ritual Show
Rick Owens staged his show at Tempio Votivo with just his core team and no audience, turning it into a personal ritual.
The intimate, backyard-like production became a bonding exercise for longtime collaborators.
insights INSIGHT
Limitations Fuel Creativity
Owens says limitations spark creativity and prefers working within small boundaries to do the best with what he has.
He frames modesty and reduced excess as respectful responses to the moment.
insights INSIGHT
Anger As Creative Fuel
The collection was born from anger, darkness and suspense even amid political optimism.
Owens argues creative work can channel brooding feelings alongside hope.
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The American designer speaks with BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks about his latest collection, born from ‘anger and darkness,’ and why limitations often make way for creative ingenuity.
The location of Rick Owens latest show is a reflection of the ongoing sense of global loss as the death toll from Covid-19 continues to rise. The designer’s new men’s collection was presented at Tempio Votivo, a shrine to the fallen soldiers of the two world wars. The collection, Owens tells BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks, was born out of “anger and darkness,” despite a fresh sense of optimism brought about by Joe Biden’s recent inauguration.In the latest episode of The BoF Podcast, Owens and Blanks discuss the many references that informed the American designer’s new collection and why imperfection is central to his pursuit of creativity.
The show, although full of music and models, was without a live audience, a move that turned the presentation into “personal ritual,” Owens said. “We are doing it for ourselves… Some of the people [I’m working with] have been with me for 18 years. For us to be able to nurture and develop the collection to this point together, we’ve never fully done that before. It’s been this great bonding exercise.”
For Owens, lockdown life has not deviated far from his pre-pandemic routine. “I don’t participate or circulate in the world as much as most people do,” he said. But the social restrictions have reminded him that limitations can be central to creative ingenuity. “I like the idea of working within small boundaries,” he told Blanks. “I like the idea of doing the best with what you’ve got.”
References for Owens’ work include the Bible, the Rocky Horror Show and S&M, as well as his own imperfections and personal experience of manhood. “My men’s runway shows are always about men’s flaws, and about men’s worst urges because they’re autobiographical,” he said. “When I’m thinking about men, I’m thinking about my own experience. And my own experience is very critical.”
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