ANOTHER MAGAZINE – OCTOBER 2011 – AN INTELLECTUAL FASHION COLUMN – BY DONATIEN GRAU

OCTOBER 2011

THE CALIFORNIAN PARIS-BASED DESIGNER RICK OWENS IS FAMED FOR HIS ARTISTIC TAKE ON DRESSING, HIS AVANT-GARDE EYE AND HIS DARING DESIGNS. ICONIC IN THE FASHION FIELD, HE ALSO CREATES FURNITURE AND WORKS INTENSELY IN CONNECTING CLOTHES WITH A DEEPER METAPHYSICAL AND CREATIVE EXPERIENCE. HIS FURNITURE HAS BEEN WIDELY EXHIBITED UNDER SUCH ENIGMATIC TITLES AS ‘PAVANE FOR A DEAD PRINCESS’ OR ‘TO POP A BONER.’ IN 2007, HE WAS AWARDED THE COOPER-HEWITT NATIONAL DESIGN AWARD. A MONOGRAPH ABOUT HIS WORK HAS JUST BEEN PUBLISHED BY RIZZOLI. </p>

HOW WOULD YOU CONNECT FASHION TO ELEGANCE?


EVERYBODY PROBABLY HAS THEIR OWN DEFINITION OF ELEGANCE. PERSONALLY, I'VE SEEN SOME PRETTY TRANSGRESSIVE FASHION THAT WAS ELEGANT IN ITS WIT OR EXUBERANCE. I THINK EVERYONE WOULD AGREE THAT ELEGANCE IS THE MOST DESIRABLE PART OF FASHION.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF HISTORY AND ART HISTORY IN YOUR CONCEPTION OF FASHION?


HISTORY HAS PROVIDED US WITH TOUCHSTONES AND SYMBOLS THAT WE GET TO MIX AND REARRANGE TO CREATE NEW COMPOSITIONS IN FASHION. THESE ARRANGEMENTS CAN AT TIMES HIT SIMILAR CHORDS THAT ART CAN.

WOULD YOU DESCRIBE FASHION AS A LANGUAGE AND A DISCOURSE, AS BARTHES DID IT?


BARTHES WOULD BE A LOT MORE ELABORATE. I LIKE TO THINK OF FASHION AS A QUIET OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AND COMMUNICATE. FIRST IMPRESSIONS CAN BE SIGNIFICANT, AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD. THE EFFORT TO CHARM IS GENEROUS AND NEVER HURTS.

THE WORD 'INTELLECTUAL' WAS COINED IN A TIME OF GREAT POLITICAL DISTRESS. 
DOES FASHION HAVE A POLITICAL ROLE? AND IN WHICH WAY?


I THINK FASHION CAN ONLY COMMENT, REACT OR PROTEST. I'M NOT SURE THAT IT REALLY HAS THAT MUCH MORE POWER.

HOW WOULD YOU RELATE THE CONCEPT OF 'FASHION' TO THE ONE OF 'STYLE'?


FASHION CAN BE CRUEL. STYLE IS A GIFT TO OTHERS.

WHAT DOES FASHION HAVE TO DO WITH INTELLECTUALITY?


HOW WE PRESENT OURSELVES CAN BE THE FIRST STEP IN SETTING THE TONE OF HOW WE HOPE TO BEHAVE.

YOUR DESIGNS SEEM TO BE BASED ON A CONFRONTATION OF ELEGANCE AND A CERTAIN
 WILDNESS. WOULD THAT BE A WAY, FOR YOU, TO REDEFINE BEAUTY?


THE STORY I'M TELLING IS ABOUT THE BALANCE OF CONTROL AND COLLAPSE AND THE TEMPTATION TO OVERDO EITHER. I LIKE THE IDEA OF IDEALISM, MISGUIDED OR NOT, AND ITS INEVITABLE DEFEAT. I LIKE SELF-INVENTION AND EVEN MORE WHEN IT GOES A BIT MORBID.

YOU PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE PRESENTATION OF YOUR COLLECTIONS, WORKING WITH THE SAME STYLIST AND CREATING FASCINATING PICTURES. HOW WOULD YOU RELATE THE CLOTHES THEMSELVES TO THE WAY THEY ARE 'STAGED'?


WHEN I STARTED, RUNWAY SHOWS WEREN'T IN MY PLAN. I FELT THAT MY AESTHETIC WAS TOO GREY AND NARROW TO ENDURE THE SCRUTINY OF A STATUS- AND NOVELTY-DRIVEN SYSTEM. AND I DON'T MEAN THAT DISAPPROVINGLY. BUT THE OPPORTUNITY WAS PRESENTED TO ME IN SUCH AN IDEAL WAY THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNGRATEFUL NOT TO TRY, AND AFTER A WHILE I GREW TO REALLY ENJOY THEM. I FEEL THAT THE CLOTHES BECOME RELICS OF A CEREMONY THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED TOGETHER. A HARMLESS CEREMONY TO ENJOY A COMMUNAL MOMENT OF BEAUTY. AND THOSE SHOWS HOPEFULLY CAN GIVE US A PERFECT MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT LIVING UP TO.

I REALLY HAVE NO BUSINESS SPEAKING ABOUT RELIGION EXCEPT TO SAY THAT I ADMIRE AND IDENTIFY WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL URGE TO TRY TO BE BETTER THAN ONE IS. ASPIRATION IS A THEME I APPROACH (RATHER LOOSELY ON A RUNWAY) AGAIN AND AGAIN. THE PART THAT ATTRACTS ME IS THE MELANCHOLY OF A UTOPIAN IDEALISM THAT WILL FOREVER INEVITABLY BE OUT OF REACH. UNLESS THERE'S SOMEWHERE I HAVENT GOTTEN TO OR HEARD ABOUT YET, WHICH IS ALL TOO PROBABLE.

MOST RELIGIONS AGREE ON LIVING RESPONSIBLY AND HONORABLY WITH DISCIPLINE AND RIGOUR, AND I'M ON BOARD WITH THAT.

I DO AGREE THAT BEAUTY CAN BE A PROFOUNDLY MOVING EXPERIENCE, BUT AS A DESIGNER, I CAN ONLY CREATE COMPOSITIONS OF BEAUTY THAT ALREADY EXIST AND SHOW IT AT A NEW ANGLE. WE ALL WANT MAGIC, AND BEAUTY IS THE CLOSEST THING TO THAT THAT I KNOW OF.

I DO THINK OF RUNWAY SHOWS AS A VERSION OF A CEREMONY TO ENJOY A COMMUNAL MOMENT OF BEAUTY. THAT SEEMS PRETTY SPIRITUAL TO ME. BUT I THINK THIS APPLIES TO MONSTER TRUCK RALLIES, OPERA, SPORTS AND DANCE FLOORS AS WELL.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRESS?

I HAVE A LOVELY RELATIONSHIP WITH PRESS: JUST ENOUGH TO BE FLATTERING AND NOT TOO MUCH TO FEEL INVASIVE. CONSIDERING I'M NOT AN ADVERTISER AND PROBABLY NEVER WILL BE, AND DON'T WORK WITH A PRESS OFFICE, ANY PRESS ATTENTION COMES AS A NICE SURPRISE AND NOT AN ENTITLEMENT.

YOUR CLOTHING, YOUR BRAND, YOUR IMAGE ARE ALL INHERENTLY LINKED WITH NOTIONS OF LUXURY. WHAT DOES LUXURY MEAN TO YOU TODAY?

I THINK THAT SMART IDEAS EXECUTED WITH QUALITY AND GRACE ARE A PRETTY GOOD INTERPRETATION OF LUXURY. THAT'S WHAT I TRY TO AIM FOR.

YOUR PERSONAL STYLE IS A CONSTANT IN SUCH AN EVER-CHANGING INDUSTRY. WHY IS THAT?

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE NEW IN THIS GENERATION TO CREATE AN IDENTITY THE SAME WAY I DID. 10 YEARS AGO, I HAD A LITTLE SPACE AROUND ME FOR THE SECOND IT TOOK FOR ENOUGH PEOPLE TO REGISTER WHAT I WAS ABOUT. NOW, THE DESIGN WORLD IS SO SATURATED, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE ACCEPTED ON YOUR OWN TERMS LIKE THAT ANYMORE.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE SO-CALLED LUXURY FASHION INDUSTRY? DOES IT EXIST, OR IS IT AN ILLUSION?

AS LONG AS PEOPLE HAVE A MINUTE TO CONSIDER SOMETHING BEYOND ESSENTIAL NEEDS, THERE WILL ALWAYS, ALWAYS BE A LUXURY FASHION BUSINESS. IT EXISTED LONG BEFORE US AND WILL EXIST LONG AFTER US.

YOUR PERSONAL IMAGE IS LINKED TO YOUR BUSINESS PROFILE. WAS THIS A CONSCIOUS DECISION?

MY AESTHETIC IS SO PERSONAL AND INTIMATE, IT WOULD BE DISHONEST NOT TO COMPLETELY COMMIT MYSELF. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I ALWAYS WANTED DESIGNERS TO LOOK LIKE THEY MEANT WHAT THEY SAID. OF COURSE THE LONG BLACK HAIR WILL PROBABLY ALWAYS BRAND ME AS THE GOTH DESIGNER, DISCOURAGING SOME PEOPLE FROM ENTERING MY WORLD.BUT AT THIS POINT, I GUESS THAT BOAT HAS SAILED.

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GARMENT AND THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH IT IS SOLD?

I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED ENTERING A CREATOR'S MYTHOLOGY, BE IT IN ART, PERFORMANCE OR DESIGN. SOME OF IT CAN BE FABRICATED, SOME IS LUCK. BUT THE MORE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED ELEMENTS THERE ARE, THE RICHER THE EXPERIENCE IS. AND WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER, IT'S MAGIC.

HOW DID LIVING IN CALIFORNIA SHAPE YOUR VISION?

I PROBABLY HAVE A CALIFORNIAN'S BLUNT CASUALNESS THAT I USE TO REINTERPRET EUROPEAN COMPLEXITY. AFFECTIONATELY.

YOU'RE NOW BASED IN PARIS. HAS THIS CHANGED YOUR STYLE AND HOW YOU VIEW THE WORLD?

I'M SURE I'VE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE FRENCH RUNWAY, WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PARIS ITSELF. PEOPLE ARE PRETTY CLASSIC ON THE STREET WHEREAS ON THE RUNWAY, EXTREMITY AND ALMOST PERVERSITY IS ENFORCED VIGOROUSLY.

BUT I'VE ALWAYS HAD AN EXTREME ATTRACTION TO THE FRENCH ARTIFICE OF THE TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY WHEN ART NOUVEAU TRANSITIONED INTO ART MODERNE. TO BE IN PARIS NOW IS AS CLOSE TO THAT MOMENT AS I CAN POSSIBLY GET.

DO YOUR DESIGNS REFLECT A PARTICULAR CULTURE OR, IN OUR GLOBALLY CONNECTED DIGITAL AGE, DO THEY REFLECT A BORDERLESS WORLD?

I TEND TO LOOK AT MY AESTHETIC AS MORE MULTIGENERATIONAL AND HISTORICAL. I THINK OF GREEK CLASSICISM, '30S MODERNISM AND PUNK ROCK. THESE ARE TOUCHSTONES THAT I THINK ANYONE OF OUR GENERATION CAN RELATE TO SOMEWHERE.

WHICH DESIGNERS (CONTEMPORARY AND PAST) DO YOU ADMIRE AND WHY?

I ALWAYS THINK OF FORTUNY AND VIONNET OF HAVING RADICALLY RELEASED THE BODY AND CREATING AN EASY ELONGATED 'DRIPPING' LINE THAT I'VE TRIED TO FOLLOW. I LOVE LOOKING AT CONTEMPORARY FASHION AND USUALLY FIND SOMETHING TO LOVE IN A LOT OF DESIGNERS. I NEVER WEAR ANYBODY'S CLOTHES OTHER THAN MY OWN, THOUGH.

ASIDE FROM DESIGNERS, WHO DO YOU ADMIRE? IS THERE SOMEONE IN MIND WHEN YOU DESIGN? FROM WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR INSPIRATION FOR FASHION? IS IT TANGIBLE, SUCH AS IN COSTUME OR PERIODS OF STYLE, OR IS IT MORE WHIMSICAL?

I'M A BIT TOO CYNICAL AND OLD FOR HERO WORSHIP BUT I DO ADMIRE FIGURES THAT HAVE CREATED AN ALLURE LIKE MARCEL BREUER, JEAN-MICHEL FRANK, EILEEN GREY, CLAUDE PARENT, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT.

I TEND TO LOOK AT ARCHITECTURE AS INSPIRATION BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I'M LOOKING AT SOMEONE'S UTOPIAN IDEAL THAT MY CLOTHES MIGHT LIVE UP TO.

WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND THE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S COLLECTION FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON?

FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW UNTIL IT'S DONE AND I REVIEW IT. EACH COLLECTION IS A REFLECTION OF THE ONE BEFORE IT AND THE SHAPES AND FABRICS I'VE ACCUMULATED LITTLE BY LITTLE IN BETWEEN COLLECTIONS. I DELIBERATELY TRY NOT TO OVERTHINK COLLECTIONS; IT USUALLY TURNS OUT BEST IF I LET IT EVOLVE NATURALLY AND WORRY ABOUT INTERPRETING IT LATER. BUT EACH COLLECTION IS ALWAYS ABOUT A DOOMED STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL AND INNER PEACE. I DONT THINK I'VE EVER REALLY DONE ANYTHING SEXUAL. THERE'S ENOUGH OF THAT ELSEWHERE.

HOW IMPORTANT IS QUALITY—FABRICATION, MANUFACTURING, PRESENTATION—TO YOUR BUSINESS?

I'M CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR FLAWS OR MISTAKES THAT CAN BE INHERENTLY INEVITABLE IN A BUSINESS OUR SIZE. AFTER YEARS OF THIS, IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ENJOY LOOKING AT ANYTHING I PRODUCE WITHOUT BEING HARSHLY CRITICAL. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I HAVE A GLIMMER OF PURE SATISFACTION, BUT IT NEVER LASTS LONG. DON'T GET ME WRONG. I DONT FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF. ITS JUST PART OF THE TERRITORY.

DO YOU DESIGN TO PUSH BOUNDARIES AND REVEAL NEW IDEAS, OR TO PLEASE AND TO HAVE YOUR CLOTHES BE WORN?

I'VE NEVER REALLY LIKE ART OR DESIGN THAT PREACHES. I USUALLY RESPOND TO THINGS THAT ARE ASPIRATIONAL. ALMOST SUPERNATURAL. I'M NOT SAYING I ACHIEVE THAT BUT I ALWAYS HAVE THIS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND. AND IT WAS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT EVERYTHING I PUT ON THE RUNWAY WAS POSSIBLE AND AVAILABLE FOR SALE. I'VE SLIPPED A FEW TIMES EARLY ON BUT FINALLY LEARNED HOW TO KEEP THIS PROMISE.

IS THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING QUITE NATURAL FOR YOU, OR IS IT A CONTINUAL CHALLENGE?

I FOUND A PACE OF DEVELOPING MY IDEAS THAT FEELS COMFORTABLE. CHALLENGING BUT RATIONAL. I FEEL THAT EVERY COLLECTION I'LL EVER DO IS THERE INSIDE ME. I JUST HAVE TO UNTANGLE AND REVEAL IT.

HOW BIG IS THE DESIGN TEAM/STUDIO? HOW DOES IT OPERATE?

I HAVE ONE ASSISTANT FOR EACH DIVISION IN MY FACTORY IN ITALY—FABRIC ORDERS, MEN'S PATTERNS, WOMEN'S PATTERNS, KNITS, DRKSHDW, SHOES AND BAGS. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S IDEAS SO I'M AFRAID THAT I CAN ONLY BE A DICTATOR. I GO TO THE FACTORY FREQUENTLY TO WORK ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF EACH PIECE. I HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF OF 4 IN PARIS WHERE I WORK BY MYSELF PREPARING AND DEVELOPING IDEAS THAT I TAKE TO THE FACTORY. MICHELE, MY BETTER HALF, RUNS THE FUR AND FURNITURE ATELIERS WHICH I'M NOT ALLOWED TO INTERFERE IN BECAUSE I CAN BE TOO CONTROLLING. THIS IS A COMPROMISE WE REACHED SO SHE WOULDN'T KILL ME. I'M PROBABLY NOT A GREAT HUSBAND AND WOULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE FATHER.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE SPEED OF THE CONTEMPORARY FASHION SYSTEM?

I THINK IT'S POINTLESS TO CRITICIZE EVOLUTION AND THINGS MOVING AND INEVITABLY TURNING INTO SOMETHING ELSE, I USUALLY DELIGHT IN THAT. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT DESIGNER COLLABORATIONS WITH FAST-FASHION GROUPS PISS ME OFF. DESIGNERS DO IT FOR A SPLASHY FLASH OF EXPOSURE, VALIDATING COMPANIES THAT MAKE THEIR MONEY FROM EXPLOITING AND CHEAPENING OTHER PEOPLE'S ORIGINAL IDEAS. HATE IT.

YOUR CREATIVE OUTPUT ISN'T LIMITED SOLELY TO FASHION. IS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU TO DIVERSIFY AND EXPLORE OTHER FORMS OF CREATION?

I LIKE ALTERING EVERYTHING AROUND ME TO CONFORM TO MY AESTHETIC. DOESN'T THAT SOUND AWFUL? I'M AFRAID IT'S HORRIBLY TRUE. I'M A MONSTER.

YOU RECENTLY RELEASED A SELF-TITLED BOOK. WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE OF PUTTING TOGETHER A TOME OF THIS ILK? WHAT WAS THE INTENTION BEHIND IT?

I HAD ORIGINALLY PUT TOGETHER MY FAVORITE IMAGERY TO GIVE A QUICK STUDY GUIDE TO NEW EMPLOYEES. WHEN I REALIZED I HAD BEEN MAKING COLLECTIONS FOR 10 YEARS, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO SELF-PUBLISH IT TO SELL IN MY STORES. THIS BOOK WAS CALLED 'L'AI-JE BIEN DESCENDU?' WHICH ROUGHLY TRANSLATES TO 'DID I DESCEND WELL?'—A FAMOUS LINE BY THE FRENCH SHOWGIRL CECILE SOREL AFTER DRAMATICALLY DESCENDING A STAIRCASE ON THE STAGE OF THE CASINO DE PARIS IN THE 1930S. A FEW YEARS LATER RIZZOLI APPROACHED ME ABOUT RE-RELEASING AN UPDATED VERSION OF IT. IT'S A COMPLETELY PLEASURABLE AND VALIDATING EXPERIENCE COLLECTING YOUR HIGH POINTS AND BLISSFULY DELETING YOUR WEAK ONES TO CREATE AN ENTIRELY CONTROLLED AND PERFECTLY EDITED VERSION OF YOURSELF. TOTALLY FUN.

WHAT IS THE GREATEST KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL FASHION BUSINESS?

HAVING STRONG PARTNERS.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOU PERSONALLY AND FOR THE RICK OWENS BRAND?