DAZEDDIGITAL.COM — TUMBLR ANSWER TIME Q&A — OCTOBER 2015

OCTOBER 2015

DISSEVERANCE ASKED: WILL YOU EVER MAKE CLOTHES FOR POOR PEOPLE? I KNOW WHAT YOUR SAYING— BUT IF YOU PRIORITIZE YOU CAN BE MORE SELECTIVE IN BUYING THINGS THAT ARE REALLY SPECIAL.

DIGITALFLOWERSPROJECT ASKED: RICK, DO YOU USE CREATIVITY AS A WAY TO SUBLIMATE YOUR INNER DESIRES AND TEMPTATIONS?

PROBABLY. BUT I THINK IT'S A WAY TO SHARE AND ENGAGE IN THE WORLD I LIVE IN AS FULLY AS I CAN.

FASHIONMOVESFORWARD ASKED: RICK, HOW FUN WAS DESIGNING THIS LATEST COLLECTION?

IT WAS REALLY FUN. I THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW SELFISH I REALLY AM… I WAS DOING SOMETHING THAT I WOULD WANT TO GO SEE. I DIDN'T EXPECT EVERYONE TO LIKE IT— JUST HOPEFULLY ENOUGH THAT WOULD ALLOW ME TO CONTINUE DOING THINGS I LIKE.

CHEERS R

AMARR1 ASKED: SOME HISTORIANS BELIEVE THAT INTERSUBJECTIVITY (A PHENOMENON WHERE PEOPLE ADOPT OTHER PEOPLE'S PERSONALITIES FOR VARIOUS REASONS) IS EXTREMELY PRESENT IN FASHION. GIVEN THAT YOUR OWN PERSONALITY AND LIFE IS CONSTANTLY ON DISPLAY FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS AND THE REST OF THE WORLD TO SEE (E.G. INTERVIEWS, PHOTOGRAPHS OF YOUR HOME, VIDEOS, ETC.) DO YOU BELIEVE THAT YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE ADOPTING, EITHER CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY, WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE YOUR PERSONALITY WHEN WEARING YOUR CLOTHING?

MAYBE. BUT I ALWAYS FELT THAT WHAT YOU WEAR IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS BEING THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BE. AND I HAVE CERTAINLY HAD EXAMPLES I WANTED TO FOLLOW IN THE PAST. BUT I DON'T FEEL EXPOSED ENOUGH TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE— I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER HAVE THAT KIND OF POPULARITY.

DEAJHADZIRE ASKED: WHERE DID YOU GET THE IDEA OF YOUR MODELS WALKING WITH OTHERS AROUND THEIR NECK?

THERE WAS AN ANNIE LEIBOVITZ IMAGE OF LEIGH BOWERY CARRYING HIS WIFE NICOLA IN A HARNESS THEY WOULD USE FOR A BIRTHING PERFORMANCE THAT I ALWAYS LOVED. IT WAS TRANSGRESSIVE AND SWEET AT THE SAME TIME. I THOUGHT DOING IT WITH WOMEN WOULD BE A NICE INTERPRETATION AND DEVELOPED OTHER POSES FROM THERE.

CHEERS R

FVSHIONIZED ASKED: WHAT'S THE ONE THING YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU WERE 18, THAT YOU KNOW NOW?

I WISH I KNEW THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO TRY TO BE SOMEONE ELSE— THAT I COULD JUST WORK WITH WHAT I HAD.

CHEERS R

DREAMBELIEVELOVELIFE ASKED: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG DESIGNER WHO SEES A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY, BUT STRUGGLES TO FIND WHERE IN THE INDUSTRY THEY WOULD FEEL THE MOST FULFILLED? THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS SIMILAR TO THIS HERE AND I TOTALLY SYMPATHIZE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO FIND THEIR PLACE. I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THE ANSWER BUT LOGIC TELLS ME THAT YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO, DO A LOT OF IT ALL THE TIME SO YOU CAN THROW AWAY YOUR MISTAKES AND YOUR VOICE WILL EMERGE FOR BETTER OR WORSE.

GOOD LUCK R

I-MPERSISTENCE ASKED: WHAT ARE YOUR FAV. MUSIC ARTISTS RN?

I AM LISTENING TO MIKE Q VOGUING MIXES AT THE GYM AND PEGGY LEE AND JULIE LONDON AT WORK. OH, AND KATIE GOT BANDZ IN BETWEEN!

CHEERS R

BROKEWITH-EXPENSIVETASTE ASKED: JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT SHOW WAS BEAUTIFUL. IT HIT MY SOUL.

THANK YOU, I AM SO GLAD. IT'S HARD TO TELL HOW PEOPLE WILL RESPOND BECAUSE IT TAKES A WHILE TO ORGANIZE AND REFINE BY THE TIME A SHOW ARRIVES I USED UP ALL THE EMOTION I FELT AT THE BEGINNING WHEN I WAS CONCEIVING IT. BUT I'M NOT FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF— I WAS ABLE TO EXTEND THAT EMOTION OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME ON MY OWN. I JUST DIDN'T GET TO SHARE THE PEAK WITH YOU.

CHEERS R

ANOTHERUNLUCKYGUY ASKED: WHY DO YOU LIKE TO SHOCK?

I LIKE TO BE SHOCKED

CHEERS R

AROMAMOTH ASKED: HOW DO YOU WORK TOWARD DISMANTLING AN INDUSTRY THAT PROFITS OFF OF UNHEALTHY STANDARDS FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN?

THEY WOULDN'T PROFIT IF THERE WAS NO DEMAND. LIFE ISN'T FAIR. JUST PUT OUT YOUR OWN GOOD ENERGY.

CHEERS R

HOWTOBERIDICULOUS ASKED: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PRINCE SONG?

THE BEAUTIFUL ONES

CHEERS R

CL0SED-CURT4INS ASKED: HOW DO YOU SEPARATE YOUR WORK AT DIOR FROM YOUR OWN BRAND AND THEN MANAGE TO MAKE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COLLECTIONS?

I LOVE YOU R

SPACE-ROCK-VOODOO ASKED: WERE YOU INTO PUNK MUCH? YOU'RE PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST PUNK FASHION DESIGNERS AROUND.

I DON'T THINK I WAS EVERY AUTHENTICALLY PUNK ENOUGH WHEN I WAS YOUNG. BUT I THINK I MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE IN MY LATER YEARS.

CHEERS R

ONCHASE ASKED: SOME OF YOUR WORK IS DEEPLY THOUGHTFUL. WHAT'S YOUR MOTIVATION?

MY MOTIVATION IS FULFILL ANY POTENTIAL I HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE BEAUTY TO THE WORLD BEFORE I DIE.

CHEERS R

HENRYKLOSS ASKED: DEAR RICK, WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO DO MODEL ON MODEL?THANK YOU, HENRY

I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A PRESS RELEASE THAT MIGHT ANSWER A LOT OF QUESTIONS HERE… DON'T WORRY, I WROTE IT, NOT A PR PERSON…

THIS WOMEN'S SPRING COLLECTION IS ENTITLED CYCLOPS– A MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE, FORMIDABLE, WITH FOCUSED VISION. WHO AMONG US WOULDN'T APPRECIATE THAT KIND OF DESCRIPTION? IN THE SPRING MEN'S COLLECTION, WHICH SHARES THE SAME NAME, THAT FOCUSED VISION WAS PROPULSIVE AND AGGRESSIVE. WHEN APPLIED TO WOMEN, I SEE THAT FOCUSED VISION BEING MORE ABOUT NOURISHMENT, SISTERHOOD/MOTHERHOOD AND REGENERATION; WOMEN RAISING WOMEN, WOMEN BECOMING WOMEN AND WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN– A WORLD OF WOMEN I KNOW LITTLE ABOUT AND CAN ONLY ATTEMPT TO AMUSE IN MY OWN SMALL WAY.

STRAPS CAN BE ABOUT RESTRAINT BUT HERE THEY ARE ALL ABOUT SUPPORT AND CRADLING. STRAPS HERE BECOME LOVING RIBBONS. STURDY SANDALS PROVIDE A STEADY BASE FOR LIGHT-AS-AIR SHIFTS. TUNICS AND BOXERS ARE TOPPED WITH CRISPLY CUTAWAY COATS WITH NARROW, SHARPLY DEFINED SHOULDERS. SLEEVES ON THE COATS ARE RIPPED OFF OR CAN BE REMOVED TO DRIFT BEHIND THE BARE ARM LIKE A CAPE.

AFTER A LONG PERIOD OF ADDRESSING THE PURSUIT OF THE ILLUSION OF CONTROL WITH GEOMETRIC MOTIFS AND CUTS THAT BELONG IN A CONCRETE BRUTALIST UTOPIA, THIS COLLECTION UNABASHEDLY COLLAPSES INTO WALLOWING SENSUALITY WITH SWIRLING AND DRIPPING GLOBS OF WASHED SILK GAZAR AND CLOQUE THAT POINT MORE IN THE DIRECTION OF AN ART NOUVEAU LANDSCAPE. FISTFULS OF SILK ORGANZA AND RAW CANVAS ARE TWISTED AND ABSTRACTEDLY DRAPED INTO SOMETHING AS CLOSE TO FLORAL AS I'LL PROBABLY EVER GET.

ALL THIS ORGANIC LIMPNESS IS COUNTERED WITH THE CLASSIC RIGOR OF SIMPLE FLIGHT JACKETS, HOODED WINDBREAKERS AND SLEEVELESS BIKERS ALL IN VARYING WEIGHTS OF BLACK LEATHER AND A METALLIC FABRIC THAT I CHOSE FOR ITS SEMBLANCE TO SOMETHING JOHN CHAMBERLAIN WOULD HAVE MADE ONE OF HIS CRUMPLED STEEL SCULPTURES OUT OF. LEATHER IS ALSO TRANSPARENT, USING A PROCESS THAT PRESERVES THE LEATHER BUT STOPS SHORT OF DYEING IT. IT'S THEN WAXED IN A PROCEDURE SIMILAR TO DRUM SKINS. THIS PROCESS IS ALSO APPLIED TO SNAKESKIN TO CREATE A WEIRD ORGANZA/HIDE EFFECT.

THE MUSIC FOR THE SHOW IS UNKLE'S ARRANGEMENT OF 'THIS LAND'– THE THEME FROM THE MOVIE 'EXODUS'– A SONG I USE HERE AS A REFLECTION ON THE TIMELESSLY FEMALE WAY OF PROTECTING AND NURTURING A TRIBE, SUNG LIVE BY VOCAL POWERHOUSE ESKA.

THE-GATSBY-SYNDROME ASKED: MR. OWENS, I LOVE YOUR BRAND AND DESIGNS BUT I'M JUST A TYPICAL 20 SOMETHING. SHOULD I ASPIRE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD YOUR CLOTHES OR JUST BE FASHIONABLE AND HUNGRY LIKE A REAL ARTIST?

BE A HUNGRY REAL ARTIST.

CHEERS R

NNAMEDAD ASKED: HEY WHAT'S FOR DINNER TODAY

MAYBE A CHEESEBURGER

CHEERS R

ANONYMOUS ASKED: DO YOU WANNA SUCK ME OFF?

DUNNO, DICK PIC PLEASE.

CHEERS R

NURLANBAYTOK ASKED: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE STREETWEAR BRAND?

I AM LOVING MARQUEZ ALMEIDA. WOULD THEY BE CONSIDERED STREET?

CHEERS R

FEELACOUPLETHINGSTWICE ASKED: AS THE 'GODFATHER OF BRUTAL CHIC', YOU CERTAINLY HAVE ESTABLISHED YOURSELF AND YOUR NAME IN THE FASHION WORLD. YOU BECAME ONE OF MY FAVORITE DESIGNERS AT AN EARLY AGE (THOUGH I'M NOW ONLY 18) BECAUSE YOU CREATE CLOTHES THAT IN ESSENCE ARE A FANTASTIC CONSONANCE OF SIMPLICITY AND DIE HARD CRAFTSMANSHIP. SO MY QUESTION IS THIS: WHAT HAS YOUR SUCCESS COME AT THE EXPENSE OF? IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT HAVE YOU HAD TO COMPROMISE TO BECOME THE SUCCESS YOU ARE TODAY? I HOPE TO LEARN AND NOT TO REPROBATE.

I AM HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A COMPROMISE. I DON'T THINK I HAD TO SACRIFICE ANYTHING. I WISH THE SAME FOR YOU.

CHEERS R

LACLOCHARD ASKED: HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK IT IS FOR DESIGNERS TO BE INVOLVED/ENJOY OTHER ARTISTIC CREATIONS LIKE MUSIC OR PHOTOGRAPHY? DOES THAT INFLUENCE YOU IN SOME WAY? DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE MUSICIANS? THANK YOU!

EVERYBODY GETS TO DO IT THEIR OWN WAY. BUT THE ARTISTS THAT I AM ENJOYING THE MOST THESE DAYS ARE CHRISTEENE AND DIVINE DAVID HOYLE. THEY ARE MY BEYONCÉ AND RHIANNA RESPECTIVELY.

CHEERS R

PATRICK44523 ASKED: WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED AND INSPIRED EVERY DAY?

I LOOK AROUND. THERE ARE A MILLION EXAMPLES OF BEAUTY AND INSPIRATION AROUND US ALL THE TIME. YOU JUST HAVE TO EDIT A BIT BUT THERE'S PLENTY THERE.

CHEERS R

JUSTALITTLEMOUSEINTHEDOORWAY ASKED: WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON PLUS SIZE FASHION? FOR BOTH WOMEN AND MEN?

I FEEL I HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THEM. IT'S HARD TO CREATE A CORNER FOR PEOPLE THAT MIGHT NEVER COME TO ME FOR THAT BUT I'M TRYING TO FIND A WAY.

CHEERS R

DAMESONLY ASKED: GOOD MORNING RICK! FIRSTLY, YOU ARE A PHENOMENAL DESIGNER AND I LOVE YOUR WORK… AND YOUR EXPERTISE WITHIN THE FASHION AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES… WHAT WOULD YOU ADVISE AN ASPIRING CREATIVE PRODUCER (FOR FASHION, FILM, MUSIC) WHO LIVES IN TEXAS? I'D MAINLY WANT TO COME UP WITH CREATIVE CONCEPTS AND VISUAL/STYLE DIRECTION FOR FASHION SHOWS, MUSIC ARTISTS' ALBUMS AND MUSIC VIDEOS, AND FILM. THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ADVICE— THE BLACK DAME.

BECOME BEST FRIENDS WITH CHRISTEENE AND BAMES WHO AE BOTH IN AUSTIN.

CHEERS R

FREAKI ASKED: WHAT'S YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON LIFE?

HAPPINESS IS GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE.

CHEERS R

THESLIGHTLYTOXICHALLOWS ASKED: SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS LIKE SNAPCHAT HAVE MADE EVENTS LIKE NEW YORK AND PARIS FASHION WEEK WAY MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE AVERAGE PERSON. DO YOU THINK IT'S GOOD OR BAD FOR THE INDUSTRY FOR PLATFORMS LIKE THIS ONE TO MAKE THESE EVENTS LESS 'ELITE'? HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK SOCIAL MEDIA HAS OR WILL BECOME TO THE FASHION WORLD?

I THINK SOCIAL MEDIA IS A FASCINATING EVOLUTIONARY PHENOMENA AND DISAPPROVING OF IT WOULD BE LIKE INSISTING ON USING A ROTARY PHONE. LIKE ANY CHANGE IT'S GONNA HAVE AN AWKWARD START BUT IT'S INEVITABLE AND CRINGY AND FUN TO WATCH DEVELOP…

CHEERS R

I-TEND-TO-BE-ODD ASKED: I WANT TO BECOME A FASHION DESIGNER WHEN I GROW UP IS THERE ANYTHING I SHOULD LEARN TO DO BEFORE I TRY TO GO TO FASHION SCHOOL?

YES! LEARN TO NOT TAKE ANYONE TOO SERIOUSLY AND LEARN TO LISTEN TO YOUR GUT. THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO LEARN— NOT JUST ACADEMICALLY.

CHEERS R

GREENWITHPURPLEPOKEADOTS ASKED: CAN BIG GIRLS STILL BE FASHIONABLE? I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT BECAUSE I AM NOT SKINNY I CAN'T BE FASHION FORWARD.

I LOVE A BIG GIRL WHO OWNS IT UNAPOLOGETICALLY. ENJOY YOUR JUICINESS. LOVE R

CLOSERTOPARIS ASKED: RICK, MY MAN… WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?

THE DEVILS BY KEN RUSSELL