VANITY FAIR — RICK OWENS ANSWERS THE PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE — SEPTEMBER 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019

WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF PERFECT HAPPINESS?
GRATITUDE.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR?
ASPHYXIATION.

WHICH HISTORICAL FIGURE DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH?
ROBERT DE MONTESQUIOU.

WHICH LIVING PERSON DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?
I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO CHOOSE, THERE ARE SO MANY.

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WHAT IS THE TRAIT YOU MOST DEPLORE IN YOURSELF?
IMPATIENCE.

WHAT IS THE TRAIT YOU MOST DEPLORE IN OTHERS?
HYPERBOLE.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST EXTRAVAGANCE?
NAPS.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE JOURNEY?
TO A NAP.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST OVERRATED VIRTUE?
VIVACIOUSNESS.

ON WHAT OCCASION DO YOU LIE?
I DON'T.

WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE?
I DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. IT COULD BE WORSE.

WHICH LIVING PERSON DO YOU MOST DESPISE?
DESPISING ISN'T MY THING.

WHICH WORDS OR PHRASES DO YOU MOST OVERUSE?
'I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY…' (IN A WHINY TONE).

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST REGRET?
NOT ALLOWING MYSELF TO BE SATISFIED MORE OFTEN.

WHAT OR WHO IS THE GREATEST LOVE OF YOUR LIFE?
HUN.

WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU HAPPIEST?
SWIMMING IN THE SEA.

WHICH TALENT WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE?
TO DO A PERFECT DEATH DROP.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT STATE OF MIND?
SATIATED.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I WOULD JUDGE LESS.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?
LONGEVITY.

IF YOU WERE TO DIE AND COME BACK AS A PERSON OR THING, WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE?
A GRAY ROCK.

IF YOU COULD CHOOSE WHAT TO COME BACK AS, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
AN EXOTIC TRANSLUCENT MARINE ORGANISM WRITHING AROUND ORGIASTICALLY AT THE SILENT BOTTOM OF THE SEA.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?
HEALTH.

WHAT DO YOU REGARD AS THE LOWEST DEPTH OF MISERY?
ADDICTION.

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE?
EXACTLY WHERE I DO.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE OCCUPATION?
CREATION.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST MARKED CHARACTERISTIC?
MAYBE BRIEFNESS.

WHAT IS THE QUALITY YOU MOST LIKE IN A MAN?
HUMOR.

WHAT IS THE QUALITY YOU MOST LIKE IN A WOMAN?
HUMOR.

WHAT DO YOU MOST VALUE IN YOUR FRIENDS?
UNBLINKING DEVOTION.

WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE WRITERS?
COLETTE, BEVERLEY NICHOLS, JOHN RICHARDSON, MALLARMÉ…A LONG LIST.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE HERO OF FICTION?
JEAN DES ESSEINTES.

WHO ARE YOUR HEROES IN REAL LIFE?
ARTISTS.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE NAMES?
HORTENSE AND GAIA.

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU MOST DISLIKE?
SPITE.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO DIE?
OBLIVIOUSLY.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
'HOPE FOR THE BEST BUT PLAN FOR THE WORST.'