
Rick Owens delivered a striking, dystopian vision at Paris Fashion Week on Thursday, transforming the Palais de Tokyo into a raw, industrial spectacle. Strobe lights pierced the darkness like futuristic prison bars, illuminating models with shaved heads and eerie contact lenses. They marched in towering boots and jackets with exaggerated, upturned collars, creating a surreal and unsettling aesthetic that felt both alien and imposing.
The collection was inspired by Owens’ long-standing connection to Concordia, an industrial town in northern Italy. Reflecting on his time working in isolation there, the US designer shared, “This cloistered life seems to be what it takes to be able to focus on reaching for something weird and wonderful.”
The designs combined ancient ritual and futuristic rebellion. Cropped tops with rounded shoulders exposed the fragility of the torso, while flowing hooded coats and tasselled flared pants added gothic drama.
Bold materials played a key role, with chain-link skirts, handwoven leather boots, bleached alligator jackets, and cracked bronze-treated denim creating raw textures. Sustainability also shaped the collection, featuring eco-certified wool thermals and water-saving denim treatments.
The haunting tones of David Bowie’s Heroes, sung in French, German, and English, provided an emotional backdrop, amplifying the reflective mood of the show.
While Owens’ signature elements, such as towering boots and exaggerated silhouettes, remain recognisable, his continued defiance of conventional beauty ensures his work remains bold, boundary-pushing, and thought-provoking.