Rick Owens dives into the historical anthropology of Egypt for SS23.
Incarnation of the world beyond time. This was the subject of altruistic exploration by Rick Owens for SS23, as his collection titled “EDFU” was inspired by the stoic Egyptian artefacts that have stood the test of time by multiple civilisations, bringing comfort in difficult times about human resilience.
Staging a spectacle of fire at Palais De Tokyo in Paris, Owens brought on a heavy commentary about the social and political state of the world with fireballs blasting off one after another, mirroring the cycle of online stone throwing, the public representing a helpless cycle of spectating conflict.
Ushering in a sense of lightness, the designer utilised DYNEEMA, a fibre that is patented to be the strongest in the world, in order to showcase human strength and the fight against hatred, bringing a quiet monochromatic flow, protruding with twisted silhouette, serving a powerful reminder. “I reduced hardware and visible closures to keep things quiet. I wanted simplicity but I still wanted exaggerated shapes to gently tease all the righteousness and bigotry that create so much conflict in the world.” expressed Owens backstage after the show.
The power came in the determination of detail, the collection juxtaposing with tightly sculpted shapes or, protruding flow away from the body, ushering a sense of knowing who you are in this world, projecting a strong determination. After the signature usage of monochromatics, metallic pinks, greens and yellows brought forward a scarab-like finish that further encompassed the rich Egyptian history that serves as a powerful reminder of the human race and the age-old tale of the cycle of reinvention.
