In Los Angeles in 1994, Rick Owens released his first collection; now, over 20 years later, he has made a significant mark on the fashion industry and the future of fashion. He is now one of the world's most critically acclaimed fashion designers, challenging the norms of sexuality and gender and creating brutalist looks that captivate the audience. Beloved by countless celebrities such as Rihanna and Timothee Chalamet, anyone who is tuned into the fashion world knows that we live in his era. Even if the name "Rick Owens" does not ring a bell, you may have seen his distinct design style or caught wind of his iconic fashion shows. His designs combine futuristic, apocalyptic themes with a dark, provocative overtone using mainly black and dark muted colours. He is one of the most inspiring designers in the industry today, and his success is only multiplying. Rick Owens has created countless memorable moments in fashion; many of them, however, spark a lot of controversy with the audience. This only makes people talk about his work more, pushing his career further; he thrives on the scandal and making the audience feel uncomfortable. His 2011 Rizolli book contains this iconic line, "I would lay a black glittering turd on the white landscape of conformity." One of Rick Owens's most controversial and scandalous moments was his 2015 Men's Fall/Winter show. The audience was shocked as some models wore tunic dresses with a very high front hem placed just above the groin. The models were also walking without anything underneath, including underwear. That gave audiences a clear, unobstructed view of their genitalia. Of course, this was a huge spectacle leaving the audience with their jaws on the floor. Another moment which caused Rick to get a lot of negative responses was his recent 2021 men's Fall/Winter collection. The collection was presented at the votive temple in Venice; he had his models walk out in underwear which did not sit right with the most conservative public. He received multiple complaints for showing provocative clothing at a religious place. Rick likes to create a grand performance whenever he presents a new collection. Whether it is a scandal or not, he never fails to leave the audience speechless. His Spring/Summer 2014 collection was focused on movement and functionality; Owens worked with choreographers Lauretta Malloy Noble and her daughter LeeAnet to create a performance combining stepping and traditional Zulu dance into the show. He casted four sororities step teams, Washington Divas, Soul Steppers, The Momentums, and The Zetas, to perform at the show. Forty models performed in dresses that were wrapped around their body and altered the way the models looked. This performance incorporated art and culture to perfectly show off the collection.
Today, we are hungry anticipating Rick's next show at the upcoming Paris Fashion Week.
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