Fashion's dark prince Rick Owens took on notions of femininity with his Fall '18 show, creating looks with extreme silhouettes that evoked a bygone era. Creating updated takes on bustles, panniers, pouf skirts and what looked like pantaloons, Owens called the collection "arte povera seduction" in his show notes.
Of his use of old-fashioned fashion accessories, he told WWD, "I see it as coquettishness. There was a sly wit in those days. We don't see that sly wit in fashion now. That was a very sophisticated, almost provocative, almost bordering on ridiculous wit."
Questioning the very nature of attraction in these murky times, he added, "Clothes are about communication, and a lot of times are about seduction, and I was just thinking what does that mean right now?"
Go backstage to see some of Owens more "ridiculous" designs:
Photography: Sonny Vandevelde