01PARIS JUST DID SOMETHING RARE: IT GAVE RICK OWENS A MUSEUM
RETROSPECTIVE WHILE HE IS STILL WORKING, STILL SHOWING EVERY
SEASON. THE PALAIS GALLIERA, THE CITY'S FASHION MUSEUM, HANDED ITS
WALLS TO THE DESIGNER FASHION SPENT YEARS CALLING AN OUTSIDER.
02AND HE CURATED IT HIMSELF. 'TEMPLE OF LOVE' GATHERS OVER 100
SILHOUETTES, HIS OWN DOCUMENTS, VIDEOS AND INSTALLATIONS, EVEN A
RECREATION OF HIS CALIFORNIA BEDROOM. OWENS IS THE ARTISTIC
DIRECTOR OF HIS OWN CANONISATION. OF COURSE HE IS.
03THE STORY IS PURE SELF-INVENTION. BORN IN CALIFORNIA IN 1961, HE
ARRIVED IN LOS ANGELES AROUND 1980 AND FELL INTO ITS NIGHTLIFE AND
COUNTERCULTURE. HE TRAINED AS A PATTERN-CUTTER, THE UNGLAMOROUS
ENGINE ROOM OF FASHION, AND LAUNCHED HIS OWN LABEL IN 1994.
04HE DID NOT SOFTEN TO SUCCEED. DRAPED, DARK, BRUTALIST, HALF-GOTHIC
AND HALF-FUTURIST, HIS CLOTHES LOOKED LIKE NOTHING ELSE ON A PARIS
RUNWAY WHEN HE MOVED THERE IN 2003. HE MADE THE SHOW A PLACE
FOR SPECTACLE AND SUBVERSION, NOT JUST SELLING.
05AND HE HAS ALWAYS SHOWN THE PARTNERSHIP. HIS WIFE AND MUSE,
MICHELE LAMY, RUNS THROUGH THE WHOLE RETROSPECTIVE, AS SHE RUNS
THROUGH THE WHOLE WORK. OWENS BUILT NOT JUST A LABEL BUT AN
ENTIRE AESTHETIC WORLD, AND LIVES INSIDE IT COMPLETELY.
06THAT IS THE ACHIEVEMENT. A SELF-MADE OUTSIDER WHO DID NOT JOIN THE
SYSTEM, YET RESHAPED IT FROM THE EDGE, AND IS NOW HUNG ON A
MUSEUM WALL WHILE STILL AT WORK. THE MAINSTREAM CAME TO HIM. IT
USUALLY DOES, EVENTUALLY.