It seems a bit absurd that no French cultural institution has dedicated its space to a special Rick Owens retrospective until 2025. Too transgressive and not delicate enough, the designer has long had to be satisfied with his 17 scattered boutiques across France to showcase his works, without the chance to display the fruits of their existence to his admirers.
Today, the tide has turned. The Palais Galliera is ready for Rick Owens, as evidenced by the fact that the Fashion Museum is giving him the artistic direction of its new major exhibition until early 2026. The artist, showcasing silhouettes, personal archives, and unprecedented installations, candidly tells (with a touch of narcissism, of course) the intimate and artistic journey that has taken him from his early days to his status as a living fashion legend.
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A backstage technician turned fashion week star
Two rooms, 100 models, a sixty-year journey to explore: the challenge is bold, but perfectly suited for Palais Galliera, which brilliantly blends artistic talent and personal journey. This is Rick Owens' story...;bute à Los Angeles in 1961, where he grew up, became a patron, and then took the helm of his brand, before heading to Paris in the early 2000s, bringing his fashion shows to the capital of style. For 30 years, the creator explored himself, indulged in the pleasures and (especially) the excesses of life, crafted his own label, and established himself as a self-taught outsider.
Military bags, army blankets, washed leather: at that time, if an outfit combines repurposed materials and a lack of color (white, black, brown, beige, or at most "dust" grey), people think of Rick Owens at the wheel. The first room of the exhibition keenly emphasizes the pivotal role of his meeting with the French Michèle Lamy in deepening his career, as the artist's shop and later café served as his launching pad. C&rsqHere they are, united, in now-married underground icons, as they take off towards France.
© Flora Gendrault
The Exploration of a Creator in Dialogue with Their Time
Bathed in the light from the museum's windows, where you can catch a glimpse of the gigantic structures adorning its façade, the second room delves into the emotional states following Rick Owens' installation in Paris. Indeed, on-site, the focus shifts from his cultural references (sometimes sacred, punk, science fiction, and Hollywood cinema) to his political reflections that take center stage in his work.
A mature creator emerges, seamlessly blending his transgressive spirit - explored in a private room reserved for adults - with the major concerns of our time.
Vibrant dyes, mastery of colors, plasticity in abundance: his collections are gradually transforming into a manifesto for love, for oneself, for others, and for a wounded planet suffering from climate change. “Showing beautiful clothes is no longer enough for me,” reads one of the signs. Behind the leather, the shadows, and the sculpted bodies, Rick Owens sketches a possible world, one that is freer, hybrid, and conscious. A vision of fashion as a mirror of upheavals – and perhaps, a path to their repair.
© Flora Gendrault
Rick Owens, Temple of Love
Palais Galliera
10, avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie - 16e
From June 28, 2025, to January 4, 2026
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