Rick Owens once again gave the fashion set something to talk about last week when he included a peep show in his fall menswear production, sending pantsless models down the runway in draped pieces that exposed some of the boys’ nether regions. It was certainly a bold move — we’re used to seeing degrees of female nudity on the runway, so why not give the fellas a chance to show off their goodies?
“I pass classical marble statues of nude and draped figures in the park every day, and they are a vision of sensuality — yes, but also of grace and freedom,” Owens told WWD. “As a participant in one of our most progressive aesthetic arenas, am I not allowed to use this imagery? Is it only appropriate for a Michael Fassbender movie? I thought this might be an interesting question.”
Owens’ display exploded on the Internet and social media and was arguably one of the most talked-about shows of the men’s collections. But for him, it’s just another way to shake things up, make a statement and add to the ever-evolving conversation.
“It’s very powerful,” Owens told i-D. “Not many people can do that. I mean, it’s a straight world now. And it also, I think, says something about being independent. Who else can really get away with that kind of stuff? It’s a corporate world.”
