Rick Owens sets the Palais de Tokyo on fire with his Spring-Summer 2023 Men’s show

Despite the burning sun shining on the Palais de Tokyo on Thursday, June 23rd , Rick Owens exorcised our fear of the end of the world induced by pandemics, wars, and global warming, through a breathtaking performance – three flaming spheres like burning suns placed above the fountain crashed quietly one after the other into the water. In this apocalyptic atmosphere, the Californian designer composed a collection inspired by a trip he took to Egypt, and more precisely to Edfu, the Ptolemaic temple of Horus. Tulle dresses designed to protect from flies are worn over silk shirts wrapped around the body, while shoulders widen and loose light shirts and pants float on the silhouettes. Iridescent pieces evoke beetles’ wings, the work on the denim in collaboration with the Parisian label Paradoxe makes them appear faded and damaged, and the nylon is more resistant than ever. Although very personal, Rick Owens’ Spring-Summer 2023 Men’s collection moves us at the deepest level, encompassing our fear of extinction and our desire to survive for a few minutes only.

By Léa Zetlaoui.