Journal/

Rick Owens aesthetic directly reflects both smooth seductive and slightly sinister mood of the mythologized city of Los Angeles

“DIRTY HABITS, THAT’S WHAT MY CLOTHING IS ALL ABOUT” SAYS THE DESIGNER HIMSELF, LOOKING APPROPRIATELY UNKEPT: ” I MEAN, IT’S DIRTY CHIC, IT’S TOTALLY MESSED UP, SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MESSING IT UP YOURSELF, I MESS IT UP FOR YOU. ALL THIS WONDERFUL CASHMERE IS ALREADY FUCKED UP ON YOUR BEHALF ”

It’s the detritus of glamour which, in a way, is what rick owens deals with. ”the clothes are erm…. not so shiny. i guess the whole philosophy is that it’s not day or night, it’s right the way trough, there is no special event, it’s all special. you should be able to be go to the beach in this stuff, go to dinner and then go out. it really is california. away from the glittering pools of david hockney and the unrelenting “hooray for hollywood” macrobiotic cheeriness, there is of course an other los angeles. it’s a city of sun bleached and peeled glamour; louche, lean, decadent, drug addled and more than a bit malign. it’s the la that the designer rick owens seems to occupy and evoke in his clothing.