Rick Owens: Diversification
Rick Owens delivered a powerful Paris SS14 show that treated the catwalk as a site for collaboration, with fashion, dance, art and movement.
Owens’ SS14 presentation expanded the definition of a catwalk show, considering both the execution and the audience’s reaction.
Typically taking the back seat and treated as a blank canvas, Rick Owens selected his models instead for their power and presence. A series of sorority step dancers took to the catwalk, using their bodies to add to the soundtrack of the show. Stepping – a percussive dance that uses the body to generate rhythm and sound – replaced the standard procession down the runway, with models holding fierce expressions and gritted teeth.
Historically stepping was practiced in the schoolyard by African American sororities; it also has roots in the military. Drawing on these historical references it is clear that Owens’ had a message to share with the audience. Whether that message was intended to add to the recent conversation about racial diversity on the runway or redefine the concept of a runway show, Owen’s has shifted the focus and challenged the fashion world.
