Rick Owens Spring 2015

Rick Owens’ interpretation of ballet isn’t the pretty, proper, pale pink read on the art form that most designers would turn out. Instead of the urbanist’s uniform of all-black and dark hues that typically comprise an Owens collection, the designer dabbled, with restraint, in pastels and light neutrals. Tutus weren’t involved, despite the ballet inflections, but a sleek, softly feminine silhouette prevailed: shift-like through the hips, finishing around the knees with sheer, kerchief-like wispy panels.  For a bit more heft, there were ornate, shiny black, grey, and rust coats festooned with fleets of flared sleeves, for a very sculptural effect. While Owens may have used a lighter touch for the garments, massive, chunky, almost garishly scaled platforms delivered the edginess quotient. A fresh concept for Owens, and a successful one at that.