Rick Owens s/s 2011 Paris

A new femininity walked at Rick Owens, in Paris. The dark warriors of last season are a blurred memory; the british designer, in fact, confessed: “I started with abandon. Now I’m more interested in control”. The languid and drapey clothes, for which Owens is mostly renown, left for the more austere structures, that suffocate volumes and frame the body.

Luigi Murenu’s chignons, held by combs of bone in the shape of antennae, unveiled the dominant principle of the collection: aerodynamicism. The lengths are extreme: kimono-like jackets appear almost too short on the front with their wide circular cuts on the waist and get longer on the back, while fishtailed skirts trail on the floor and collars raise straight up around the head. The volumes are also contrasting: full for both the pleated skirts and the wide flared pants and wrapping for collars and vests.

There were also some mid-thigh styles: strapless trapeze dresses with folded fabric turning around the legs or asymmetrical shifts with exposed zippers. The spirit of contrasts run throughout the collection, culminating in the soft and voluminous evening gowns, tight around the neck or topped by a straight over-the-shoulder neckline.

Together with the research for shapes, a great attention goes to the materials. Along with wool, silk and leather, the designer kept the stiff silk cotton canvas from his menswear, that allowed him to create very interesting sculptural shapes. The collection appeared very elegant and minimal, in neutral nuances and elongated, linear silhouettes.