Rick Owens’ Spring/Summer 2025 collection, presented at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, was an unapologetic continuation of his dark, brutalist vision.
words MATTIA MARCASSA BARBIERI
In true Owens fashion, the show felt more like a dystopian performance than a traditional runway, blending stark minimalism with avant-garde opulence. The architecture of the venue, with its raw, industrial aesthetic, served as the perfect backdrop for Owens’ exploration of destruction, renewal, and radical beauty.


This season, Owens embraced an ethereal darkness. Models emerged through clouds of smoke, clad in exaggerated silhouettes that blurred the lines between armor and couture. The sharpness of angular shoulders and elongated torsos was juxtaposed with fluid, draped fabrics that swirled like post-apocalyptic togas. Owens’ signature palette of muted tones—black, white, and shades of gray—was punctuated by flashes of metallics and neon green, injecting the collection with an unexpected vibrancy that felt like a glimmer of life in a barren landscape.
A key point of the whole show was Owens’ use of deconstructed tailoring. Trench coats, blazers, and wide-legged pants were sliced and reassembled, creating abstract forms that felt both architectural and organic. Accessories were equally statement-making. Towering platform boots and oversized sunglasses added to the imposing silhouettes, while draped chainmail and sculptural jewelry gave a sense of ancient futurism. These pieces felt more like body armor than mere adornments, enhancing the show’s apocalyptic atmosphere.


Despite the general darkness, there was a sense of fragility in Owens’ SS25 vision, seen through delicate sheer fabrics and exposed skin hints.
The collection was both confronting and compelling. It blurred the boundaries between chaos and control, destruction and beauty. For those who revel in the avant-garde, Owens’ latest offering reaffirmed his place as a fashion provocateur who dares to imagine what might come after the end.