The Cult of Beauty by Victoria Herrera

RickOwens

T H E CU LT o f B E AU T Y

03 >

_THE CULT OF BEAUTY

rick owens vision

BEAUT Y A C O MBI N AT I O N O F QUA L I T I ES , S UC H A S S H A PE, C O L O R, OR FOR M, T H AT PL EA S E S T H E A ES T H ET I C SE N S ES , ES PEC I A LY TH E S I G H T . -

03 >

_THE CULT OF BEAUTY

rick owens vision

BEAUTIFUL

FEMININE

DELICATE

PRETTY

ADORABLE P

05 >

ALLURING

ATTRACTIVE

GRACEFUL

STYLISH

HARMONIOUS

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

PRETTY BEAUTIFUL

BEAUTY CAN ASTONISH US. INSPIRE US.

r i

h a

k b

d p

l c

BEAUTY CAN MAKE YOU DANCE & BEAUTY CAN MAKE YOU CRY. P

09 >

_THE CULT OF BEAUTY

rick owens vision

To ask what is beauty today is to come face to face with the changing definition of it. Perhaps more than any other time in history, we are preoccupied with, even confused by beauty: its power, its pleasures, its style, and its substance. Beauty affects us all, today more than ever.

The beauty we see today is different, more complex. It’s elusive, evolutionary, even controversial. No longer is beauty limited to a pretty face or a pretty picture: beauty has come to personify and reflect the social and cultural issues of our day. As we move forward in time, one of the questions we must ask ourselves is: when will beauty no longer be defined by media promoted and commodified images. Flawless features, flawless figures, without regards to what is underneath? Tdoday, we want images of beauty to be more realistic and acknowledge the attractiveness of our power, our intelligence and our experiences. The battle to intergrate surface with substance, to assert that beauty should be tied to who we are rather than to our body weight or to the firmness of our skin, has changed us forever. In today’s quest for a self celebrating image, we are finally beginning to take more risks, to experiment with our appearance, and not be contstrained by the images we see in magazines and on billboards all around the world. Ultimately, fashion’s contribution to social change can be seen on the runway in the new beauty. Grunge and deconstructivism were only the beginning; the movement away from 80s materialistic ideals of artifice and power dressing, big shoulders, big jewelry, bright makeup, big hair, was taken even further with the waif look. Now, as our culture narrows the gender gap, it is no surprise that androgony is becoming a mainstream ideal, and interest in male beauty is growing. This can be seen on runways now days.

The move to a multicultural nation has given rise to a more inclusive beauty, a beauty that celebrates new faces. The broadening definition also allows for entirely new categories, such as “ugly beauty”, the street inspired extreme of the 90s. Today, beauty takes its cur from fashion, and fashion’s new direction is pared down: less contrived, relaxed, and more honest. However we try to define beauty for ourselves, we are still bombarded by media images vying for attention. The best of these images speak not just to our wallets, but to our minds: they demand that we question society’s notions about appearaance, look at our changing visual culture and examine our own attitudes about beauty. Despite all of this progress however, artifice and cosmetic surgery are on the increase. Glamour is still a priority for many women in our society. Anorexia and body dismorphia are rampant: will the pendulum in fashion ever swing back to an appreciation of real women’s bodies? Often, when people see images of models, instead of feeling appreaciated or inspired, they end up feeling bad about themselves. They feel they can’t measure up to the unatteinable ideals they see: ideals that owe a great deal to makeup artists, perfect lighting and photoshop. This is the cult of beauty.

09 >

THE CUL OF B g

11 >

In this society we have many images of young boys who are deshoveled and yet beautiful. They might be bike messengers, fishermen, construction workers..they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have much money, but they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need it, because their beauty is not dependent on artifice. Where is the equivalent image for women? If you take a beautiful eighteen year old girl versus a beautiful eighteen year old boy, she will require help to conform to our images of ideal beauty. Women need money for beauty and largely they get it from men who place high value on it. As fasion continues to break down these barriers or consciously live up to them we see a rise of a new kind of dialog. One that openly talks about these issues and chooses to rebel against them or use them as a form of empowerment. It is no doubt that these steroetypes continue to exist umong our culture, but in the idustry that is known to have given birth to most of these riduculous standards it is refreshing to witness change both on the catwalk and on the streets.

_THE CULT OF BEAUTY

rick owens vision

LT BEAUTY a

11 >

BEAUTY CAN CONFUSE

Although there are some generally accepted standards of beauty, the concept its self has always been the subject of great debates and contradictions. The same definition for beauty has never been embraced by everyone, either because of cultural differences, or, even in the same culture, because of the different esthetic tastes that people have, and it is quite probable that this will never happen. It is therefore safe to say that it is a matter of personal preferences, and that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. This is why fashion has such a broad range of styles. While trends play an important part of every season, designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tastes and philosphies can vary vastly. Some embracing the ideal form of beauty and others wanting nothing to do with the conventional values. The latter can be disturbing and considered distasteful to most, but for those who dare to break away from the norm and question these values along with the designer â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s vision it can be a transformative process.

It can make us dance. Make us sad. Beauty can be magical. Beauty can transform us. It lets our soul sing, but it can have such depth that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even notice it at first, or ever. Beauty can confuse.

_THE CULT OF BEAUTY

rick owens vision

17 >

Beaut the eyes beholder

ty is of the r -

What if the beholder was someone dark and unconventional? What if the beholder appreciated the true essence of beauty so much that he wanted to deconstruct every ounce of it? What if the beholder was none other than Rick Owens? ? Welcome to a world of darkness, a world where ugly is beautiful, a world that seeks to empower through the unconventional use of fabrics, shapes and silhouettes. A vision that is not for all but a vision that pushes the limits of beauty and welcomes anyone who dares to join. Welcom to the cult of beauty.

_THE CULT OF BEAUTY

rick owens vision

ugly can be beautiful c

_THE CULT OF BEAUTY

rick owens vision

Imperfection can sometimes be the most interesting thing about people and life, but that which is imperfect is rarely called beauty.

A renegade figure in the fashion world, Rick Ownes became a force for change by melding an emphatically dark sensibility with a penchant for glamour and an unexpected lightness of touch. He placed his distinctive stamp on fashion with a highly theatrical, Goth-inflected silhouette that, despite its apparent toughness and severity, remains supple and eminently wearable.

If you are distinguishing between clothing and high fashion, between the stuff we wear and the ideas that challenge and inspire us, Rick Owens surely belongs on the outermost edge of fashion. His transgender shapes, his almost alien palette, his tough and blithe use of stacked heels for men are unlike anything else. The quintessential style is founded on weathered fabrics, bias cuts and asymmetric shapes that mold and drape to flatter a variety of body types. His signature biker jacket, made of crinkled leather with high shoulders and attenuated sleeves has become the sartorial insignia of debutantes and drag queens, rock stars and legions of would be rebels. His style has been described as glamour-meets-grunge, but Mr. Owens himself has said of his subtly luxurious designs, “I try to make clothes the way Lou Reed does music, with minimal chord changes, and direct.” The style is sweet but kind of creepy, he said. It’s about giving everything a worn, softened feeling. It’s about an elegance being tinged with a bit of the barbaric, the sloppiness of something dragging and the luxury of really just not caring one bit.

However, don’t let the distressed leather, exposed hardware, and black-centric palette fool you: The American-born, Paris-based designer is not a one-note goth. On the contrary, he is an avant-garde romantic with a knack for highlighting the beauty of imperfections. It’s a talent well suited to his savagely sophisticated rock couture. Owens’ asymmetrical dresses; long, clingy Tshirts; and embellished outerwear have been seen on hard/soft types like Courtney Love and Madonna, and the designer’s fan club buys up his clothes with a cult like alacrity. Something any designer would love. It is this passionate following that has crowned him the king of dark fashion. He has summoned a cult of beauty unlike any other that can be witnessed on the runways of Paris or New york. The style is sweet but kind of creepy, he said. It’s about giving everything a worn, softened feeling. It’s about an elegance being tinged with a bit of the barbaric, the sloppiness of something dragging and the luxury of not caring.

IN A WORLD WHERE CREEPY

beautiful

& P

23 >

CAN CO-EXIST THERE ARE NO

limits.

_THE CULT OF BEAUTY

rick owens vision

Meet Rick Owens’ vision A renegade figure in the fashion world, Rick Ownes became a force for change by melding an emphatically dark sensibility with a penchant for glamour and an unexpected lightness of touch. He placed his distinctive stamp on fashion with a highly theatrical, Goth-inflected silhouette that, despite its apparent toughness and severity, remains supple and eminently wearable.

25 >

If you are distinguishing between clothing and high fashion, between the stuff we wear and the ideas that challenge and inspire us, Rick Owens surely belongs on the outermost edge of fashion. His transgender shapes, his almost alien palette, his tough and blithe use of stacked heels for men are unlike anything else. The quintessential style is founded on weathered fabrics, bias cuts and asymmetric shapes that mold and drape to flatter a variety of body types. His signature biker jacket, made of crinkled leather with high shoulders and attenuated sleeves has become the sartorial insignia of debutantes and drag queens, rock stars and legions of would be rebels. His style has been described as glamour-meetsgrunge, but Mr. Owens himself has said of his subtly luxurious designs, “I try to make clothes the way Lou Reed does music, with minimal chord changes, and direct.” The style is sweet but kind of creepy, he said. It’s about giving everything a worn, softened feeling. It’s about an elegance being tinged with a bit of the barbaric, the sloppiness of something dragging and the luxury of really just not caring one bit.

However, don’t let the distressed leather, exposed hardware, and black-centric palette fool you: The American-born, Paris-based designer is not a onenote goth. On the contrary, he is an avant-garde romantic with a knack for highlighting the beauty of imperfections. It’s a talent well suited to his savagely sophisticated rock couture. Owens’ asymmetrical dresses; long, clingy T-shirts; and embellished outerwear have been seen on hard/soft types like Courtney Love and Madonna, and the designer’s fan club buys up his clothes with a cult like alacrity. Something any designer would love. It is this passionate following that has crowned him the king of dark fashion. He has summoned a cult of beauty unlike any other that can be witnessed on the runways of Paris or New york. The style is sweet but kind of creepy, he said. It’s about giving everything a worn, softened feeling. It’s about an elegance being tinged with a bit of the barbaric, the sloppiness of something dragging and the luxury of not caring.

_THE CULT OF BEAUTY

rick owens vision

“That is why he is known as the king of dark fashion.”

Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla facilisi. Nam liber tempor cum soluta nobis eleifend option congue nihil imperdiet doming id quod mazim placerat facer possim assum. Typi non habent claritatem insitam; est usus legentis in iis qui facit eorum claritatem. Investigationes demonstraverunt lectores legere me lius quod ii legunt saepius. Claritas est etiam processus dynamicus, qui sequitur mutationem consuetudium lectorum. Mirum est notare quam littera gothica, quam nunc putamus parum claram, anteposuerit litterarum formas humanitatis per seacula quarta decima et quinta decima. Eodem modo typi, qui nunc nobis videntur parum clari, fiant sollemnes in futurum.

Lorem ipsum dolor si amet, sit offendit argumentum et, nemore impetu philosophia vix ei, et nec hinc debitis periculis. Nec ne suas cetero reprimique. Eros labores invidunt has idsuro Facer nominavi suavitate ut duo,illud graece has no. Ad eam stet tempor oporteat sitexhabeo labore, ex solut graeco. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

rick owens vision _THE CULT OF BEAUTY

rick owens vision