The controversy over whether or not fashion designers embrace enough diversity in their model castings was blown to bits at Rick Owens, where the American designer featured a throng of real woman - ethnically diverse with shapely curves. Not only did the women - members of various American step dance crews - not adhere to Paris’ typical model look, they didn’t act like them either.
They came onto the stage stomping their feet, beating their chests, snarling their lips and growling like wild, wonderful beasts, before launching into a 15-minute choreographed tribal dance that electrified the jaded fashion audience. Everyone’s eyes may have been glued to these girls’ moves, but it was hard not to notice that the clothes looked great, too.
Draped tops, leather vests, tunics and knit shorts were all done the Owens way: sportswear wrapped to regal heights. Even with the African beats, the women sported swathes of solid hues: khaki, black and white, rather than riots of patterned cloth. Owens never broke down and offered ’real’ models as a counterpoint to his guest dancers. These are the women, take it or leave it, he seemed to say. They were glorious, so it goes without saying, we’ll take it.