/fa/ - Fashion

>I RECENTLY SAW A MOVIE FROM THE '80S THAT I’D BEEN IN AS AN EXTRA IN A GOTH NIGHTCLUB SCENE. I HAD JUST MOVED TO L.A. FROM A SMALL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TOWN AND WAS STARTING TO BLOSSOM INTO THE EARLY STAGES OF GOTHDOM. I WINCED AT MY NAIVE AND VULNERABLE FACE TRYING TO LOOK HARD AND WORLD-WEARY.

>GOTH WAS GONNA BE MY ANSWER. IT WAS GOING TO CONFRONT EVERYONE AND DECLARE ME. I WAS GOING TO DIVE INTO A WORLD OF SIN AND EXOTICISM THAT I’D READ ABOUT IN HUYSMANS “AU REBOURS” AND “LA BAS” IN MY PARENTS' LIBRARY AT HOME. I WOULD LAY A BLACK GLITTERING TURD ON THE WHITE LANDSCAPE OF CONFORMITY.

>I DROVE A BLACK T-TOP CAMARO. THE STEREO BLASTED SISTERS OF MERCY, MARLENE DIETRICH AND WAGNER. I WORE MY GLOVES AND JEWELRY TO BED IN FULL MAKEUP. I LIVED ON BLACK BEAUTIES AND CIGARETTES. I LIVED IN A FRIEND'S STUDIO BY THE RAILROAD TRACKS THAT WAS ACCESSED BY A FIRE ESCAPE TO THE ROOF. PERFECT FOR CAPES.

>AS THE YEARS WENT BY, THE INSECURITY AND ANGST STARTED GIVING WAY TO SOMETHING MORE DIONYSIAN AND SELF-DESTRUCTIVE UNTIL FINALLY, AFTER ALL THE DARKNESS, I REACHED A CLEAR-EYED GYM-QUEEN CALM.

>LATER, THE MAIN REASON I TOOK A JOB AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR WITH THE REVILLON FUR MAISON IN PARIS WAS ITS DIRECT LINEAGE TO GLAMOROUS, DECADENT, FIN-DE-SIECLE PARIS, MY NE PLUS ULTRA OF HIGH ARTIFICE. IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1763. SARAH BERNHARDT PROBABLY WORE A REVILLON FUR WITH THE TAXIDERMIED BAT SHE WORE IN HER HAIR.

>I WAS STILL ATTRACTED TO THE SAME AESTHETIC, BUT IT NOW HAD A LAYER OF AFFECTION. ALL THOSE YEARS OF DOOMED IDEALISM SEEN IN THE DAYLIGHT OF ADULTHOOD SEEMED RATHER SWEET. AND POIGNANT. EVERYTHING BLACK I EVER WORE AGAIN OR PUT ON A RUNWAY WOULD BE WITH A LOVING WINK.

>AND I FINALLY SEE THE LINES OF DISSAPATION IN MY FACE THAT I SO DESPERATELY WANTED IN MY YOUTH.

- Rick Owens
https://www.rickowens.eu/en/interviews/whitewall-magazine-fall-2010