The mandatory stop at Palais de Tokyo during Paris Fashion Week served as a reminder of fashion’s power and the intensity of its message. Debuting his exhibition Temple of Love at Palais Galliera in Paris, Rick Owens delivered yet another spectacle filled with reflections on beauty, aesthetics, and theatricality.

Each season, Owens explores fashion through a concept, turning his shows into a kind of ritual. Central to his events is smoke, which typically creates a dramatic, almost solemn atmosphere. But this time, it was water that served as the catalyst for the showcase. Models descended the stairs to find themselves in the middle of a fountain—water became the runway, a living prompt to display the clothing. Some immersed themselves in the water in what felt like a rebirth ceremony.

Titled Temple, the collection was an exploration of chaos, life, and desire. It spoke of evolution, yet captured the very essence of the human experience. Owens’ vision—fearless as ever—speaks to the rebellion of being humanly flawed.

In typical Rick Owens fashion, the pieces were raw, black, body-hugging, and erotic—imbued with a post-apocalyptic edge, with leather dominating the collection. Topless models walked down the runway, while structured capes added a sense of grandeur. Cut-outs, towering platforms, and deconstructed silhouettes formed part of the repertoire, all unmistakably rooted in the brand’s DNA.

More than clothing, fabrics, or construction, Rick Owens invites us to reflect on the world around us, the world that surrounds fashion and our relationship to it. His shows are events that make you think, and this one was about rebirth and apocalypse—a liturgical showcase infused with fantasy and emotional depth.

Words by Carolina Benjumea

RICK OWENS SS26

ARchive

LATEST