Rick Owens

Release SS 2010 is a hinge in Owens womenswear because it tests sumptuousness without abandoning tension. Lamé, satin and leather appear in apron tunics, tabards and sweeping coats, moving the work toward a more deliberate kind of polish. The collection introduces a conscious turn toward prettiness and grandeur, but the structure remains recognisably Owens: asymmetry, wrapped surfaces and strict vertical movement keep the softness under control. It helps bridge the earlier cult vocabulary and the more ceremonial phase that follows.