SISYPHUS (Collection)

Sisyphus Men's Look 29 - Rick Owens website

SISYPHUS the 19th collection by American designer Rick Owens. This collection, like most of Owens' collections, is made up of a men and women's collection unified under the same title. The men's collection took place on the 18th of January 2018, and the women's took place four days later, on the 22nd. In total, the collections featured 80 looks.

Men's Collection

FW18 MENS - SISYPHUS was held on the 18th January 2018 and consisted of 40 looks.

Background

Throughout this men's collection, Rick expresses themes of frustration and exasperation at human behaviour and the state of the world at the time. Rick writes in all caps in his show notes: 'IT’S DRAINING TO WATCH UNHEALTHY CYCLES REPEAT THEMSELVES, BEHAVIOURALLY AND HISTORICALLY, AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, IT’S HARD TO SUPRESS A HOWL OF RAGE'. This questioning on an unending cycle is a major theme throughout, represented in the Greek Myth of Sisyphus- a figure forever bound to pushing a boulder up a hill, only for it to fall all the way down as he is nearly at the top. His futile task in wrestling false progress mirrors Rick wrestling his frustration with many things: political trends during President Trump's first term, social trends, and the pessimistic mindset that 'UNHEALTHY CYCLES AND BASE URGES ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE HUMAN CONDITION' (Shownotes).

Inspiration

Military Inspiration

This collection saw the debut of the 'tractor boot' with standard lacing and a transparent sole. This boot that uses Rick's pronounced 'tractor' sole and a silhouette reminiscent of WWII army boots.

Some looks also presented a high waisted trouser in taupe and black that, combined with the tractor boots, further create a military look. (Look 7)

Several looks feature trench 'flag' coats, an item that historically has military associations. (Look 25)

Bauhaus Inspiration

Bauhaus is a 20th century german architectural style that emphasised function and geometric construction. Rick frequently uses Bauhaus as a point of inspiration, releasing items titled 'Bauhaus Cargos' and the 'Bauhaus Ballast' shoes.

The very first looks of this collection present a Bauhaus practicality and geometry, with sharp lines, practical zips and clips, and a sense of utility, with all extra stripped away. (Look 1, Look 2)

The Bauhaus themes here provide a sensibility and structure to many looks, as geometric straps keep collapsing jackets in place. (Look 38)

Butoh

Several looks in this collection feature models with their faces painted white. One theory suggests that this could be a reference to Butoh, a form of Dance theatre that came out of post-WWII Japan, where dancers would paint their entire bodies white. The first Butoh performance dealt with themes of Homosexuality, which outraged the audience and had him banned from the festival it was performed at. Butoh stood as a rebellion to the status quo, which links to the political themes in this collection as Rick references the endless battle between progress and right-wing politics. In 2000, a New Butoh movement was established in Italy, which provides further evidence for links with this collection, as Owenscorp (Rick's manufacturing company) operates in Italy, and Rick himself lives there while working on collections.

Themes

'Sisyphus'

In Greek Mythology, Sisyphus was a king who tricked the gods and escaped death twice. As punishment, he was forced to roll a boulder up a hill forever- each time it neared the top, it rolled back down, and he had to start again. In the show notes for this collection, Rick references the dark parts of humanity and human nature as a force toppling the boulder, inevitably getting in the way of progress just as things start to look up. From this, there is a clear theme of pessimism, and frustration in performing a task that appears to inevitably end in failure. What this task is, specifically, is up to interpretation, as the collection explores several different themes that may fit the Sisyphean allegory.

Women's Collection

FW18 WOMENS- SISYPHUS was held on the 22nd January 2018 and consisted of 40 looks.