The creative partnership between American design icon Mr Rick Owens and Italian upcycling upstart Swampgod (real name Mr Arturo Boem) began as so many relationships do these days: on Instagram. Some time in 2020, Venice-based Boem opened up the app to discover a “cryptic” message from Owens, who, as it turns out, lived nearby in the canal city. For the 28-year-old artist, who trained in product design and taught himself how to sew only in the last couple of years, the ensuing invitation to lend his talents to one of the best-known names in contemporary fashion was a sort of fairy-godmother moment. “To have the privilege to talk and learn from professionals with so much knowledge, it still seems like a dream,” says Boem. “I still have to process all the emotions I went through.”
Still, for all his humility, it’s not hard to see why Swampgod caught Owens’ eye. Boem once moonlighted as a graffiti artist, and there’s a rebellious, guerrilla-style element to his collage-like creations that chimes with the work of fashion’s most fearless creative director. “What really attracts me design-wise is the force that comes out from breaking certain rules or established [ideas],” says Boem. “Looking at Rick’s work, it’s that perfect balance between drama, fierceness, discipline and structure.” An inherent fascination with the underworld also unites the two designers. Much like Owens’ grungy, gothic tastes are stitched into his label’s ethos (and have famously earned him his reputation as fashion’s “lord of darkness”), Swampgod’s gloomy aesthetic seeks to upend the romantic, wistful image of Boem’s tourist-trampled hometown and instead pay tribute to Venice’s murkier, muddier side.
For the project, Owenscorp struck a sustainable note, granting Boem free rein to “dive into the fabric cut-outs container” and work his upcycling magic. The result: an avant-garde and undeniably cool capsule collection that reworks archival pieces and riffs on classic Rick Owens motifs, while infusing them with a youthful and punk edge.
01.
The gothic overshirt
To say this logo-appliqued piece by Swampgod is not your average shacket is an understatement. Forget wholesome corduroys and workmanly denims – this cotton and wool-blend number is tricked out with a rock’n’roll shearling trim that swiftly elevates the humble overshirt from everyday staple to grungy statement.
02.
The tagged leather jacket
Behold the solution to tricky transitional dressing in the spring–summer months: a crisp white leather jacket that can be layered under overcoats, thrown over shirts and teamed with every colour on the spectrum. On the reverse, you’ll find Swampgod’s initials emblazoned in thick, black lettering – a not-so-subtle nod to his past life as a graffiti artist.
03.
The subversive basic
The kids on TikTok might lay claim to the “subversive basic”, but in reality, Owens has long been a champion of unexpected cut-outs and fetish-inspired flashes of flesh (search his AW15 menswear show on any non-work device). This semi-sheer T-shirt features a plunging deep-V neckline that’s become a hallmark of Rick Owens’ ready-to-wear collections, and offers a slightly more, er, modest way to wade into the trend.
04.
The muted T-shirt
While black is integral to the Rick Owens brand – and you’d be hard-pressed to spot the raven-haired creative director in anything else – occasionally the design team likes to shake things up a little and veer into the earthier end of the colour wheel. Case in point: this panelled cotton-jersey long-sleeve tee in a sludgy greige, which is perfect for those who shed their all-black outfits come spring for a wardrobe of top-to-toe neutrals.
05.
The dystopian cashmere sweater
The image of cosy wholesomeness that’s conjured up by the words “cashmere sweater” might seem at odds with the famously boundary-pushing brand that is Rick Owens (once again, see that AW15 menswear show). But, as it happens, delectably plush fabrics and experimental cuts can live harmoniously in one garment – as evidenced by this chopped-and-screwed slim-fit sweater.
06.
The high-fashion sweatpants
Loungewear devotees, rejoice – the jersey trackpant that saw you through the depths of the pandemic isn’t going anywhere. Still, if you happen to hang around any old-fashioned naysayers who believe your beloved sweats shouldn’t be seen outside the home, we’d advise you to wear these wide-leg editorial-worthy panelled joggers in their presence and watch them gobble their words.
07.
The patchwork trousers
Patchworking is pretty much Swampgod’s forte – some of his earliest creations saw him stitching together a mish mash of denim, jersey and flannel, and selling them to his followers on Instagram. Here, he applies his talent for collage to the rather more congruent Rick Owens archive, resulting in a streetwise spin on the straight-leg tailored trouser that’s crafted from twill, crepe and canvas.
08.
The distressed denim sneaker
Sock sneakers, toe sneakers, bulbous bubble-soled sneakers – by this point, we at MR PORTER naively believed we’d seen every possible iteration of the sports shoe (and note, those examples are solely from Balenciaga). But it appears there’s still more, with Rick Owens and Swampgod presenting this unique slip-on sneaker with a jersey and distressed denim upper that’s quite unlike anything else on the market.
09.
The futuristic sandal
Among the more avant-garde creations in an already cutting-edge capsule collection are these post-apocalyptic sandals, which are engineered from offcuts of frayed denim and leather. Don’t be fooled by their sculptural, sci-fi appearance –the springy, sneaker-style soles should ensure you get from A to B in comfort as well as style.
10.
The sleek belt bag
Call it a belt bag, call it a bum bag, call it a fanny pack (or maybe don’t). Whatever its name, the once-dadcore accessory underwent a high-fashion rebrand in the mid-2010s and is evidently here to stay. This one arrives in a sleek, minimal silhouette and is polished off with discreet embossed logos, but it’s the top-stitched detail on the crossbody strap that takes things up a notch.
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