In a circular move, Rick Owens’ sustainable capsule collection, made from pieces upcycled from his past collections, is arriving in Los Angeles, where the designer’s career began.
The collection, which Owens produced in collaboration with Venice, Italy-based creative Arturo Boem, aka Swampgod, debuted in June in Milan multibrand store Modes. It will be unveiled in the U.S. on June 29 at Maxfield.
“We have been working with Rick for over 20 years, and the garments we will be presenting are pieces from previous collections we have offered at Maxfield,” said the store’s buying director Sarah Stewart.
Swampgod customized a range of bomber jackets, sleeveless tops, drop-crotch pants and hoodies from past collections, in addition to footwear, creating visual motifs mimicking the water stains on Venetian buildings.
“I am loving the current conversation in the fashion industry about thinking more responsibly about production and waste, and in this positive mood I have asked Swampgod to alter some of our past deadstock in the same scotch tape spirit I started my collections 20 years ago. He ripped our old stock garments apart and reconfigured them into new pieces that end up deconstructing my deconstructions,” Owens said in June. “I found him on Instagram, of course, and realizing he lived down the island from me on the Lido in Venezia, thought it was a sign and invited him to corrupt and collage at our factory 160 kilometers away, making it a neighborhood project. Doesn’t hurt that he is the perfect model for his own creations.”
Rick Owens chief executive officer Elsa Lanzo explained that the capsule, which features limited quantities and some one-of-a-kind pieces, is the first of a series of sustainable capsules that will be created in collaboration with local artists and introduced in the future.
All trademarks, photos and texts are property of their respective owners.