Rick Owens Spring Summer 2025 Menswear Takes Over Palais de Tokyo with Dramatic 200-Model Show

Text by: Jesse Scott
Imagery by Patricia Buren

Entitled “Hollywood” and largely inspired by the “weirdos and freaks” that the designer found in his adopted LA home, Rick Owens’ Spring Summer 2025 menswear show was nothing short of epic. 200 models walked in all-white looks down the dramatic Palais de Tokyo runway, many of them fashion students from around Paris. Perhaps in a reference to the upcoming Olympics, the scepter of which has loomed large over this Paris fashion season, several looks seemed to converse with gymnastics. There were no pyrotechnics at this show (an Owens trademark from several seasons ago) but there was a towering “gymnast bouquet,” a steel structure carried by nine models and topped with a flag depicting “hands of unity.”

Despite the mass of humanity that appeared on the runway, Owens kept the clothes simple and minimalist. He explained to attendees in a post-show press release that the show was inspired by Pre-Code Hollywood, an oft-forgotten “wild west” of a film era that, to hear the authorities of the time tell it, glorified sex, drugs, and gangsters.

Somewhat ironically, biblical epics and films about the Egyptian and Roman empires were in vogue at this time. Owens’ designs seemed to have jumped out of one such film, as face veils, elegantly draped white robes, and bandage-style tops recalled ancient times and desert-appropriate attire. The monochrome collection proposed just ten total looks, many deceptively complex but all clean and straightforward in their overall aesthetic. This was minimalism that seemed both nostalgic and futuristic, and when paired with the uplifting notes of Beethoven’s Symphony Number 7, which soundtracked the show, it inspired feelings of unity, faith, and optimism amidst troubled times.  

The show was a departure from Owens’ recent seasons, which saw the designer present his collections in uber-exclusive events in the sanctuary of his own home. Owens explained to press that he felt badly for excluding so many people from these events, sparking the impetus for his return to Palais de Tokyo and his inclusion of fashion students rather than professional models in the show. Owens offered the opportunity of a lifetime for many young fashion enthusiasts, who got to walk in the show of one of their favorite designers and whose uninhibited joy was evident backstage.  

The “Army of Love” attitude was infectious; with such a massive group of people walking, there was a tribal sense of unity and community. Owens’ push for inclusivity extended not only to the number of models but also to their body size.  He explained backstage that he is uncomfortable with the idea of token curvy models; his 200 models covered all shapes and sizes, and all looked effortlessly impeccable in their elegant white attire.

Ever-popular amongst the celebrity jet set, particularly in athletic circles, Owens drew big names such as Kyle Kuzma, Stefon Diggs, and Dave Chappelle to his latest memorable show. This season was a change of pace, in terms of color scheme and scale.

But Owens stayed true to his DNA, the collection conversing with his S/S 2023 “Edfu” womenswear offering and proposing graceful street style silhouettes familiar to anyone who has followed the designer recently.  A fashion week spectacle during an Olympic summer, the Owens show felt distinctly of the moment and demonstrated that the designer is attuned to his most loyal supporters while still courting new converts.