Inside the Bedroom, Bathroom and Mind of Rick Owens
Recently Rick Owens, a self-proclaimed 'sissy kid' from Porterville, Calif., turned underground Los Angeles designer turned Parisian fashion dark lord, opened an OnlyFans account — for his feet.
The nominal motivation for the account was a show. Not the epic men's show/quasi-religious experience he held Thursday, but a career retrospective at the Palais Galliera. Entitled 'Temple of Love,' it places his futuristic, freak-meets-goddess aesthetic convincingly in the pantheon of such fashion greats as Azzedine Alaïa and Mario Fortuny and confirms his place as the most inside outsider in fashion.
But having reached that pinnacle got him thinking about decline, which got him thinking about the Countess of Castiglione, one of Napoleon's mistresses and a celebrated beauty who eventually retreated to an apartment on Place Vendôme and, Mr. Owens said, 'only ever did portraits of her feet.' So he decided to do it his way, with all the profits going to a refuge for trans youth.
Sex and death are an integral part of the Owens shtick. So are wide-ranging classical allusions, beauty and generosity, all of it wrapped up in a complicated battle of grandiose silhouettes and far-flung references that gets resolved in some of the most gorgeous, original clothes being made today.
That is why the sweeping display of the museum show is bookended by two small rooms. One features a rumpled bed that is a replica of the bed in Mr. Owens's home. The other, which comes with a warning label, features a number of videos, including one of Michèle Lamy, Mr. Owens's wife, muse, business partner and all-around enabler on her 80th birthday, pulling down her underpants and sitting squash on top of her chocolate birthday cake.
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You can buy these from their shop and try the wines by the glass on their charming terrace, including the priciest Alpha 2014, just released this summer. Christian Muller is a small grower in Mailly Champagne that produces 20 -25,000 bottles a year of 4 different Champagnes, all excellent. Their stunning new terrace above their shop overlooks their own vineyards and is an idyllic spot for a tasting. Where to Stay and Eat in Champagne Notre-Dame de Reims, Listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO getty A good base for a visit to the region is Hotel Margaux, a new 4-star property in Epernay with 27 elegant rooms and suites. Unsurprisingly, visitors are spoiled for choice of excellent restaurants. Table Kobus in Epernay is a fantastic bistro with four prix fixe options with French classics like Foie Gras and duck magret. For an upscale dining experience, La Brasserie Le Jardin is in the beautiful grounds of Le Domaine les Crayeres in Reims. 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