As the coronavirus continues to sweep through the nation and affect almost every industry in the world, fashion will likely not be unscathed. Still, high-end legacy brands and small but mighty ones alike continue to find ways to build an “ecosystem” in which everybody wins. For many, that’s meant direct donations to those on the frontlines or those helping folks in need. Others have used their own resources and staff to make masks themselves. Today, Rick Owens’ namesake added his name to the list.
The legendary 57-year-old designer shared a photo of two women sewing masks at his factory located in the small Italian commune of Concordia sulla Secchia northwest of Bologna, Italy.
Where the masks are going has not been made public.
Last year, Owens dropped a line that explored his cultural background. Tecuatl, which is still available online, was the talk of Paris Fashion Week. The collection is reportedly inspired by his grandmother’s Mixtec maiden name.
Owens grew up in California to a U.S. American father and Mexican mother. He paid subtle homage to his heritage with Aztec-inspired hieroglyphics and the United Farm Workers Association’s Aztec eagle logo, which made appearances throughout the line. The latter, a nod to his father who worked as a translator for Mexican migrant farmworkers back in the day.
“I didn’t really realize that I was going to enjoy it that much, the theater of it,” Owens told The Cut about fashion as a whole and runway shows, in particular. “The opportunity to be able to talk about things other than just clothes. That’s a gift, being able to have a platform to explore different types of beauty in a more behavioral-social way.”
May everyone (continue to) have such a perspective, particularly as the form of exhibiting their work changes.