Before the show he said, "I was thinking a lot about police uniforms. And when you have a threat, you mock it. That is how you process it... The subject felt sensitive. And if it feels sensitive, that’s the direction to go in... I’m very wary of making proclamations. I’m a fashion designer. I’m in Paris. If you’re really protesting, you get on a plane and you get where you need to be, and then you do something. But you cannot be oblivious. Escapism is fine, but it’s not my thing. You have to at least be aware. I’m not saying I have answers. But it can’t be ignored."
No, it can't be ignored. Anyone with a shred of morality is aware of what is happening and how entirely, thoroughly, cosmically wrong it is. He may be a fashion designer in Paris, but adding one's voice to a global force that is saying "NO" is important. And I always say that in times like these, we need the arts even more, to remind us of our humanity, of creation, of a life-affirming undercurrent that says these are the things that make living--not just existing--worthwhile.
The show feels appropriately tight and frightening for life under an occupation (the floor-length "police" masks are terrifying...yep, the goon squad is coming to a town near you soon, *beep beep*). There's a new boot detail too...
Here are his show notes:
FW26 TOWER MEN’S
THURSDAY 22 JANUARY 2026
PALAIS DE TOKYO, 13 AVENUE DU PRÉSIDENT WILSON, 75116 PARIS
THIS SEASON’S COLLECTION IS TITLED ‘TOWER’, AS IN “TEMPLE OF LOVE, TOWER OF LIGHT” — A PRAYER FOR LOVE AND HOPE.
BUT TOWERS CAN ALSO BE ABOUT ENFORCEMENT. INITIALLY, EPAULETS WERE DELIBERATELY STRIPPED FROM BIKERS AND OUTERSHIRTS TO AVOID SENSITIVE MILITARY CONNOTATIONS BUT THE WORLD AROUND US IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE SO THE ONLY WAY TO GO IS PARODY.
POLICE BOOTS ARE BLOATED AND GROTESQUELY EXAGGERATED AND COME IN BUTCH BLACK, DOMINATING DUST OR MINCY MAUVE. CLOSE-FITTING COATS WHICH WRAP AND TIE LIKE LAB GARMENTS ARE EITHER GLOSSY BLACK BULL LEATHER OR KEVLAR, A FIBER 5 TIMES STRONGER
THAN STEEL, TRADITIONALLY USED IN PROTECTIVE CLOTHING, SUCH AS BODY ARMOR. OUR KEVLAR CANVAS IS WOVEN IN COMO, ITALY, BY A THIRD-GENERATION, FAMILY-OWNED MILL THAT HAS BEEN SPECIALIZED IN PERFORMANCE WEAR SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1952.
TRANSFORMABLE OUTERWEAR CUT IN HEAVY BUT MALLEABLE WAXY 1,4MM COWHIDES TANNED IN HIMEJI CITY, HYOGO PREFECTURE, HAVE BEEN PRODUCED INTO 2 PIECE GARMENTS BY AN ATELIER IN ATSUGI, KANAGAWA PREFECTURE. CROPPED JACKETS CAN BE REMOVED TO REVEAL A LONGER VEST LAYER BENEATH.
TOUGH, INDUSTRIALLY INSULATING CABANS ARE CUT IN THICK 8MM FELT HANDCRAFTED IN A SMALL ATELIER IN BIKANER, RAJASTHAN, NORTHERN INDIA. RAW, UNTREATED HIMALAYAN WOOL IS CARDED INTO FLOCKS, DIVIDED BY THEIR NATURAL COLORS AND MIXED TOGETHER BY THE
ARTISAN TO CREATE THE VEIN PATTERN VISIBLE IN THE FINISHED FELT.
SACK COATS ARE CUT IN FLUFFY, BRUSHED AND WASHED ALPACA OR RWS CERTIFIED BOILED WOOL, WOVEN IN TUSCANY, ITALY. RWS ENSURES A HIGH STANDARD IN ANIMAL WELFARE, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. EACH BALE OF WOOL IS TRACEABLE BACK TO ITS SOURCE.
MÉLANGE WOOLS ARE WOVEN BY A FIFTH-GENERATION MILL SITUATED IN THE BISHŪ REGION OF JAPAN, RENOWNED FOR ITS LONG TRADITION OF TAILORED WOOL, AS WELL AS BY OUR BELOVED BONOTTO, A 4TH GENERATION TEXTILE MILL FOUNDED IN 1912, SITUATED JUST BELOW THE PREALPS IN VENETO, ITALY.
16OZ BLACK DENIM AND HEAVY WEIGHT, INDUSTRIAL INDIGO CANVAS ARE SOURCED IN JAPAN AND WASHED IN OUR ITALIAN WASH HOUSE, BASED IN THE VENETO AREA OF ITALY, THAT PRODUCES IN SMALLER TREATMENT BATHS TO REDUCE WATER WASTE AND UTILIZE A WATER PURIFYING PROCESS THAT ENABLES THEM TO RECYCLE A PORTION OF THE WATER USED. ALL OF OUR DENIM WASHES ARE ZDHC CERTIFIED.
SHEARLINGS AND GOAT HIDES ARE WATER JET CUT INTO NETTING AND LINKED TOGETHER TO CREATE SHAGGY, COLOR PATCHED, FLOWER POWER, LIGHT AND BOUNCY CROPPED FLIGHT JACKETS IN COLLABORATION WITH LONDON DESIGNER @STRAYTUKAY. ALL OUR HIDES ARE FOOD BYPRODUCTS.
HAND-CROCHETED KNITS IN SILK/CASHMERE ARE A COLLAB WITH @SARUTANYA, WHO HAS BEEN MODELLING FOR OUR COLLECTION FITTINGS AND AS PART OF OUR E-COMMERCE FAMILY FOR THE
PAST 10 YEARS.
SILK/CASHMERE YARNS ARE ALSO USED FOR HAND-TUFTED JACKETS IN COLLABORATION WITH PARIS-BASED TEXTILE ARTIST @JTROFIMOVA WHO INTERNED WITH US AT OUR FACTORY IN CONCORDIA, ITALY BEFORE MOVING ON TO DEVELOP HER OWN PRACTICE.
HAND-TIED MACRAME MASKS ARE A COLLAB WITH LONDON BASED DESIGNER @LUCAS____MORETTI.
EACH MASK REQUIRES 3000M OF WAXED CORD AND OVER 30 MEDITATIVE HOURS TO COMPLETE.
HAIR AND MAKEUP IS A COLLAB WITH @FIGA.LINK, A BERLIN-BASED DIGITAL CREATOR WHOSE WORK IS THE REACTIVE PROTEST TO THE CONDITIONS AROUND US I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR.
WE ARE THE GOON SQUAD AND WE’RE COMING TO TOWN BEEP BEEP.
https://www.rickowens.eu/
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