Thursday climaxed with two defiles by master showmen – Rick Owens and Daniel Roseberry at Schiaparelli, one outside under a threatening sky, the other in a dark nightclub setting.
 

Rick Owens

Were these the costumes for a work of performance art at Burning Man, or an actual collection destined to be worn in real life?
 
More probably the former, so theatrical the clothes, so defiant the proportions. Clothes built to gain notice from a distance, like a character on a set.

Once again, the great Rick Owens staged his fashion show in the esplanade of the Palais de Tokyo. His remarkable savage cast of characters marching in front of the giant 1930 murals of sea gods and nymphs. Full marks to casting agent Angus Munro for the beautiful proud troupe of non-professional models, including the tallest woman ever seen on a fashion runway. 
 
After a day of heavy rain, the weather gods began to shine even as the audience sat in chilly silence. Owens, famed for inventing gothic minimalism, has grown into an expressionist in middle age. His all-black opening featuring a score of ladies in black shoulder tunics; giant tulle capes and cloaks and dozens of zips, grommets and fetish rings. Women anchored by huge Perspex heel boots, wrapped in matching fabrics. Morphing into punk survival chic with scrunched up leather shirts and bras; worn by gals with shaven heads topped with mesh halos.

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Most models wore matching battered leather gauntlets – in gold or black. Even if Rick broke up the mono-color with blotchy animal prints capes and gowns, before reverting to more funeral black.
 
If looked like the cast were members of a penitential pilgrimage so somber were the clothes and mood. It all made for a great dramatic show performed by a cast Rick called “An Army of Love.” Backed up by a bold soundtrack, Tristan and Isolde by Wagner blaring out from huge speakers. While a half dozen priestly figures in black robes, attached at the back to the walls of the Palais, stood on its roof dropping white rose petals down onto the scene during the show.
 
However, the collection itself looked too familiar. As a designer, though not a showman, Owens seems caught in a circle, repeating himself even as he has become a champion impresario.
 
 

Schiaparelli: Future vintage

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Schiaparelli’s designer Daniel Roseberry called this collection Future Vintage, but it looked pretty darned good for today as well.
 
His key component was Elsa Schiaparelli’s favorite material jersey, which Daniel employed in a far more bodycon silhouette that was previously seen in his designs for the house. No bad thing either.
 
A show which opened with excellent cotton piqué body suits cut into sexy bodice-centered cocktails. Before Kendall Jenner appeared in a bodysuit white tank worn over uber bumster denim jeans, E and S embroidered on the back pockets. Steamy.
 
Daniel’s cinched shirt dresses were pretty sensational, as were his sculpted denim cocktails built with bodices. Everything finished gutsily with signature nipple earrings, or versions in tooth or pearl; gold brass anatomical cuffs; fetish rings; safety pins; or heeled sandals with gold measuring tape. Plus, the triangular prism bags looked great – completed with signature padlocks or bijoux buttons.
 
One of Roseberry’s greatest achievements is that Schiaparelli has built a great accessories business with an instantly recognizable DNA and style. Not many couturiers can claim that.
 
 

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In Elsa’s much-loved knitwear, he dreamed up a great red ribbed jumper and matching pencil skirt finished with anatomical charms; or remarkable viscose cocktails in turquoise or canary yellow finished with hand-appliqued tonal leather stripes. 
 
In a word, highly inventive fashion by a designer who keeps breaking new ground. A quiet revolutionary fully in control of his atelier. Able to suddenly switch gears and stun with some perfectly draped mesh jersey dress that the models took enormous pride in wearing.
 
Staged inside a show space in Place Vendome before barely 300 people, this was a great show. Outside, almost six times that number cheered in the guests, sensing, quite rightly, that under Daniel Roseberry Schiaparelli continues to make fashion history.