Olympic excellence has – understandably – been something of a theme at the menswear fashion shows in Paris this week. The latest to platform the impressive power of athletes was Rick Owens. For his spring/summer 2025 show in the grounds of the Palais de Tokyo on Thursday, he included what he called a “gymnast bouquet” – a steel structure featuring three gymnasts holding poses, carried by nine young men in shorts and vests.
Owens is a designer more usually associated with a gothy, dark aesthetic than the world of sports so this was a different take on what might be seen at the opening ceremony in a few weeks’ time. But the show also had a heartwarming story. Rather than professionals, the models here were largely students and staff from fashion colleges across Paris.
