As his army of models stormed the runway at the finale in sheer tank tops (some one-shoulder), with a nimbus of smoke exploding through the darkened room, Rick Owens’ vision was never stronger, or his confidence more defiant.

The fast-paced show did not actually break new ground. It further explored, in a more aggressive vein, themes the designer has recently been working on: the peaked shoulders, dark leather jackets, stark black and white palette, and hefty gaiter boots. Even the tribal bangles looked like leftovers from his women’s show last March. These accessories were part of an androgynous undercurrent that produced shorts-cum- skirts and an Op Art-printed, Vasarely-like slim coat.

The crowd-pleasing, quintessentially Owens collection proved that despite the plethora of designers currently plundering his aesthetic, he’s still the real thing.