Rick Owens Takes Over Selfridges with a Giant Statue of Himself

Rick Owens doesn’t do anything by dribs and drabs. So his Selfridges takeover isn’t schlocky window dressing, but a storewide installation anchored by a massive, imposing monument to himself — a 25-foot, 1.5-ton sculpture of his toned torso. Created by artist and house collaborator Doug Jennings, the fiberglass statue — which took 20 members of Hot House construction crew 12 weeks to build — holds up a torch that will glow 12 hours a day and burst with flame each quarter hour. A takeover celebrating 20 years since his first collection demands nothing less than Selfridges’ most exhaustive designer focus to date.

Additionally, Owens has created a series of conceptual exhibits in four key windows. Three of the four windows are inspired by Owens’ favorite opera, Salomé, with music by Richard Strauss and words by Oscar Wilde. “[Salomé] is a ridiculously lurid biblical story about obsession with beautiful purity and the drive to destroy it,” says Owens. “Depravity and elegance is one of my favorite combos.” The fourth window features an ‘impossible’ staircase made of black wood appearing to descend to Selfridges’ Concept Store, where an immersive curation of items — furniture, tableware, books, albums (Jayne County’s autobiography!) — shed light on Owens’ creative universe.

Finally, Owens has designed a limited-edition, 20-piece collection under his DRKSHDW label. The collection includes trans-seasonal, mostly unisex styles emblematic of his aesthetic, including the crinkled leather jacket, tunics, and do-rags. The collection will be available in various Selfridges locations.

Leave a comment