Champion and Rick Owens join forces once again, following the success of their previous three capsule collections, to carry forward a creative project that has inclusivity and sustainability as its guidelines, since their first collaboration in 2019.
Now in their fourth year, the two brands expand their palette, proposing a new line with the aim of celebrating and commemorating Champion’s heritage of athleticism and sportswear, imbued with Owens ‘ complex aesthetic. With a renewed focus on sustainable design, the collection features a mix of fabrics like soft terry, athletic mesh and crinkled nylon (each constructed from recycled materials) with 100% organic cotton pieces, recycled material hang-tags and biodegradable garment bags.
“Doing collabs like this helps me, a 20-year-old label, and established brand like 104-year-old Champion explore new ways to produce responsibly together. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but collabs like ours can help us both progress. Our Champion collab is produced 20 kilometers from our factory in Italy, and the fabrics are GOTS certified or recycled, charting a healthy direction for both of us.” Explained the designer.
Capsule collections, past and present, have proven to value the integrity of both brands, featuring recurring characteristics year after year, such as the oversized, draped shapes you’d expect from Rick Owens married to the thick jersey, one of Champion’s signature fabrics.
A common thread at the heart of their partnership is the Champions logo hybridized and “contaminated” by that of Rick Owens, an emblem that is always present in the 2023 collection.
“With our collaboration, I have taken their logo that inspired mine so long ago and rendered it in a luxurious 3D embroidery which we have sprinkled liberally over a range including sheer T-shirts, sweats, distorted hoodies, underwear, and windbreakers. The pentagram I have added to it represents a vote against moralistic bigotry and intolerance, which has always been at the top of my agenda.”
“When I started my label in the nineties, I hand drew my logo as a cross between the Champion logo and a Jean Patou perfume label. They both had a similar vintage calligraphic flair.” Said Owens, speaking of the inspiration behind the collection. “I wasn’t conscious of it then, but I see now how that balance has defined my ongoing aesthetic.”
The line includes several items from mesh tees and vests to shorts and lightweight outerwear, all complete with the Rick Owens x Champion logo and in a monochromatic color palette of neutrals, interspersed with deep red hues. Available from May 26, the Champion x Rick Owens collection will be released for purchase in Rick Owens stores and online.
