Angela Merkel's Under Fashion Attack: Model Goes Rogue on Rick Owens’ Runway
A model stages a personal protest at Rick Owens’ menswear show in Paris. Photo: @lofficielazerbaijan/Instagram
Runway shows are pretty much the most sacred of all ceremonies in fashion. Editors, buyers, and assorted personalities, dress to the nines, sit down on their pews, uncross their legs, and patiently wait to find salvation in the clothes that will parade in front of them.
Which is why it’s so fabulous when something goes awry.
Despite the industry’s seriousness, disruptions are a welcome surprise. They send a jolt of energy through the crowd—their days have probably started blending together—and of course, create a bounty for social media. During the women’s collection, we had Zoolander at Valentino. On Thursday morning, in Paris, a model who goes by the name Jera (ooh, how mysterious!) unfurled a tiny piece of fabric as he reached the end of the runway at Rick Owens. Printed on it were the words PLEASE KILL ANGELA MERKEL NOT.
What?
The only thing better than a weirdo kid taking his chance “at the big time” to make a statement that no one can understand is the consequential wrath of the designer. Rick Owens gave WWD possibly the best quote a designer has ever given the publication: “It’s a crazy, rogue, f***ing model that I punched when he came back out.” Could you just imagine? The young model – ‘cause let’s face it, he’s probably like, 17 TOPS! – gets backstage after his little protest (because he really didn’t think this through) and then BOOM! Rick Owens just suckerpunches him in the face.
Personally, no, I do not imagine that that actually happened, but Owens’ must've sensed my skepticism, and reiterated to WWD, “Please say that I punched him.”
The icing on the cake came from a press release from Owens’ company requesting all media to “omit or blur this image in the press.” Ha ha ha, why would we do that? This is the kind of stuff we live for! Go on with your weirdo self, Jera, I’m sure you will not regret this at all in the future.
More from Yahoo Style:
Tit For Nut: Rick Owens Embraces the Male Form
Foil-Faced Models Walk the Runway at Rick Owens
Zoolander Hits Paris Fashion Week: Ben Stiller & Owen Wilson Close Valentino in Character
