The Uncensored Truth Behind The Rick Owens Horse Video: RO HF, Simulated Sex, And The Art Of Provocation

The "Rick Owens Horse Video" is not a clip from a runway show, but a highly controversial, explicit short film titled *RO HF* (Rick Owens' Horse Fuck), released in 2015. This black-and-white, deliberately disturbing piece of performance art cemented the designer's reputation as the undisputed master of fashion provocation, pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable in a brand's promotional content. The film, which was part of the launch for the Spring/Summer 2015 collection, became instantly infamous for its fragmented, nightmarish imagery, including scenes that allude to bestiality and violence, leaving viewers shocked and the fashion world debating the line between art and obscenity. The video remains a pivotal moment in the history of Rick Owens's brand, a testament to his willingness to use extreme visuals to communicate his raw, primal aesthetic, far surpassing the shock value of his runway controversies. As of December 22, 2025, the film is still discussed in hushed tones, often sought out by those trying to understand the full scope of Owens's artistic vision, which frequently challenges societal norms and the sanitized nature of luxury fashion.

The Architect of Darkness: Rick Owens Biography and Profile

Rick Owens, often referred to as the "Lord of Darkness," is one of the most influential and polarizing figures in contemporary fashion. His signature aesthetic—a blend of grunge, gothic decay, and minimalist draping—has cultivated a cult following known as the Owenscorp community.

• Full Name: Richard Saturnino Owens
• Born: November 18, 1962, in Porterville, California, USA
• Nationality: American
• Spouse/Muse: Michèle Lamy (married since 2003)
• Brand Founded: 1994 (Officially launched in 2001)
• Headquarters: Paris, France (Lives and works in a five-story home/studio)
• Signature Style: Asymmetrical cuts, drop-crotch trousers, distressed leather, elongated silhouettes, monochromatic color palettes (black, grey, white).
• Key Collections/Events: The controversial Spring/Summer 2016 Menswear show (The 'Jera Diarc' incident), Fall/Winter 2014 show (The 'Doo-Wop' performance with male nudity), and the Spring/Summer 2014 show (The 'Step Team' performance with diverse, powerful dancers).
• Design Philosophy: A fusion of brutalism and elegance, focused on "glamour meets grunge." He often cites themes of mortality, rejection of superficiality, and challenging conventional beauty.

Unpacking the Shock: What Exactly is the RO HF Short Film?

The "Rick Owens horse video" is the colloquial name for the short film *RO HF*, which stands for Rick Owens' Horse Fuck. Released in 2015 to accompany the launch of his Spring/Summer 2015 collection, the film was a deliberate, explosive piece of shock art designed to provoke a visceral reaction. The film was directed by renowned photographer and filmmaker Danielle Levitt, with a haunting soundtrack provided by the artist Bames. Levitt is known for her raw, documentary-style work, making her a fitting collaborator for Owens's uncompromising vision. The short film is a fragmented, black-and-white nightmare sequence, devoid of a clear narrative, but rich in unsettling and symbolic imagery.

The Explicit Content and Symbolism

The core reason for the video's notoriety lies in its graphic, albeit simulated, content. The film features a series of jarring cuts that include:

• The Designer: Rick Owens himself, dancing erratically and wildly, often in a state of undress.
• The Horse: A beautiful, yet imposing, horse, which is the central figure of the controversy.
• Simulated Bestiality: The video contains scenes that strongly allude to, or simulate, a sexual act between a person and the horse. This is the element that catapulted the film into a global debate on artistic freedom and obscenity.
• Other Disturbing Imagery: The film also incorporates other unsettling elements, such as a chainsaw, adding to the atmosphere of primal chaos and violence.

For Owens, the use of such extreme imagery is not gratuitous, but a philosophical statement. The horse, in his view, is a powerful symbol of untamed, arrogant, and stubborn nature—a reflection of the designer's own wild spirit and resistance to the constraints of the fashion industry. By juxtaposing the elegance of the horse with the brutality of the implied act, Owens forces the viewer to confront their own taboos and the inherent tension between civilization and primal instinct. It is an exploration of the raw, messy, and often uncomfortable aspects of human desire and power, which Owens believes are crucial to his aesthetic.

The Broader Context: Owens and the Art of Controversy

The *RO HF* short film is not an isolated incident but part of a long lineage of boundary-pushing art from the designer. Rick Owens views his collections and their presentations—whether on the runway or in film—as a form of performance art designed to generate "moral value, entertainment, and economic contribution."

Beyond the Horse: Other Shock Moments

To understand the *RO HF* video, one must consider it alongside Owens's other infamous moments: * The 'Doo-Wop' Show (FW14 Menswear): This show featured models wearing tunics with strategically placed cut-outs that exposed the models' penises. The act was a statement on male vulnerability and challenging hyper-masculinity in fashion. * The Human Backpacks (SS16 Womenswear): Models were strapped to one another, acting as "human backpacks" in a stunning display of physical power and interdependence, symbolizing a 'sisterly support system' and the weight of responsibility. * The Jera Diarc Banner (SS16 Menswear): During the finale of the Spring/Summer 2016 Menswear show, a model named Jera Diarc unexpectedly held up a hand-written banner that read "Please Kill Angela Merkel—Not." Owens was reportedly so furious at the unauthorized political stunt that he punched the model backstage, a reaction that itself became a major news story.

The Designer's Intent and Legacy

The common thread through all these events, including the *RO HF* video, is Owens's commitment to challenging the status quo. He often uses his platform to explore themes that are dark, uncomfortable, or considered taboo, such as sex, death, and political extremism. The horse video is arguably the most extreme example of this philosophy in a filmed format. The legacy of the *RO HF* film is that it permanently redefined the limits of fashion advertising. It moved the conversation away from merely selling clothes to using the brand as a vehicle for profound, often unsettling, artistic expression. For fans of the brand, the video is a dark, beautiful, and essential piece of Rick Owens's oeuvre, a raw manifestation of the "glamour meets grunge" aesthetic that has made him a legend. It is a reminder that in the world of Rick Owens, the line between high art and high shock is intentionally blurred, and the pursuit of a pure, untamed aesthetic will always override commercial comfort.

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