RITA ROW SS25: Decadence and rebirth, notes from a wounded garden

For its SS25 collection entitled Viridian, the Spanish brand Rita Row echoes the processes of disintegration and creation in nature that are deeply connected to our human experiences.

Instead of turning our gaze away from the phenomena of decay and the continuous metamorphosis of existence, these concepts strive to highlight the indistinctness and perpetual transformation that all beings on Earth undergo, capturing the beauty and fascination of decadence.

Decadence is a way in which human beings interpret their relationship to the passage of time. Its origin comes from the Latin word decadere, meaning to fall. When something is described as decadent, a whole constellation of concepts seems to follow: exhaustion, decline, failure, wear and tear.

According to the biblical narrative, human mortality begins with the Fall, original sin: eating a rotten and perishable fruit. For once, this human perception of time resonates with biological time. Everything that is born is inevitably linked to its decomposition. What is natural decomposes and returns to its origin, but cyclical decline also awaits what is manufactured.

To honor this collection, Rita Row gave author Sandra Ramos free rein to write an essay illustrating their inspiration, which you can discover HERE on their website.