Rick Owens

“Fashion can be cruel. Style is a gift” – Rick Owens

Rick Saturnino Owens is the founder of the Rick Owens brand. Rick was born in California in 1962. He was educated at the College of Art and Design, but unfortunately, due to financial difficulties, he could not complete his studies.

The designer continued to study the art of sewing at courses in Los Angeles. Rick notes that such an experience has brought him enormous benefits: “I learned to make patterns together with different Korean girls — no glamour

I didn’t grow up in the industry like Marc Jacobs at Halston. After that, I worked for local brands for years, redrawing the things of famous designers.”

The Rick Owens brand launched its activities in 1994. On his way to becoming a fashion designer, Rick boldly embodied his ideas in creations, not caring about public opinion. At the stage of acquaintance with his current partner and companion Michelle Lamy, Rick plunged headlong into subcultures, which contributed to the emergence of “glange” – a combination of glamour and grunge. Rick took the gray, washed-out everyday life and deprived it of marginality, turning it into creations suitable for catwalks, so the glange made the designer a local celebrity.
Disproportionately long sleeves of outerwear, leather, elongated narrow T–shirts and asymmetrical skirts – retailer Charles Galley fell in love with Rick’s creations and bought up the entire collection, thereby providing a help in the development of Rick’s fashion activities.
In the early noughties, the creations of the Rick Owens brand attracted the attention of the American Vogue editors, which contributed to the further sponsorship of the show at New York Fashion Week by editor Anna Wintour. The debut show in New York led Rick to receive an award from the CFDA as one of the best young talents.
The designer does not identify himself with the world of high fashion, claiming that his creations go against generally accepted norms. In his collections, the fashion designer often adheres to deconstructionism and provocation, plays with forms and volume, reflects on the themes of social and cultural attitudes. The brand has collaborated with such partners as Adidas, Hood Rubber, Birkenstock, Dr. Martens, Converse, Veja and Moncler.