Rick Owens

Rick Owens, founded by the designer of the same name in 1994, is renowned for avant-garde fashion merging luxury with grunge and goth influences.

Rick Owens

About Rick Owens

Rick Owens, an American designer born in 1962, founded his eponymous fashion brand in the early 1990s in Los Angeles, quickly becoming known for his unique blend of gothic, grunge, and avant-garde aesthetics. His designs reflect a dark, rebellious vision of fashion, often characterized by oversized silhouettes, deconstructed forms, and a monochromatic palette. Owens’ early collections, rooted in underground and rock culture, gained attention for their raw, dramatic edge and architectural approach to clothing.

Owens’ career took off after a chance endorsement by Vogue’s then-editor Anna Wintour and Kate Moss in the early 2000s, which helped him secure financial backing and the opportunity to relocate his operations to Paris in 2003. From there, Owens steadily grew into a major figure in high fashion, with his signature distressed leathers, asymmetrical cuts, and a subversive yet luxurious aesthetic. His designs often challenge conventional beauty, merging the avant-garde with wearable art.

In 2008, Owens introduced DRKSHDW (pronounced "Dark Shadow"), a diffusion line that offered a more accessible and wearable version of his avant-garde main collection. DRKSHDW was born out of Owens’ desire to blend the conceptual artfulness of his main line with utilitarian streetwear elements. The line focuses on denim, jersey, and everyday staples, all interpreted through Owens' signature dark, minimalist, and often dystopian lens. DRKSHDW retains the designer’s penchant for oversized proportions, muted tones, and innovative construction techniques, but with a more casual, accessible edge.

Both Rick Owens’ main line and DRKSHDW have become highly influential in shaping modern fashion, appealing to a global audience drawn to the intersection of luxury, grunge, and streetwear. Owens' exploration of gender fluidity, body form, and nonconformity has made him a cult figure in the fashion world, revered for his unapologetically bold vision and his ability to transcend traditional fashion boundaries.

Today, Rick Owens is not only a brand but a cultural icon, embodying a rebellious spirit and pushing the limits of what fashion can represent. His designs, whether under his main label or DRKSHDW, are worn by those who appreciate a dark, futuristic, and highly individualistic approach to clothing, securing Owens’ legacy as one of the most forward-thinking designers of his generation.