Photo Credits: “Rick Owens” by Asha Mines is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/?ref=openverse.
Rick Owens and http://www.RickOwens.eu, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Early Life
Rick Owens, known for his iconic and persistent use of the color black, his fashion empire is highly influential among teens today as his work has been seen on countless celebrities. Born and raised in Porterville, California, Rick was a highly rebellious teen in a conservative Catholic household. By high school, he had defied rules and picked up rock music and smoking, along with this he often liked to wear black (“The History of Rick Owens”). He explains that he often wore the color black as a means to hide insecurities and present a threatening appearance (“Master of Disaster”). Though his creativity had been suppressed due to his conservative upbringing, Rick decided to study fine arts at the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. Later, he pursued a different path as he enrolled in the Los Angeles Trade Technical College and studied pattern cutting (“The History of Rick Owens”).
Career
After two years of learning pattern cutting, Rick found work in cutting patterns for a company making fake designer clothing. In 1988, Rick Owens’ boyfriend at the time helped him land a job with a legitimate clothing brand owned by Michele Lamy. They later leave both their partners as they realized they were “destined” to be together. However, as Rick was working for Michele he was also refining his skills of design on the side which helped him figure out his design language. In 1994, Rick was ready to launch his clothing line and after failing to get his work at Maxfield, he later got the chance to do so. This helped expose him to a lot of people in the fashion industry. In 2001, Kate Moss was pictured wearing his leather jacket which caught the eye of Anna Wintour (one of the most powerful people in fashion), who later sponsored his first ever runway show and the rest is history.
Today
Rick Owens’ work now lies in the hall of fame as his name and brand lies amongst the most popular and well known names in the fashion industry. His avant-garde style and usage of eccentric designs pushes the boundaries of fashion as we know it. Constantly being featured in the likes of prominent contemporary artists and models, he has paved the way for many clothing brands inspired by his unique style.
Works Cited
Rabkin, Eugene. “HAARETZ NEWSPAPER – FEBRUARY 2009 – MASTER OF DISASTER – BY EUGENE RABKIN.” Rick Owens, February 2009, https://www.rickowens.eu/en/US/interviews/haaretz-newspaper-february-2009-master-of-disaster-by-eugene-rabkin. Accessed 26 March 2024.
Threaducation, director. The History of Rick Owens. 2021. Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9kgdt0t8qs.
