Rick Owens
About
Rick Owens, is an American fashion designer known for his edgy fashions favored by rock stars and people who like to cultivate an avant garde reputation. Since 2003, he has worked out of Paris where in addition to his own line, he serves as creative director for Revillon, the furrier.
Rick Owens was born in California in 1962. Owens studied at Parsons in New York for two years before a pattern-making class led him to drop out and work for some local companies that produced sportswear and inexpensive imitations of designer clothing.
Initially he worked as a cutter is a shop that made fast copies of successful garments.
He started making garments under his own name in 1994 in Los Angeles.
His long-time lover and muse is Michelle Lamy, owner of Hollywood's hotspot Les Deux Cafes.
Although he has been in the fashion world for nearly 20 years, Rick only came to everyone's notice when he was awarded the CFDA New Talent award at the 40th Awards Night in June 2002.
The designer has now moved to Paris from Los Angeles, and also designs for Revillon furs.
The Look
Glamour-meets-grunge. Asymmetrical dresses, fitted jackets and soft, slouchy knits are the hallmarks, though recent collections have been a little more structured—but never conceptual. “People just aren't going to come to me for a trend. People come to me for things that are a little poignant, a little broken,” Owens admits. For the most part, the clothes are functional, too, with the line featuring a lot of wearable separates for non-model bodies. His look has been described as "glamour-meets-grunge", but Owens himself says it's "about an appreciation of teenage angst without actually having the angst".
Who Wears It
Courtney Love, Madonna, Helena Bonham Carter