Rick Owens

Early life and education

Owens was raised in Porterville, California. His parents are John (d. 2015) and Concepción "Connie" Owens. Connie is Mexican. Owens was raised in a conservative, Catholic household. Upon reaching adulthood and graduating high school, he moved to Los Angeles. Owens studied fashion design at Otis College of Art and Design, in Los Angeles, for two years before dropping out and taking pattern-making and draping courses at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, leading to work in the garment industry doing knock-offs of designer clothing. During this time, Owens wore a daily uniform consisting of 'tight black jeans, black platforms, a black T-shirt and a leather jacket'.

Career

Owens launched his eponymous line in 1994, operating out of a raw storefront off Hollywood Boulevard. Early enthusiasts to bring international attention to Owens' 'glunge' aesthetic (glamour meets grunge) include stylists Arianne Phillips and Panos Yiapanis, Vogue editor André Leon Talley, and photographer Corinne Day— who shot Kate Moss for Carine Roitfeld's Vogue Paris in his clothing.

He moved to Paris in 2003, setting up his home and atelier inside a historic five-storey building that previously served as offices for former French President François Mitterrand. His runway collections have been mounted in Paris since then.

In July of 2005, Owens introduced a furniture collection. Using raw plywood, marble, and moose antlers, the collection is inspired by his favorite shapes from Eileen Gray to Brâncuși to California skate parks. The furniture collection has since been shown at the Musée d’Art modern in Paris and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

In 2013 'the godfather of brutal chic' exhibited his 'Prehistoric' collection at Carpenters Workshop Gallery in London. Owens' design colour palette in this seven piece collection stretches from white to black, stopping nowhere in between. "The show is entitled 'Prehistoric' – a name that reflects its inspiration, the origins of humanity, it recalls a mysterious ancient civilisation. Its aura is one of spiritual ritual, archaic ceremony and supreme power”.

Details commented, "With "Prehistoric," Owens examines the enduring nature of furniture as opposed to clothing. Unlike fashion, great product design is not subject to a rapidly moving, season-based calendar. Rather, it provides an enduring visual anchor for domestic spaces".

"Inspired by his wife and muse Michele Lamy, Owens gives a new meaning to the idea of functionality through a monumental minimalism embodied into unique pieces which show the glorious decay of time passing. The apparent simplicity of each designs hides an inherent complexity arising from the selection of rare and arduous working materials."

"Owens’ furniture speaks a language of juxtapositions. As he makes decisions about materials and form, he works to achieve a balance between ideas that originate from opposite ends of the scale. 'It’s really about juxtaposition and contrast. Many of the pieces use everyday material such as plywood, next to rare and luxurious products like alabaster', - says Owens. He highlights that this concept can be applied to society. 'It’s like the world around us, it’s a mix of high and low. If you have too much of one or the other it can be nauseous, but to appreciate one you need the other. It’s all about balance.'”

The Washington Divas, Soul Steppers, and Momentums step teams model his clothes using 'grit face' expressions.

In April 2017, Owens announced the launch of his second book, “Rick Owens: Furniture.” The book, published by Rizzoli New York, shows the creative process behind his furniture collections.