Rick Owens (born 1961, Porterville, California) learned his trade cutting patterns for knock-off houses in Los Angeles, started his own label there in 1994, and moved to Paris in 2003. Working with his wife and creative partner Michèle Lamy, he has built one of fashion’s most devoted cult followings with a style he calls “glunge”: grunge and glamour, draped jersey and razor-sharp leather, in a palette of black, dust and bone. His shows are part fashion, part performance art, from step-dance teams to models carrying other models. Few designers have shown so consistently for so long. This guide covers his defining moments and links to every Rick Owens show we have reviewed.
Rick Owens at a glance
| Born | 18 November 1961, Porterville, California |
| Trained | Otis College of Art and Design (art), then pattern-making at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College |
| Label founded | 1994, Los Angeles |
| Based in | Paris since 2003, with shows at the Palais de Tokyo |
| Partner | Michèle Lamy, married 2006 |
| Lines | Rick Owens, DRKSHDW (denim and casual), Lilies (jersey), furniture |
| Signatures | Black and dust tones, draped jersey, sharp leather jackets, extreme platforms, monumental silhouettes, performance shows |
Timeline: Rick Owens
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Launches his label in Los Angeles |
| 2002 | First runway show, in New York, with support from American Vogue; wins the CFDA’s emerging talent award |
| 2003 | Moves to Paris; also designs fur house Revillon for several years |
| 2006 | Marries Michèle Lamy |
| 2013 | Spring 2014 show with American step-dance teams instead of models |
| 2015 | Spring 2016 “human backpack” show |
| 2017 | Retrospective Subhuman Inhuman Superhuman at the Triennale di Milano |
| 2020s | Collaborations with Moncler, Dr. Martens and Converse; still showing every season in Paris |
Every Rick Owens collection we have reviewed
| Season | Our take | Ayerhs review |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2012 | Sculptural Shapes & Subtle Sensuality | Read |
| Fall 2012 | Caged Mystique | Read |
| Spring 2013 | A Celestial Escape | Read |
| Fall 2013 | Battle-Scarred Grace | Read |
| Spring 2014 | Warrior Women (the step teams) | Read |
| Fall 2014 | Cocooned in Comfort | Read |
| Fall 2015 | Mayan Meets Hollywood | Read |
| Spring 2016 | The Weight of Womanhood (the human backpacks) | Read |
| Fall 2016 | Extinction and Optimism | Read |
| Spring 2017 | Survival and Change | Read |
| Fall 2017 | Improvised Ceremonies | Read |
| Spring 2018 | Refuge and Rebirth | Read |
| Fall 2018 | Rethinking Attraction | Read |
| Spring 2019 | Order and Chaos | Read |
| Fall 2019 | A Rock-and-Roll Homage | Read |
| Spring 2020 | Sculptural and Surreal | Read |
| Fall 2020 | Misfits and Individuality | Read |
| Spring 2022 | Leather, Structure & Dreamscapes | Read |
| Spring 2023 | Rejecting Prettiness | Read |
| Fall 2023 | Avedon’s Vision | Read |
| Spring 2025 | Show report | Read |
| Fall 2025 | Stripped Back but Still Sinister | Read |
| Spring 2026 | Sensuality, architecture and raw drama | Read |
The 4 shows that defined Rick Owens
1. Spring 2014: the step teams
- What happened: Instead of models, American university step-dance teams stomped and chanted down the runway, scowling, in his clothes.
- Why it mattered: It rejected fashion’s narrow idea of beauty and became one of the most talked-about shows of the decade. Read our review.
2. Spring 2016: the human backpacks
- What happened: Models walked carrying other women strapped to them, upside down or on their backs.
- Why it mattered: An image about women supporting women that went around the world. Read our review.
3. Spring 2019: scaffolding and fire
- What happened: A giant scaffold set alight outside the Palais de Tokyo, with towering shoulders and platform boots below.
- Why it mattered: Owens at his most monumental. Read our review.
4. Spring 2025: the mass cast
- What happened: Owens filled the runway with a huge cast, many of them students and fans, alongside his models.
- Why it mattered: A celebration of his community, three decades into his career. Read our show report.
How to spot a Rick Owens: signature codes
| Signature | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Palette | Black, “dust” grey, bone, milk and occasional acid pink |
| Draped jersey | Long, bias-draped tops and dresses that hang off the body |
| Leather jackets | Lean, cropped biker jackets with sharp shoulders |
| Footwear | Huge platform boots, Geobaskets and Ramones sneakers |
| Silhouette | Exaggerated shoulders, long narrow lines, sculptural volume |
| Performance | Shows that use dancers, fire, smoke or unusual casting |
Keep reading on Ayerhs
- Yohji Yamamoto collections – another master of black
- Comme des Garçons collections
- How black became fashion’s ultimate statement
Rick Owens: FAQ
Where does Rick Owens show?
In Paris, usually at the Palais de Tokyo, where he shows women’s and men’s collections each season.
What is Rick Owens DRKSHDW?
His more casual line, built around denim, sweatshirts and sneakers.
What is Rick Owens’s most famous show?
Spring 2014, with American step teams, and Spring 2016, with models carrying other models.
Who is Michèle Lamy?
Owens’s wife and creative partner, who oversees the label’s furniture line and is a cult style figure herself.
Sources: Wikipedia; Triennale di Milano; Dilettante; Ayerhs archive reviews.
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