Rick Owens knows he has a reputation. It’s hard to earn the nickname “The Dark Lord of Fashion” without knowing it. His eponymous label’s signature aesthetic—dark and layered, punctuated by elements like gargoyle-ish pointed shoulders, high heels for men and women, and boldly colored shocks—has won him a loyal following around the world. But, Owens says, “Rick Owens’ world could seem too extreme, or too taboo. I didn’t want that to happen.” In fact, if you ask him what he wants to develop in his work, he will tell you that it is “inclusion”. He may seem like a dark lord, but he’s kinder and more open than you’d expect.
I want to be the person who says “we have other options” referring to the main beauty of modern fashion. “I feel it’s more spacious and generous.” It’s all about bringing people into the fold, and as part of that project, over the past few years, Owens has partnered with major brands like Adidas, Veja, Converse, Birkenstock, and Dr. Martens.
I’ve caught the Paris-based designer zooming in on the latter’s latest releases, including the 1918 calf-high boot as well as a riff on the 8-eyelet 1460 boot, complete with Owens’ pentagram-shaped boot. . We actually talked about that project, but it quickly turned into a conversation about how Owens views the community and what he wants to bring to it. Read on for a glimpse into the world of Rick Owens, courtesy of the man himself.
A 1460 boot worn by performance artist (and personal friend of Owens) Ron Ate.
On cooperation
After years of being an independent, expressive designer, I felt like breaking out of my little bubble. At worst, these kinds of collaborations can be hype machines, but at best they can be something that actually makes sense. I thought Doc Martens made sense for my personal interests and my personal story. The word “cooperation” is only a positive word, which I think I am interested in supporting now, but in the past it meant something else.
And the other part is communication and being friends and I approve of reaching out. So that’s been a way for me to reach out and also be a little bit more involved in the world around me. It allows me to promote my agenda, but it also allows people to enter. But before I seem a little distant and awkward, I might as well use it as an invitation.
A model walks the runway at the Owens Spring/Summer 2023 menswear show in Paris.
On “The beauty of the airport”.
I am lucky now that I have a platform to promote personal agendas. And those agendas of promoting compassion and beauty are optional, because in the world of beauty, our modern beauty rules can be too narrow. And if I can be someone who can propose and offer other options that might be aesthetic or aesthetic cliches, that’s my favorite role to have in the world.
There’s a saying I started with: “The beauty of the airport.” Because when you walk through an airport, you’re forced to wade through all these perfume ads and beauty ads and luxury ads. Desires for sex, desires for luxury, desires for status – all of that drives me crazy. He’s just too arrogant. Bigotry is about having narrow rules that are supposed to be the only valid rules. That’s my interpretation.
And Literally enforcement I mean, we’re forced to walk through those commercials. And maybe I’m the one who’s jealous that it’s not my company… I’d probably be happier getting my perfume from one of these airport shops. I don’t know yet, I’m not sure. I don’t understand that. Because yes, coming from me… what do you call it? Sour wine. And I got that. But I think my feelings are genuine and sincere.
Owens on the runway at Paris Fashion Week, September 29, 2022.
On consistency
What I do, or try and do, is promote a set of values that are more unchanging, unchanging, and steadfast. I am proud of that. I love that I’m someone in the fashion world who doesn’t flip everything on every collection or fill every collection with so many ideas.
‘Impossible’ in his name
I have always wanted to promote inclusion. But I started creating this thing that people don’t understand. The world of Rick Owens can seem extreme or even taboo. I didn’t want that to happen. And then when I look online, there are gatekeepers who say, “You’re too weird to wear Rick Owens.” And it’s not me, it’s the gatekeepers. And so it’s funny how something that wants to be about inclusion has ended up being about exclusion, and has that element. So it’s a tricky thing. I mean, it looks like I’m uncomfortable, but I’m not.
by Dr. Martens
Doc Martins is so much more of my young-adult days in Hollywood, Los Angeles, going to punk shows. So that’s what I want. When they present things to me, that’s what Doc Marten represents to me. It represents my youth, and what I wanted to be at the time, and what I thought I could be. There’s a very personal nostalgic connection with me and that’s what made me do it.
Ron Ate in 18-eyelet 1918 boot.
At the speed of fashion
American Vogue I was approached to do my first runway show in New York because they wanted to promote American designers. And it was hard to make a decision because I thought my aesthetic was so limited and quiet that it would be difficult for me to continue doing runway shows. And once you walk into one runway show, you have to wear them for the rest of your life. You just have to do it, or you have to stop.
So it was hard to make a decision because I thought, “I’m happy with what I’m doing. And it’s a quiet thing.” For years I used to sell clothes to stores before America. Vogue He found me. I would take my clothes to the back office of the boutique, or make an appointment and do sales, and that’s how I do it. But when they offered that to me, I thought, “How can you say no to that? And I’m 40, hey, I’ll try.” So I did.
And I stumbled twice because I thought I had to change quickly to refresh myself; I thought the glitter of a runway show would burn my little beauty really, really fast. But then I learned how to pace myself. I learned how to see and change subtle things somewhere along the line so that I can move at a pace that suits my world and be inspired and progressed. And it’s one of the things I’m most proud of. At some point, everyone in the fashion world decided to put up with my speed.
Another look from Owens’ Spring/Summer 2023 menswear show.
Flipping Rick Owens’ perspective
I think there’s probably a certain look that we’ve all established in my group for a long time. And then when I see someone on my team break that, that’s where it’s always fun, because in my world it’s so easy to fall into the Rick Owens uniform. And then when people in my group break out of that and twist it, that’s always fun.
And it’s just fun because I know what it took for them to do it. When someone is on the road, I don’t understand what their beauty journey is. They are completely made for me. I’ve seen the story and it’s great, whatever it is. I’m happy to see you respond to anything I put out there.
Jonathan Evans is Esquire’s style director, covering all things fashion, jewelry, accessories, and even sneakers. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @MrJonathanEvans.
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