Rick Owens Care Guide: Leather, Cotton, and Drape Fabrics
You finally pulled the trigger on the jacket. It might have been a leather biker you spent months saving for, a heavy cotton hoodie you scored during a Rick Owens sale, or a draped tunic pricier than a month’s rent. In any case, you now own a piece that gives back when you understand it and suffers when you ignore it. Rick Owens garments aren’t fragile in the fussy way, but they use materials that behave distinctively, and treating them as ordinary clothing is exactly how people wreck pricey things. Happily, looking after them is mostly a matter of restraint and a few easy habits. This guide walks through the three fabric families you are most likely to own. Master these basics and your pieces will survive longer than almost everything else you own.
Leather: The Investment That Asks the Least of You
Leather intimidates people, yet a Rick Owens leather jacket is genuinely one of the simplest things in your closet to look after. Rick Owens tends toward lamb and calf nappa, at times washed or blistered for the lived-in effect, and such hides want minimal interference. Never machine wash leather and never dry clean it on a whim; a true leather specialist, not a corner dry cleaner, is the only person who should ever treat a stain. Wipe surface dust with a slightly damp cloth and let it air dry away from radiators, since direct heat cracks the grain permanently. Treat the leather once or twice annually with a neutral, brand-safe balm, spread thinly and buffed away after twenty minutes. Store the jacket on a wide wooden or padded hanger so the shoulders keep their shape, never on a thin wire one. Treated this way, a $4,000 leather jacket easily lasts fifteen rick owens fashion pieces to twenty years and only looks better as it patinas.
Coping with Rain and Scuffs
Though water is leather’s silent enemy, it stays manageable when you act sensibly. Should you get caught in the rain, don’t panic and don’t blast the jacket with a hairdryer; simply hang it at room temperature and let it dry gradually over a day or two. After it dries, a thin application of conditioner brings back the oils the water removed and keeps it from stiffening. Light scuffs on washed nappa usually disappear with no more than a fingertip and your hand’s natural warmth. Deeper scratches can sometimes be massaged less visible, though Rick Owens leather is meant to show character, so resist the urge to chase perfection. Salt marks from winter streets ought to be wiped off quickly with a barely damp cloth before they set in. The whole philosophy here is gentle and slow, which suits the lived-in aesthetic the brand celebrates anyway.
Cotton: Hoodies, Tees, and the DRKSHDW Workhorses
The cotton pieces, especially anything from DRKSHDW, are where most owners do the most damage through simple overconfidence. The heavyweight jersey Rick Owens hoodie seems indestructible, but hot water and rough drying shrink it, wash out the dye, and ruin the meticulously engineered drape. Always wash cotton garments inside out in cold water, ideally around 30 degrees Celsius, on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent. Leave out the fabric softener completely, since it coats the fibers and dulls the matte texture that gives these pieces their character. Never use the tumble dryer; hang the garment to air dry, safeguarding both the color and the elongated proportions the design relies on. Washing less frequently than you assume is necessary is honestly better, because over-washing is the quickest path to a worn-out hoodie. Observe these rules and a $600 hoodie holds its premium appearance for years rather than mere months.
| Fabric | Wash Method | Drying | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leather (nappa) | Spot clean only / specialist | Air dry, no heat | Condition 1–2x per year |
| Cotton jersey | Cold, inside out, gentle | Hang air dry | Every 4–6 wears |
| Drape / viscose blends | Hand wash or dry clean | Flat dry, reshape | As needed only |
| Waxed denim | Cold, rarely, inside out | Hang air dry | Every 8–10 wears |
Drape Fabrics: Where Patience Is Rewarded
Because the fabric content varies and the cut is the entire point, the draped pieces, those flowing tunics, asymmetric skirts, and pooled-hem tops, are the trickiest of the three. A great many drape pieces are made from viscose, rayon, cupro, or silk blends that go shapeless under rough handling, so always check the care label first. When in doubt, hand wash in cold water with a tiny amount of delicate detergent, swishing gently rather than wringing or twisting. Remove the water by laying the piece flat between two towels, then dry it flat and reshape it with your hands while damp. Hanging up a heavy, wet drape piece stretches it unevenly and may permanently warp that carefully considered silhouette. For anything you are nervous about, a reputable dry cleaner experienced with designer garments is money well spent. You paid for the drape, so safeguarding it is the entire task.
Everyday Habits and How You Store Things
How you store these clothes between wears matters almost as much as how you clean them. Leave your pieces some breathing space in the closet, since packing them tightly creases the drape and flattens the structured shoulders on jackets. Reach for padded or wide wooden hangers for outerwear, and fold heavy knits and hoodies instead of hanging them up, as hanging gradually stretches the neckline. Keep it all clear of direct sun, which fades the signature blacks and dusts into uneven grays faster than you’d think. Use a breathable cotton garment bag to guard leather and drape pieces from dust while avoiding the moisture plastic traps. When storing for the season, clean the garments first, since body oils and unseen stains draw moths and set permanently over the months. These minor habits cost you nothing yet add years to genuinely pricey clothing.
Common Mistakes That Ruin Good Pieces
Most damage to Rick Owens garments comes from a short list of avoidable errors, and knowing them in advance saves a lot of heartache. The number one offender is tossing a heavyweight hoodie into a hot wash with everything else, which shrinks the cotton and bleeds the careful dye in a single cycle. Close behind is hanging knits and jersey on narrow hangers, stretching the shoulders into permanent bumps that no wash can fix. Many folks like to “freshen up” leather using household wipes or alcohol-based cleaners, which remove the natural oils and turn the hide dry and cracked inside months. Ironing drape fabrics on high heat is another classic disaster, flattening texture and sometimes scorching delicate viscose blends beyond repair. Stowing seemingly clean yet unwashed garments through a season hands moths a meal of invisible body oils. Finally, chasing every tiny scuff or fade defeats the point of a brand that celebrates a worn, lived-in patina. Avoid these six habits and you have already done eighty percent of the work.
When to Bring in a Professional
Part of caring for luxury garments well is knowing your limits. Any structural repair, a torn lining, a failing zipper, a split seam on a leather jacket, belongs with a specialist rather than a sewing kit and good intentions. Rick Owens retailers and the brand’s own service channels can frequently guide you on repairs, and the official site at rickowens.eu is the proper starting point for questions about a particular garment. When it comes to deep stains on leather or drape fabrics, skip the home remedies you find online and turn to a cleaner who specifically handles designer pieces. The price of a professional clean is negligible next to replacing a four-figure garment you ruined trying to save twenty dollars. Industry guides at outlets like Highsnobiety frequently cover designer garment care if you want to read further. By 2026, with the brand’s resale values remaining robust, well-maintained pieces are genuinely worth more too if you ever decide to sell. Treat the clothes as the long-term objects they are, and they will reward you for it.