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Rick Owens

Rick Owens, born Richard Saturnino Owens, is an American fashion designer known for his dark, avant-garde aesthetic and his eponymous luxury fashion label.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Rick Owens, born Richard Saturnino Owens, is an American fashion designer known for his dark, avant-garde aesthetic and his eponymous luxury fashion label. He founded his brand in Los Angeles in 1994 and later built a wider business that includes diffusion lines, furniture, and other product categories. Based in Paris, France, Owens has become a prominent figure in high-end fashion globally.

Early life

Rick Owens was born Richard Saturnino Owens in Porterville, California. He is identified as an American fashion designer, and sources also describe him as having American and Mexican heritage.

Career

Owens founded his label in Los Angeles in 1994. He later moved his work to an international luxury fashion context, with Paris becoming central to his career. He has also built related lines and a broader company structure around the brand.

Design style

Owens is known for a distinctive aesthetic that blends dark tones, minimalism, gothic references, and avant-garde silhouettes. His work has been described as provocative, theatrical, and unconventional within luxury fashion.

Brand and business

The Rick Owens label is presented as a luxury fashion house with multiple diffusion lines and additional categories such as furniture. Reporting describes the business as independent and globally successful.

Key facts

  • Rick Owens is an American fashion designer from Porterville, California.
  • He launched his eponymous fashion label in Los Angeles in 1994.
  • His work is widely associated with dark, minimalist, gothic, and avant-garde design.
  • He has expanded beyond mainline fashion into furniture and multiple diffusion labels.
  • His designs have been worn by public figures including Madonna, Courtney Love, Helena Bonham Carter, and A$AP Rocky.
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Canadian context

Rick Owens has international visibility in luxury fashion, and Canadian readers may encounter his work through global fashion retail, runway coverage, and celebrity styling in Canadian and international media.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Rick Owens?
Rick Owens is an American fashion designer, born Richard Saturnino Owens, and the founder of the Rick Owens fashion label.
How old is Rick Owens?
As of July 23, 2026, Rick Owens is 64 years old; he was born on November 18, 1961.
What is Rick Owens known for?
He is known for avant-garde, dark, minimalist fashion and for building a broader design business that includes furniture and diffusion lines.
Where is Rick Owens from?
He is from Porterville, California, in the United States.
Is Rick Owens a luxury brand?
Yes. The Rick Owens label is widely positioned within high-end fashion and described in reporting as a luxury business.
Who wears Rick Owens?
Public figures reported to wear Rick Owens include Madonna, Courtney Love, Helena Bonham Carter, and A$AP Rocky.

References

  1. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Owens
    Supports: Birth name, birth date, birthplace, nationality, and general career overview.
  2. The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/16/t-magazine/rick-owens.html
    Supports: Career background, business expansion, and design reputation.
  3. ELLEhttps://www.elle.com/fashion/a61764806/rick-owens-profile-2024/
    Supports: Brand founding in Los Angeles in 1994 and Paris-based prominence.
  4. The Business of Fashionhttps://www.businessoffashion.com/people/rick-owens/
    Supports: Independent ownership, revenue scale, diffusion labels, and business structure.
  5. Otis College of Art and Designhttps://www.otis.edu/alumni/featured-alumni/rick-owens.html
    Supports: Design style, wearer examples, and commercial reach.
  6. CNNhttps://www.cnn.com/style/article/rick-owens-paris-fashion-week
    Supports: Aesthetic description, background, and luxury-brand positioning.
  7. Salon 94 Designhttps://salon94design.com/artists/rick-owens/
    Supports: Birth year, birthplace, Paris base, and fashion/furniture design practice.