Rick Owens Care Guide: Leather, Cotton, and Drape Fabrics
Whether it was a hard-saved leather biker, a heavyweight cotton hoodie grabbed during a Rick Owens sale, or a draped tunic dearer than your rent. Either way, you finally bought the jacket. In any case, you now own a piece that gives back when you understand it and suffers when you ignore it. Rick Owens pieces are not delicate in the fussy sense, but they are made from materials that behave in specific ways, and treating them like ordinary clothing is how people ruin expensive things. The good news is that proper care is mostly about restraint and a few simple 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
A Rick Owens leather jacket is honestly one of the easiest things in your closet to maintain, even though leather scares people. The label favors lamb and calf nappa, now and then washed or blistered for that broken-in look, and these leathers are happiest left mostly undisturbed. Never put leather through the washing machine and never dry clean it casually; only a real leather specialist, not the corner dry cleaner, should ever tackle a stain. Clear surface dust using a faintly damp cloth and allow it to air dry clear of radiators, as direct heat cracks the grain for good. Treat the leather once or twice annually with a neutral, brand-safe balm, spread thinly and buffed away after twenty minutes. Hang the jacket on a broad wooden or padded hanger so the shoulders hold their shape, never on a flimsy wire one. Handled this way, a $4,000 leather jacket readily survives fifteen to twenty years and looks better still as the patina develops.
Coping with Rain and Scuffs
Water is the quiet enemy of leather, yet it’s controllable so long as you act sensibly. If you get caught in rain, do not panic and do not blast the jacket with a hairdryer; just hang it at room temperature and let it dry slowly over a day or two. Once dry, a light pass of conditioner restores any oils the water pulled out and prevents stiffness. Minor scuffs on washed nappa frequently rub away rick owens clothing using just your fingertip and the natural heat of your hand. Deeper scratches can occasionally be worked into being less visible, but Rick Owens leather is designed to show character, so fight the urge to chase perfection. Salt stains from winter streets should be wiped promptly with a barely damp cloth before they set. The guiding idea here is gentle and slow, perfectly matching the worn-in aesthetic the brand prizes anyway.
Cotton: The DRKSHDW Workhorses, Hoodies, and Tees
Most owners wreck the cotton pieces, particularly DRKSHDW, through nothing more than overconfidence. That heavy jersey Rick Owens hoodie feels bulletproof, yet hot water and harsh drying will shrink it, fade the color, and destroy the carefully engineered drape. Always turn cotton garments inside out and wash them in cold water, ideally about 30 degrees Celsius, on a gentle cycle using a mild detergent. Skip the fabric softener entirely, because it coats the fibers and flattens 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. Stick to these rules and a $600 hoodie keeps its expensive look for years instead of 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 Pays Off
The draped pieces, meaning the flowing tunics, asymmetric skirts, and pooled-hem tops, are the most demanding of the three since the fabric content varies and the cut is the whole point. 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. Uncertain? Hand wash in cold water with just a touch of delicate detergent, swishing gently rather than wringing or twisting. Squeeze the water out by sandwiching the garment flat between two towels, then dry it flat and reshape it by hand while it’s still damp. Hanging a heavy wet drape piece stretches it unevenly and can permanently distort that carefully considered silhouette. Whenever you’re anxious about a piece, a trusted dry cleaner experienced with designer clothing is worth every penny. The drape is the reason you bought it, so preserving it is the whole point.
Storage and Day-to-Day Habits
Storing these clothes between wears is almost as important as cleaning them. Give your pieces breathing room in the closet, because cramming them together creases the drape and crushes the structured shoulders on jackets. Use padded or wide wooden hangers for outerwear and fold heavy knits and hoodies instead of hanging them, since hanging stretches the neckline over time. Keep everything out of direct sunlight, which fades the signature blacks and dusts into uneven grays surprisingly fast. Use a breathable cotton garment bag to guard leather and drape pieces from dust while avoiding the moisture plastic traps. For seasonal storage, make sure garments are clean first, because body oils and invisible stains attract moths and set permanently over months. Such little habits are free and tack years of life onto truly expensive clothes.
Common Mistakes That Ruin Good Pieces
Knowing a short list of avoidable errors in advance spares you much heartache, since they cause most of the damage to Rick Owens garments. 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. People also love to «freshen up» leather with household wipes or alcohol-based cleaners, which strip the natural oils and leave the hide dry and cracked within months. Ironing drape fabrics at high heat is yet another textbook catastrophe, flattening the texture and occasionally scorching delicate viscose blends beyond rescue. Storing clean-looking but unwashed garments over a season invites moths to feast on invisible body oils. Finally, chasing every tiny scuff or fade defeats the point of a brand that celebrates a worn, lived-in patina. Steer clear of these six habits and you’ve already handled eighty percent of the work.
When to Call a Professional
Caring well for luxury garments means knowing your limits. Whether it’s a torn lining, a failing zipper, or a split seam on a leather jacket, any structural repair is a job for a specialist, not 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. For stubborn stains on leather or drape fabrics, avoid the DIY fixes you read about online and seek out a cleaner who openly deals with designer garments. 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 publications such as Highsnobiety regularly address designer garment care should you want to read more. In 2026, as resale values for the brand stay strong, well-kept pieces are also truly worth more should you ever sell. Treat these garments as the long-term pieces they are, and they will reward you in return.
