Looking After Your Rick Owens Pieces: Leather, Cotton, and Drape Fabrics
So you’ve finally bought the jacket. Maybe it was a leather biker you saved for months to afford, or a heavyweight cotton hoodie you snagged during a Rick Owens sale, or a draped tunic that cost more than your monthly rent. Regardless, you now have a garment that rewards a little knowledge and punishes carelessness. Rick Owens pieces aren’t delicate in the high-maintenance sense, yet they’re built from materials that act in particular ways, and handling them like everyday clothes is how people destroy expensive items. The good news: proper care comes down largely to restraint and a handful of simple habits. This guide runs through the three fabric groups you probably own. Get these basics right and your pieces will outlive most of the rest of your wardrobe.
Leather: The Big Buy That Needs the Least Fuss
Leather intimidates people, yet a Rick Owens leather jacket is genuinely one of the simplest things in your closet to look after. The brand favors lamb and calf nappa, sometimes washed or blistered for that lived-in look, and these hides want to be left mostly alone. 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. 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. Condition the leather once or twice a year with a neutral, brand-safe balm, applied thinly and buffed off 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. Treated this way, a $4,000 leather jacket easily lasts fifteen to twenty years and only looks better as it patinas.
Coping with Rain and Scuffs
Water is the quiet enemy of leather, yet it’s controllable so long as you act sensibly. Caught in the rain, resist the urge to panic or hit the jacket with a hairdryer; just hang it at room temperature and let it dry slowly across 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 using rick owens clothing just your fingertip and the natural heat of your hand. Deeper scratches can sometimes be massaged less visible, though Rick Owens leather is meant to show character, so resist the urge to chase perfection. Wipe salt stains from winter pavements away promptly using a barely damp cloth before they set. The entire approach here is gentle and unhurried, which fits the lived-in look the brand celebrates anyway.
Cotton: Hoodies, Tees, and the DRKSHDW Workhorses
Most owners wreck the cotton pieces, particularly DRKSHDW, through nothing more than overconfidence. That heavyweight jersey Rick Owens hoodie feels indestructible, but hot water and aggressive drying will shrink it, fade the dye, and wreck the carefully engineered drape. Wash cotton pieces inside out in cold water every time, ideally near 30 degrees Celsius, on a delicate 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 tumble dry; hang the garment to air dry, which protects both the dye and the elongated proportions the design depends on. Laundering it less often than you’d expect is truly the smarter move, as over-washing is the fastest way to a tired-looking 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: The Payoff Is in the Patience
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. Lots of drape garments rely on viscose, rayon, cupro, or silk blends that lose their form if handled carelessly, so read the care label before you do anything. Uncertain? Hand wash in cold water with just a touch of delicate detergent, swishing gently rather than wringing or twisting. Press the water out by laying the garment flat between two towels, then dry it flat and reshape it by hand while damp. Hanging up a heavy, wet drape piece stretches it unevenly and may permanently warp 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. Allow your pieces room to breathe in the wardrobe, as jamming them together wrinkles the drape and crushes 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 everything out of direct sunlight, which fades the signature blacks and dusts into uneven grays surprisingly fast. A breathable cotton garment bag protects leather and drape pieces from dust without trapping moisture the way plastic does. 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.
The Common Errors That Destroy Good Pieces
Most harm done to Rick Owens garments traces to a handful of avoidable errors, and knowing them beforehand saves plenty of heartache. Top of the list is tossing a heavy hoodie into a hot load with everything else, shrinking the cotton and bleeding the careful dye in a single wash. 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. Pressing drape fabrics on high heat is another classic blunder, crushing texture and at times scorching delicate viscose blends past saving. Putting away garments that look clean but haven’t been washed for a season invites moths to feast on invisible body oils. Finally, obsessing over every small scuff or fade misses the point of a label that prizes 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
Knowing your limits is part of caring for luxury garments well. 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 stockists and the label’s own service channels will often advise on repairs, with the official site at rickowens.eu being the right first stop for queries about a specific piece. For deep stains on leather or drape fabrics, resist home remedies you read online and consult a cleaner who explicitly 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. 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.