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. Whatever it was, you’ve finally made the purchase. Whatever it was, you now own a garment that rewards a little knowledge and punishes neglect. 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. Get these basics right and your pieces will outlive most of the rest of your wardrobe.

Leather: The Investment That Asks the Least of You

People are scared of leather, but a Rick Owens leather jacket is honestly among the easiest pieces in your wardrobe to maintain. 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 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. Condition the leather once or twice a year with a neutral, brand-safe balm, applied thinly and buffed off 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. Cared for like this, a $4,000 leather jacket comfortably lasts fifteen to twenty years and only improves as it patinas.

Handling Rain and Scuffs

Though water is leather’s silent enemy, it stays manageable when 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. After it dries, a thin application of conditioner brings back the oils the water removed and keeps it from stiffening. Small scuffs on washed nappa often buff out with nothing Rick Owens store more than your fingertip and the natural warmth 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 marks from winter streets ought to be wiped off quickly with a barely damp cloth before they set in. The entire approach here is gentle and unhurried, which fits the lived-in look the brand celebrates anyway.

Cotton: The DRKSHDW Workhorses, Hoodies, and Tees

The cotton pieces, especially anything from DRKSHDW, are where most owners do the most damage through simple 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. Wash cotton pieces inside out in cold water every time, ideally near 30 degrees Celsius, on a delicate cycle with a mild detergent. Avoid fabric softener altogether, as it films the fibers and flattens the matte finish that lends 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. Follow these rules and a $600 hoodie stays looking expensive for years rather than 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. Many drape garments use viscose, rayon, cupro, or silk blends that lose their shape if handled roughly, so always read the care label before doing 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 a heavy wet drape piece stretches it unevenly and can permanently distort that carefully considered silhouette. For any piece that makes you nervous, a reputable dry cleaner versed in designer garments is money well spent. The drape is the reason you bought it, so preserving it is the whole point.

Storage and Everyday Habits

How you store these clothes between wears matters almost as much as how you clean them. Give your pieces breathing room in the closet, because cramming them together creases 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. 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. These small habits cost nothing and add years of life to genuinely expensive clothing.

The Common Errors That Destroy 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. 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. Not far behind is putting knits and jersey on narrow hangers, which warps the shoulders into permanent lumps that no laundering fixes. People are also fond of «freshening up» leather with household wipes or alcohol-based cleaners, which strip away the natural oils and leave the hide dry and cracked within 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. Lastly, hunting down every little scuff or fade undermines the whole idea 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

Knowing your limits is part of caring for luxury garments well. Any structural fix, a ripped lining, a dying zipper, a burst seam on a leather jacket, calls for a specialist instead of 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 deep stains on leather or drape fabrics, resist home remedies you read online and consult a cleaner who explicitly handles designer pieces. What a professional clean costs is nothing against replacing a four-figure garment you wrecked 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. Regard the clothes as the long-term investments they truly are, and they’ll repay you for it.