Looking After Your Rick Owens Pieces: Leather, Cotton, and Drape Fabrics
You finally pulled the trigger on 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. No matter the piece, you now own a garment that repays a bit of know-how and penalizes neglect. 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. 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. Nail these fundamentals and your pieces will outlast most of the rest of your closet.
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. 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 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. Feed the leather once or rick owens fashion show twice a year using a neutral, brand-safe balm, applied in a thin layer 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. 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. 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 stains from winter streets should be wiped promptly with 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: The DRKSHDW Workhorses, Hoodies, and Tees
The cotton items, particularly anything from DRKSHDW, are where most owners cause the most harm through plain 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. Leave out the fabric softener completely, since it coats the fibers and dulls the matte texture that gives these pieces their character. Skip the tumble dryer entirely and hang the garment to air dry, which preserves both the dye and the lengthened proportions the design hinges on. Washing less often than you think you need to is genuinely better, since over-washing is the fastest route to a tired-looking 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: The Payoff Is in the Patience
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. If you’re unsure, hand wash in cold water with a small amount of delicate detergent, swishing softly instead of 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. 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
Almost as much as cleaning matters how you store these clothes between wears. 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. A breathable cotton garment bag shields leather and drape pieces from dust without sealing in moisture like plastic does. When storing for the season, clean the garments first, since body oils and unseen stains draw moths and set permanently over the 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. 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. 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 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. Steer clear of these six habits and you’ve already handled eighty percent of the work.
When It’s Time to Call a Pro
Recognizing your limits is part of looking after luxury garments properly. 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 brand’s own service channels can often advise on repairs, and the official site at rickowens.eu is the right starting point for questions about a specific garment. 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. Trade guides at outlets like Highsnobiety often tackle designer garment care if you’d like to dig deeper. In 2026, with resale values for the brand holding strong, well-maintained pieces are also genuinely worth more if you ever sell. Treat these garments as the long-term pieces they are, and they will reward you in return.
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