How to Care for Your Rick Owens Pieces: Leather, Cotton, and Drape Fabrics
Maybe it was a leather biker you saved for months to afford, a heavyweight cotton hoodie you snagged during a Rick Owens sale, or a draped tunic that cost more than your monthly 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: proper care comes down largely to restraint and a handful of simple habits. This guide walks through the three fabric families you are most likely to own. Nail these fundamentals and your pieces will outlast most of the rest of your closet.
Leather: The Investment 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. Don’t machine wash leather and don’t dry clean it on impulse: a genuine leather specialist, rather than a corner dry cleaner, is the sole person who should treat any stain. Wipe surface dust with a slightly damp cloth and let it air dry away from radiators, since direct heat cracks the grain permanently. Treat the leather once or twice annually with a neutral, brand-safe balm, spread thinly and buffed away 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
Water is the quiet enemy of leather, yet it’s controllable https://rick-owens.us.com/ 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. You can sometimes rub deeper scratches into fading a bit, yet Rick Owens leather is built to reveal character, so don’t 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: Hoodies, Tees, and Those DRKSHDW Workhorses
It’s the cotton pieces, above all anything from DRKSHDW, where most owners inflict the most damage out of simple 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. 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. 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 flowing tunics, asymmetric skirts, and pooled-hem tops of the drape category are the hardest 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. 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 anything you are nervous about, a reputable dry cleaner experienced with 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. 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. A breathable cotton garment bag shields leather and drape pieces from dust without sealing in moisture like plastic does. 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
Most damage to Rick Owens garments comes from a short list of avoidable errors, and knowing them in advance saves a lot of heartache. The biggest culprit is throwing a heavyweight hoodie into a hot wash with everything else, which shrinks the cotton and runs the careful dye in one cycle. Not far behind is putting knits and jersey on narrow hangers, which warps the shoulders into permanent lumps that no laundering fixes. 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. 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 It’s Time to Call a Pro
Understanding your limits is part of caring well for luxury clothing. 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 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, 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.
