came here to say this - while the intention behind this video is good and there are some very useful takeaways one cannont separate Rick's success from Michelle. He's been in a position to not HAVE to sell because his partner was already rich and connected (like you said) other designers mentioned in this video and most of us do not have that luxury. The fact of the matter is he has this position because his vision, business acumen, and talent but Michelle as his muse /supporter and his bank account enabled for any of it to happen.
She wasn’t rich but she definitely had connections to the LA art scene. She didn’t own all those businesses at once and they didn’t seem to last very long. It was the 80s, you could “breakfast at tiffany” your way much easier back then. Rick was also a heavy clubber in gay places and being gay (or bi) in a city gives you way more connections, some arguably weird or gross ones but lots of connections to artists, interns, models, photographers and such and such. If you did something interesting back then, people paid more attention.
Such a great video, just one small note you made at the end, McQueen actually didn't have to sell his company, he was doing quite well actually, but he chose to sell so that he didn't have to take on the burden and to spite Bernard Arnault who he really hated
the story of how he went to kering is marvelous! @understich, talks about it in her video about him. and it's always good to see bernard arnault taking one in the chin.
As someone who works in the industry as a designer with factory experience, this is true. Vertical manufacturing is the best way to control your product quality, distribution and margins
My understanding is Calvin Klein had financial difficulty in the late 90's from the production side with the factories they had at the time. Rick Owen's is expensive compared to other designers like Issey Miyake or Etro.
I'm impressed with the confidence that makes this all sound correct! My response: read more. I agree: Owens has done some amazing things in keeping production close to home and controlling distribution. Fashion when Owens hit in the 90's is not what it is today. You're missing a major moment disregarding Charles Gallay and other retailers, who not only sold the clothes to celebrities but connected Owens with leather companies. And selling via Gallay and Maxfield was necessary to legitimize the brand to Vogue so that the funding for the show would happen. And Michele Lamy knew everyone: the celebrities and the factories. And she connected Owens with Revillon, which funded the move to Paris, which funded the opening of the Paris store. They both knew Lori Rodkin, which resulted in the Hunrod jewelry line. And the owner of Atelier New York, Karlo Steel, one of the first NYC stores to stock Rick Owens, was the backer to make the NYC store possible. In all, nurturing business connections with everyone is what has made the Rick Owens brand successful. In short: being nice and on top of business stuff like paying bills is a huge reason the Rick Owens brand has succeeded. It's a false comparison to think that Helmut Lang and Martin Margiela sold and left the industry due to lack of success; they followed a different path.
Nope. Just a lowly fashion professor who's of age to remember stuff and hopes his students read. "BEING RECOGNIZED BY AMERICAN VOGUE PROBABLY GAVE ME THE CREDIBILITY THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE. AT THE TIME." It's all posted to Owen's site. @@niceclaup1
this this a million times this. Rick is very talented but you cannot separate his success from Michele especially her investing into him made it possible for him to be in a lot of the positions mentioned in this video.
It really tells me besides being a brilliant designer he’s a smart businessman who doesn’t care about the level of expansion other houses go through . I’m sure he’s being offered obscene amounts to be bought and so far he said : thanks I’m good on my own. He hasn’t even produced a commercial perfume to carry his house. We all know it’s not bags and clothes that rake in that money to maintain a quite dusty brand like Chanel or what saved Mugler / Gaultier when the fashion became tacky in the end. I find him intriguing and genuine in serving his own world rather than plaster his name everywhere.
@@ernestoh429 after he left his house the collections were not the main income source. I'm old enough to have worked in those industries and at that time the launch of perfumes kept the house going .
Love how much substance you’ve packed into this video! tbh this is the first video about Rick Owens I’ve seen that isn’t packed with off-putting hero-worship
All fashion brands do this, some very blatantly. It's basically a necessity to keep up each season. Trick is to make it slightly updated each time so you don't notice it as much
fascinating. it really is a ruthless sector of the economy and owning the entire chain of production can be used to advance your craft (or be a cheapskate depending on the person). also your designs are very pleasing and now I know a nice new place to shop! keep it up!
Hi, thanks for this video! I hadn't really heard of this designer as I don't care for trends, but this was a great story to watch! Just goes to show that having a long-term vision, a long-term plan, and going for slow and steady really is the way to go if you are about being around in 5, 10, 25 years. Love this!
rick is for people who want to LOOK like they know fashion, look like they're intellectuals, look like they're dark, look like they are bold. people who want the attention. but, like all things california, there is a lot of façade. this community around him is very important for his success.
the nyt visited his paris home and wrote about it. it's gothic teenager 101. skulls, shaved-head people, with slipknot make-up, hairless cats, a painting of a cemetery, art with body fluids, industrial feel. so basic, it makes me doubt his clothing a bit. specially after the balloon boots.
Yohji and Kawakubo are different because of how much of their audience is in Japan, and the Japanese market is sort of it’s own different complicated bubble. For Yohji the majority of his sales are in Japan, but Kawakubo has opened up many CDG stores in the west as well Dover Street Market. Kawakubo and Dover is another excellent business case, but a little bit more complicated and drawn out then Rick. PAF is still very early in their career and it’s too early to tell, but I hope they do well !
@@karstenkroening thanks for your reply, i di not think about the locale being important, I hope PAF does well too because I like their way of releasing, going outside of the fashion system
The rick ramonas are literally the only clothing item that survived the swag and hypebeast era, and is still embraced by current streetwear and younger generation
Essentially, what Rick Owens does is what I advise to new designers - build, produce and don't worry about growing too fast, and build a relationship with a manufacturer/factory 🥲 Amazing video!!! You're sew right, you have great points!! And I'm ashamed of myself for not looking more into Rick Owens business model 🙃 .... You're inspiring me to look more into fashion brands business models 🤔
fyi.. missed opportunity not putting the link to you brand in the description... and i cannot find the "link in your bio" like you said in the video. i am actually interested in that jacket you have on in the video
Rick designs clothes for people who look like Dr. Seuss characters. Look up Rae Suzan Strauss the Lava Lady of Los Angeles and see for yourself. Fashion comes from the streets, dahlings.
i was thinking the other day about the clothes people i respect wear. one japanese brand (won't name it) gives "oh ao you're the curator". you can always go with yoji or cdg, or sacai and junya if it's easier. the "i own a gallery" look is just north of france, mostly for women. rick is not on the list. (and he's defined not an underground find)
I would love to know that myself tbh. It’s so hit or miss these days, but it might have something to do with the whole industry overall dropping in quality. less high quality textiles are being produced overall so maybe it just also effect him? Or it could be how I also know that they have had turnover in the last few years of whoever is in charge of materials and fabric sourcing. Either way it’s disappointing
Haha he makes it seem like fashion designers don’t get some form of residual income after growing and selling a brand, just adding to this your content is valid bro
@@Kondi_U well, as far as i know "Lang" sold to dabble in other artforms. Margiela sold to, i dont know, disappear from the face of earth and the limelight he never was interessted in Lee sold mostly to get back at Bernard and out of his LVMH contract, while he also seemed to search for an exit strategy out of the fashion world.
I think Rick Owens is a genius, but I also think his clothes are overpriced tat. He charges more for a standard cotton t-shirt than Merz b do for a 100% loop wheel. His pants are more expensive than SEH Kelly stuff, which is literally woven by hand, by a 5th generation weaver sitting beside a Scottish loch working by candle light. .
To give Rick Owens some credit, it seems he does know construction as he went to the little known low tier school LATTC that is infamous for having very hands on fashion academy. So I think he knows what to look for and thus it’s great to hear he’s developed such a long relationship with a single factory. A lot of designers are glorified “cake decorators” as Alaia said of Lagerfeld so I have to give him and his wife some credit in that they don’t run through fabricators because they don’t know construction and finishings. His wife is said to be the actual designer now because all he does is work out and all he wants to do is talk about “his fuxkin muscles”.per what a fine artist told me lol His long time customers must see the consistency in his workmanship and that is more valuable than trendy offerings if yur Gonna be a long time company. I’m from LA and work as a tailor for 15+ years and I’ve heard and seen a lot and yes it’s pretty much all smoke and mirrors but have to give people like Rick Owens an A for a consistently robust archive.
Excellent video, one aspect you didn’t mention is that all of these clothes are worth as much as any other clothing. But he just overcharges. Not brilliant or revolutionary, he’s just fleecing rich idiots 😂
