Rick Owens Boutique (Paris, France)

One of the most popular trends these days coming from fashion houses (and subsequently the high street) seems to be the attempt to make clothing and accessories look more 'rock'. For many, the use of studs, leather and distressed denim seems to suffice when it comes to achieving this look, though to be honest, this is more in line with 80s pop than any kind of rock music I've ever been confronted with (Balmain's blinged-up jackets and overly bleached jeans are more Michael Jackson than Mick Jagger). Given the choice of picking a designer, I'm pretty sure any rock musician would rather go with the likes of Ann Demeulemeester or Rick Owens. In fact, the latter even looks like a rock star (a cross between a younger Iggy Pop and a goth version of a long-haired Anthony Kiedis). Not only that, but the typical Rick Owens customer I’ve encountered so far in his boutiques, looks more like he/she belongs in a mosh pit, than in a high-end store.

FW09 runway looks (images: Rick Owens)

The store and clothing reflect this vibe. As you can tell from this blog, I do occasionally frequent designer boutiques – mainly because I like seeing clothes in person. But I tire of the glitz and glamour that goes along with them pretty fast. Rick Owens is probably as close as you’ll get to anti-glitz. Hailing from LA, the designer moved to Paris in 2003 and (supposedly) hasn’t been back to the States since. One of the main reasons was to work for the traditional fur-makers Revillon, the other was to start showing his collections at Paris Fashion Week. Anyone familiar with his looks, knows how beautifully crafted and luxurious his dark, romantic and avant-garde pieces are. They hug the body like a second skin, are intricately layered and perfectly tailored. All items are created in a little factory in Concordia (Italy) and usually sell out pretty fast once they hit the stores.

Left: Overview of the women's section. Right: A mannequin swathed in black.

The first ever flagship is everything you’d expect from the designer and slightly homier than the London and NYC sisters. Situated in the very bourgeois Palais Royal, the location might seem a bit odd, but Owens does like contrast, so it shouldn’t really come as a surprise. The SA's tend to look a little alternative as well and the first person I spotted (a customer) looked like a spitting image of Owens himself, with long black hair, a black kilt and knee-high black boots. Apparently he was searching for a new coat. Heading towards the women’s section, I spied a mannequin wearing something from the FW09 collection and in fact, everything on this level was already from next season's range, though by no means complete.

A few pairs of shoes and a very interesting piece of decor - yes, that's a real human skull.

Shoes were laid out near a mirrored wall, accompanied by a very chic skull-bowl. Some of the decor is for sale, as Owens creates his own furniture which is made of plywood, resin and bones (most of them human, sourced via the Internet), then covered with supple cashmere, mink, and fox fur left over from his collections. He has admitted that this is an expensive hobby, but something he is completely committed to. Browsing the racks on this floor, I also found a nice selection of his Lilies range (jersey pieces) as well as the DRKSHDW denim line. Sleek cabinets along the front windows contained some interesting accessories such as belts, collars, keychains and wallets.

A selection of the women's range (left) and some accessories (right).

The store was relatively busy - one would think because sales were ongoing, but to be honest, it's always well frequented. I took a short walk up the stairs to see all the sale items laid out on the first floor. No doubt, this was the busiest area of the store, to the point where I ended up having trouble browsing comfortably. For those who need to rest their feet, a long gray couch could be found near one of the windows. The women's wear range still had a great selection of leather jackets, vests and asymmetrical dresses in various sizes, along with the discounted shoes, boots and sandals which were situated a few feet away.

The upper level with a lot of sale items and (right) a couch covered in clothes.

I was most enamored by the jewelry though, housed in a big glass case. The giant statement necklace, which looked like it was made from a piece of gold-plated bone would probably be a bit too much, but another necklace made of crystal was so stunning I couldn't take my eyes of it (pictures don't really do it justice).

Talk about statement jewelry. The necklace on the right was pretty amazing.

I took a quick look at the backroom, which held more items, mainly men's leather jackets and a few fur garments from Revillon which are partially stocked here as well, along with the exclusive 'Palais Royal' leather and fur pieces. Two guys were eagerly trying on leather jackets on the other side of the room, while the Rick Owens lookalike finally seemed to have found his coat which featured a giant Dracula-inspired collar. Two very pierced goth girls were there as well, seemingly shocked at the price of a crystal pendant (1500 EUR on sale) and finally a group of chic American fashionistas entered this area, so you can imagine how busy it got.

Discounted shoes towards the back (left) and the stock area with more fur and leather (right).

I escaped by going back down and making my way towards the menswear section. Probably the most eye-catching thing here is the life-sized Rick Owens wax figure. I was told it was sculpted in London by artisans who work for Madame Tussaud's, and made for an event in Florence three years ago. The lower half of the figure was cloaked in a black cloth, but it seems removing it would reveal Owens with his jeans lowered, holding his best bit, peeing at whatever was below. I was wondering if I should ask the SA to remove the cloak, but on second thought... I'm not that desperate and there are certain things better left unseen. Slightly less disturbing than what I saw in the London store though, which featured his decapitated wax head on a pedestal.

The life-sized Rick Owens. The black cloth covered the most provocative part (right image courtesy of the lovely Hanh of Life in Travel)

I continued to browse this section, which had a few FW items such as the denim kilts and leather vests. However there were still a lot of items missing from the new range (both men's and women's), as I was hoping to catch of glimpse of the ice-blue and silver pieces.

Menswear section.

If you're a fan of anything Rick Owens, this store or any other retailer that stocks his items is a must. Most images don't really portray the soft fabrics and beautiful craftsmanship of his range very well. The Paris store isn't exactly intimidating and the clientele is probably the most diverse one I've ever come across. And let's face it, you'll hardly find another flagship with so many interesting props - or a life-sized version of the designer himself.

Some of Rick Owen's furniture range. Top right: DRKSHDW looks. Lower left: 'Palais Royal' jacket. Lower right: From the Lilies collection.

Address: Jardins du Palais Royal,

130-133 Galerie de Valois, 75001 Paris
Opening Hrs: Mon: 10:30-19:00, Tue-Sat: 11:00-19:00
Rick Owens Homepage