how to lace rick owens drkshdw​

Rick Owens attended no big name fashion schools. Years before he was recognized, he was working in a small Los Angeles manufacturer cutting patterns. From that experience, he developed an attitude to clothing that was very different from the Parisian trained designers. In the mid nineties he agreed to have one boutique stock his leather jackets. His reputation then spread like wildfire, via word of mouth rather than marketing budgets. In fact, Owens has stated numerous times that he has found beauty in what designers see as flaws. That attitude would become the bedrock of the Rick Owens DRKSHDW that it will come to represent. 

Why The Look Feels So Different

No Rick Owens item succumbs to asymmetry rather it embraces it. The hems have to be done untrimmed, the sleeves are too long and there is no perfectly straight piece. He does not depart from his color palette; it remains very limited: bone, grey, dust, and smoky black. Even simple items like a hoodie can be easily identified in a large crowd. officialrickowens.com Footwear does the same effect and exaggerates it with big chunky heels. The Geobasket sneaker was the first shoe to truly exemplify this when it made its debut. It’s either a thing people love, or it’s a thing people find off-putting; that’s the point. 

Getting Your Laces Right

The laces on DRKSHDW sneakers are typically longer than standard shoe laces. To draw them through the bottom 2 eyelets, begin in this way – both sides even. Make a single cross over the laces close to the toes to keep the shoe tight. On that first cross, go over the top and instead of the zig zag most people are accustomed to doing, skip it. A straight bar pattern along each side maintains the clean and purposeful appearance of the shoe. When at the top, tie any excess yarn around the ankle once or twice. Fold the ends in neatly rather than tie a bow as that will detract from the appearance.

How The Product Range Grew Up

Leather jackets and small sneaker batches made up almost the entire early catalog. DRKSHDW launched in 2007 to give newer buyers a cheaper way into the brand. Oversized parkas followed soon after and became something close to a signature outerwear piece. Denim came next, built with a dropped crotch cut that plenty of buyers found strange at first. Boots joined the lineup too, carrying the same cracked leather texture from runway pieces. Each new category added something without ever losing that original rough edged identity. That steady growth is part of why the brand feels so consistent today.

Team Ups That Reached New Fans

Adidas partnered with Rick Owens back in 2013, blending his shapes with real sneaker technology. That collaboration introduced his work to buyers who had never followed a single runway show. Champion joined a bit later, aiming at a younger and more casual streetwear crowd. Birkenstock came next, turning their famously relaxed sandal into something far more severe looking. His 2014 Paris show, featuring people stepping instead of walking, got talked about outside fashion circles entirely. None of these partnerships ever softened what made the brand stand out originally. Owens picked his partners carefully, which kept the collaborations feeling meaningful instead of random.

The People Actually Buying This

Two very different groups make up most of the current customer base today. Longtime fashion insiders sit right alongside younger buyers who found the brand through resale apps. Old pieces from years ago still sell quickly on platforms like Grailed and StockX. Most buyers care far more about the silhouette than any visible logo on the piece. Musicians in hip hop and alternative music scenes wear it as a clear style statement. Owens has said plainly that chasing wide approval was never something he cared about. DRKSHDW remains the easiest entry point for people who cannot afford the mainline prices.

Why People Still Care Right Now

Dark colors and oversized shapes keep coming back into fashion years after Owens first pushed them. Younger designers openly credit him as a direct influence on their own collections. He still shows twice a year in Paris without slowing down his output at all. Ignoring seasonal trends completely is exactly what has kept his work from feeling old. DRKSHDW gives new shoppers a real way in without needing a huge luxury budget. This kind of steady consistency is rare in an industry built around constant change. That is the real reason people keep paying attention to whatever comes next.