OCTOBER 2023

W CHINA — THE MAKING OF A MAISON — OCTOBER 2023 — BY ANJA ARONOWSKY CRONBERG

AT A TIME IN FASHION WHEN CONGLOMERATES LIKE KERING AND LVMH DOMINATE THE LANDSCAPE, REMAINING INDEPENDENT IS INCREASINGLY RARE FOR A BRAND. WHICH IS WHY RICK OWENS, WHO TODAY WITH HIS WIFE MICHÈLE LAMY AND THEIR PARTNERS ELSA LANZO AND LUCA RUGGIERI, RUNS A BUSINESS WITH NINE STORES AND OVER 800 RETAILERS WORLDWIDE, IS SOMEWHAT OF A UNICORN. FROM ITS HUMBLE START IN A SMALL STUDIO OFF HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, TO A DELIBERATE INTRODUCTION TO THE VERY BEST L.A. BOUTIQUES FOLLOWED BY A FORTUITOUS COUPLE OF YEARS AT THE START OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMED TO HAPPEN ALL AT ONCE - A CORINNE DAY PICTURE OF KATE MOSS IN A RICK OWENS LEATHER JACKET IN FRENCH VOGUE, AN ANNIE LEIBOVITZ PORTRAIT IN AMERICAN VOGUE, A VOGUE-SPONSORED CATWALK SHOW IN NEW YORK, A CFDA AWARD, AND A GROWING ARRAY OF DISCERNING STOCKISTS IN EUROPE AND THE U.S. - RICK OWENS BY 2003 WAS ALREADY WELL ON HIS WAY TO BECOMING A PLAYER TO RECKON WITH. BUT NOT MUCH IS ACHIEVED IN THIS LIFE ON ONE’S OWN. AND RICK OWENS WITHOUT MICHÈLE, ELSA AND LUCA WOULD NOT BE THE COMPANY, OR MAN, WE KNOW AND LOVE TODAY. WHAT FOLLOWS IS THE STORY OF RICK OWENS, AS TOLD BY THE FOUR PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE IT WHAT IT IS TODAY, BUT ALSO A STORY OF HOW TO CONSTRUCT A MAISON DE MODE AT A TIME WHEN THE INDUSTRY HAS GONE FROM DESIGNER-FOCUSED TO CORPORATE-LED. IT’S A STORY ABOUT WHY CHOOSING AUTONOMY OVER A QUICK BUCK CAN STILL, AT LEAST FOR A LUCKY FEW, PAY OFF IN THE LONG RUN.

RICK OWENS: AMERICAN FASHION DESIGNER AND THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF OWENSCORP. BORN IN PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA IN 1962. LAUNCHED RICK OWENS IN 1994. MARRIED MICHÈLE LAMY IN 2006.

MICHÈLE LAMY: FRENCH CULTURAL FIGURE WITH MANY PAST LIVES: RESTAURATEUR, DESIGNER, PERFORMER, FILM PRODUCER ARE JUST A FEW. BORN IN 1944. MOVED TO THE STATES IN 1979, STARTED THE FASHION BRAND LAMY IN 1990. MET RICK OWENS IN 1988. TODAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RICK OWENS FURNITURE LINE.

ELSA LANZO: LUCA RUGGERI’S SISTER-IN-LAW. ITALIAN. WORKED AS A SALES AGENT AT EB ASSOCIATES; BEGAN REPRESENTING RICK OWENS IN 2001. LEFT EBA IN 2003 TO WORK ONLY WITH RICK OWENS. TODAY THE CEO OF OWENSCORP.

LUCA RUGGIERI: ITALIAN. WORKED AS A SALES AGENT AT EBA WITH ELSA, UNTIL THEY, WITH RICK AND MICHÈLE, STARTED OUT ON THEIR OWN. TODAY THE COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR OF OWENSCORP.

RICK: I WAS PRETTY DIRECTIONLESS AND IRRESPONSIBLE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO AFTER COLLEGE SO I JUST STAYED IN PORTERVILLE CALIFORNIA AT MY PARENT’S HOUSE, WORKING PART-TIME AT TACO BELL. I WAS COMPLETELY AIMLESS. I DIDN'T EVEN MOVE TO L.A. ON MY OWN. MY MOM SAW THAT IF I STAYED IN PORTERVILLE I’D JUST SINK SO SHE KIND OF FORCED ME TO LEAVE. SHE TOOK ME TO GO LOOK FOR COLLEGES, SHE HELPED ME FIGURE OUT HOW TO ENROL AND HOW TO APPLY FOR APPLY FOR LOANS. SHE WENT APARTMENT-HUNTING WITH ME. IT IMPRESSES ME STILL. MOM WAS THIS CONSERVATIVE CATHOLIC LADY FROM PUEBLA, MEXICO. SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE OF HER SIX BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO LEAVE WHICH WAS HONESTLY PRETTY PUNK ROCK OF HER. AND SHE APPLIED THAT SAME SENSE OF SURVIVAL AND AMBITION TO ME. BECAUSE TO SEND HER ONLY SON TO LOS ANGELES MUST HAVE BEEN A GREAT SACRIFICE FOR SOMEONE LIKE HER.

SO WITH HER HELP I MOVED TO L.A. TO GO TO ART SCHOOL IN MY EARLY TWENTIES. BUT I FELT TOTALLY OUT OF MY DEPTH. THE THEORY CLASSES INTIMIDATED ME AND I ENDED UP DROPPING OUT. I JUST THOUGHT I WASN’T INTELLECTUALLY CAPABLE. I KNEW I WAS GOOD WITH MY HANDS THOUGH: I KNEW THAT I COULD MAKE THINGS. SO WHEREAS BEING AN ARTIST SEEMED SO OUT OF REACH, IF I LEARNED A TECHNICAL SKILL I THOUGHT I’D HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF A GOOD LIFE. GOING INTO FASHION MADE SENSE, SO I DECIDED LEARN PATTERN-MAKING. I COULD ONLY AFFORD GOING TO A TECHNICAL COLLEGE, SO THAT’S WHAT I DID. I CAN’T SAY I EXCELLED - I WAS NEVER A PARTICULARLY DEDICATED STUDENT - BUT I WAS NATURALLY TALENTED AND THE TEACHERS COULD SEE THAT.

EVENTUALLY I GOT A JOB IN THE LOS ANGELES GARMENT INDUSTRY, AND I WORKED THERE AS A PATTERN MAKER FOR YEARS, IN A STUDIO THAT KNOCKED OFF HIGH-END DESIGNERS LIKE CLAUDE MONTANA. AT THE SAME TIME I WAS CLUBBING A LOT: IT’S WHERE I FOUND MY PEOPLE. A FRIEND INTRODUCED ME TO MICHÈLE, AND SHE EVENTUALLY HIRED ME AS A A PATTERN MAKER FOR HER COMPANY, LAMY.

MICHÈLE: I FIRST CAME TO L.A. IN 1979 TO SELL EYE GLASSES, WHICH WAS MY FAMILY’S BUSINESS BACK IN FRANCE. BUT WHEN I GOT THERE I REALISED THAT THEY DIDN’T SELL ANY CLOTHES I LIKED AND I HAD NOTHING TO WEAR. SO I DECIDED TO START MAKING CLOTHES MYSELF. I INVENTED THIS FABRIC, BASED ON THE KNITS SONIA RYKIEL USED TO MAKE, BUT MUCH STRETCHIER. I STARTED VISITING MANUFACTURERS AROUND TOWN TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP ME PRODUCE IT. EVENTUALLY I FOUND ONE BUT THEY WERE SO PLEASED WITH THE RESULT THAT THEY WANTED TO START SELLING IT THEMSELVES. I HAD TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY TO BUY THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS AND EVENTUALLY I MET A MAN AT A PARTY WHO AGREED TO HELP. LAMY WENT VERY WELL ACTUALLY: I SOLD TO BLOOMINGDALE'S, MACY’S, NORDSTROM’S. THEY USED TO CALL ME ‘THE QUEEN OF NORDSTROM’ IN FACT. IN THE MID-80S I HAD ABOUT 12 EMPLOYEES. RICK WAS INTRODUCED TO ME BY A FRIEND I ALSO WORKED WITH, AND I HIRED HIM AS A PATTERN CUTTER.

RICK: LAMY WAS SOLD AT ALL THE BEST DEPARTMENT STORES BACK THEN. THE STYLE WAS VERY SIMPLE, VERY PURE, ALMOST MINIMALIST, AND MICHÈLE HAD INVENTED HER OWN FABRIC WHICH WAS SUCH A SMART THING TO DO. BUT AS HER COMPANY GREW SHE STARTED HAVING TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS: LIKE WHETHER TO MOVE MANUFACTURING OUTSIDE OF L.A. IN ORDER TO COMPETE WITH PRICES, HOW TO PRODUCE MORE FOR LESS BASICALLY. AND SHE JUST KIND OF LOST INTEREST AT THAT POINT. IT WASN’T FUN ANYMORE.

MICHELE: BASICALLY, RICK KILLED LAMY. [LAUGHS] IN 1990 I HAD A $10 MILLION FASHION BUSINESS, A RETAIL STORE IN BEVERLY HILLS AND A FRENCH-STYLE BISTRO CALLED CAFE DES ARTISTES IN HOLLYWOOD. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, A LOT OF MY CLIENTS STOPPED PAYING ON TIME, OR AT ALL, AND I WAS IN DEBT. RICK WAS DOING THINGS HIS OWN WAY AT LAMY. HE CONVINCED ME TO FIRE THE FRIEND WHO BROUGHT HIM THERE BECAUSE HE WASN’T DOING ANYTHING. AND THEN HE DECIDED TO START EXPERIMENTING WITH THE LYCRA LINE I HAD. HE WANTED TO DO HIS OWN STUFF, AND I COULD SEE HOW TALENTED HE WAS. I BEGAN TO LOSE INTEREST IN THE COMPANY. I HAD STARTED MY SECOND RESTAURANT, LES DEUX CAFES, AND I WOULD SPEND ALL MY TIME THERE.

RICK: BY THAT POINT WE HAD STARTED OUR RELATIONSHIP. I WAS VERY AMBITIONS AND DRIVEN BY THEN. I STARTED EXPERIMENTING AND MAKING THINGS IN MICHELE’S STUDIO, AND PUSHING HER TO CHANGE HER DIRECTION. LOOKING BACK IT WAS RATHER SELFISH OF ME BECAUSE SHE ALREADY HAD A VISION WHICH WAS VERY MUCH HERS. SHE WAS DOING JUST FINE BEFORE I CAME ALONG: SHE DIDN’T NEED ME AT ALL. BUT I GUESS IN A WAY IT WAS INEVITABLE: I HAD DISCOVERED MY OWN AMBITION AND I HAD TO PUSH TO GET WHAT I NEEDED. THERE I WAS WITH MY COMPETITIVE MALE AGGRESSION, WHICH IS BOTH EMBARRASSING BUT PROBABLY ALSO WHAT IT TOOK TO GET ME WHERE I AM TODAY.

EVENTUALLY AS MICHELE DECIDED TO WIND DOWN LAMY AND FOCUS ON LES DEUX CAFES, I VENTURED OUT ON MY OWN. I DIDN’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE FASHION INDUSTRY A THAT POINT: IN L.A. THE FASHION SCENE WAS VERY LOCAL, PROVINCIAL ALMOST. I WAS INTO EXTREME FASHION, CLUB WEAR BASICALLY. BUT I WAS READING FASHION MAGAZINES, AND STARTED LEARNING ABOUT WHAT WAS OUT THERE THROUGH THEM. PAPER MAGAZINE WAS A FAVOURITE: THEY FEATURED SYBILLA, JEAN PAUL GAULTIER, ANDRE WALKER, ADELINE ANDRE, ALAÏA.

MICHELE: WHEN RICK AND I GOT INVOLVED I WAS MARRIED AND HAD A YOUNG DAUGHTER. THE FIRST YEARS WERE PRETTY DRAMATIC. RICK WAS LOST, AND DRINKING A LOT. IT WAS A REALLY INTENSE PERIOD.

RICK: IT WAS A VERY BOHEMIAN PERIOD FOR US. WE LED THIS VERY GLAMOROUS LIFE, BUT WE WERE ESSENTIALLY BROKE. MICHELE WAS IN DEBT, AND I, IN MY TINY STUDIO ACROSS THE STREET FROM LES DEUX, WAS BARELY BREAKING EVEN. THAT'S HOW IT WAS FOR A WHILE: VERY HAND TO MOUTH. I WAS DRINKING A LOT AT THAT TIME. I GUESS I NEED IT FOR COURAGE, TO JUSTIFY MY ARROGANCE WHICH KIND OF HORRIFIES ME NOW. I WAS THIS YOUNG MALE IN CAPTIVITY, BUTTING MY HEAD AGAINST THE CAGE BARS AND CHEWING MY LEG OFF TO GET OUT THERE TO GET WHAT I WANTED, WHICH IN MY CASE WAS RECOGNITION.

MICHELE: RICK WOULD COME TO LES DEUX EVERY NIGHT AT 11PM AND WE WOULD HAVE DINNER TOGETHER. SOMETIMES I’D CLOSE THE CABARET BY SINGING AND HE COULD HEAR ME ACROSS THE STREET. WE SPENT EVERY NIGHT TOGETHER.

RICK: LES DEUX BLOSSOMED, AND IN TIME MY WORK STARTED PICKING UP TOO. I STARTED SELLING TO A BOUTIQUE IN L.A. CALLED CHARLES GALLAY. HE WOULD BUY EVERYTHING I MADE AND PAY ME 50% UPFRONT AND 50% UPON DELIVERY WHICH IS WHAT GAVE ME SOME FOOTING. EVENTUALLY HE SAID, YOU NEED TO SELL YOUR STUFF IN EUROPE - WHY DON’T YOU GO TO PARIS TO SHOW YOUR WORK? AND HE INTRODUCED ME TO OTHER STORES AND BUYERS: JOAN BERNSTEIN FROM BROWNS IN LONDON, JOYCE FROM HONG KONG, ALAN BILZERIAN FROM BOSTON, SHELLEY SAME FROM HENRI BENDEL IN NEW YORK. HENRI BENDEL BECAME A VERY BIG BUYER OF MINE; IN FACT IT’S THROUGH THEM THAT VOGUE DISCOVERED MY WORK. ONE DAY ANDRE LEON TALLEY WAS WALKING PAST THE STORE ON FIFTH AVENUE AND SAW MY STUFF IN THE WINDOWS. HE HAD NO IDEA WHO I WAS, BUT HE FOUND OUT AND CALLED ME OUT OF THE BLUE. AT THAT POINT I STILL WASN'T CONNECTED AT ALL SOCIALLY NOR WAS I CONNECTING TO PHOTOGRAPHERS OR STYLISTS OR MODELS OR MAGAZINES.

MICHELE: I DON’T KNOW WHY RICK ALWAYS INSISTS ON TALKING ABOUT CHARLES GALLAY: IT’S WHEN RICK STARTED SELLING TO MAXFIELD THAT HIS BRAND REALLY TOOK OFF. TOMMY AND ANNE-MARIE PERSE WERE GREAT SUPPORTERS: ANNE-MARIE WOULD WEAR RICK’S CLOTHES ALL THE TIME. THAT’S ALSO HOW MARIA LUISA DISCOVERED IT.

LUCA: AT THE TIME ELSA AND I WORKED FOR AN ITALIAN AGENT CALLED EBA. IT STOOD FOR EO BOCCI AND ASSOCIATES: WE WERE THE ASSOCIATES. [LAUGHS] WE WERE IN PARIS AS USUAL THE SUMMER OF 2000, AND WE VISITED MARIA LUISA WHOSE BOUTIQUE WAS ALWAYS A GREAT PLACE TO FIND NEW TALENT. SHE TOLD US ABOUT THIS NEW DESIGNER SHE’S DISCOVERED: RICK OWENS FROM L.A. I REMEMBER THINKING, ‘L.A? ALL THEY DO WELL IS DENIM.’ BUT WE REALLY TRUSTED MARIA LUISA’S JUDGMENT SO WE WENT. WHAT I SAW REALLY INTRIGUED ME; SIMPLE JERSEY PIECES, BUT THE CUT AND DRAPING WAS ASTONISHING.

ELSA: THERE WERE JUST A FEW PIECES IN THE STORE BUT I WAS IN LOVE. IT WAS EXACTLY THE AESTHETIC I FAVOURED. THERE WAS ONE PAIR OF TROUSERS, A SKIRT AND A T-SHIRT, ALL CUT ON THE BIAS. I BOUGHT THE TROUSERS: I HAVE THEM STILL. YOU’D PROBABLY RECOGNISE THEM: THEY’VE BECOME A SIGNATURE RICK OWENS PIECE.

LUCA: FIVE MONTHS LATER I WAS IN L.A. ON BUSINESS, AND I REMEMBER ASKING ONE OF OUR CLIENTS, ‘SO IS THERE ANYONE I SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WHILE I’M HERE?’ AND SHE TOLD ME, ‘GO SEE RICK OWENS.’ I HAD FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT HIM, AND THERE WAS HIS NAME AGAIN! SO I CALLED HIM AND ASKED, ‘CAN WE MEET?’ HE WAS VERY GRACIOUS AND IMMEDIATELY SAID YES. WE MET AT MUSSO & FRANK. I REMEMBER BEING LATE. OH MY GOD I WAS SO EMBARRASSED. WHEN I ARRIVED RICK WAS ALREADY EATING. I WAS DEVASTATED. BUT WE TALKED, AND AFTERWARDS WE WALKED TO LES DEUX CAFES TOGETHER, AND AS SOON AS I ENTERED I WAS MESMERISED. IT WAS FULL OF FAMILIAR FACES: PEOPLE I KNEW ABOUT FROM THE PAGES OF THE MAGAZINES. EVERYONE WAS FAMOUS: MADONNA, SEAN PENN, KEANU REEVES, COURTNEY LOVE. REAL HOLLYWOOD. BUT IT WASN’T JUST THE PEOPLE THAT IMPRESSED ME, IT WAS THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE. IT WAS PART RESTAURANT, PART NIGHTCLUB, PART CABARET. MICHELE WAS THE PERFECT ENTERTAINER, SHE WOULD SING LANGSTON HUGHES SONGS AND JUST MAKE EVERYONE FEEL REALLY COMFORTABLE. I WAS FASCINATED BY RICK TOO: HE WAS SO HEALTHY, SO BEAUTIFUL, SO SKINNY, SO WELL DRESSED. I’D NEVER MET ANYONE WITH HIS ATTITUDE AND ALLURE.

ELSA: I REMEMBER LUCA REPORTING BACK TO ME AFTER HE’D MET RICK IN L.A: ‘HE’S A GENIUS, A GENIUS!’

LUCA: THE NEXT MORNING I WENT BACK AGAIN TO MEET HIM AT HIS STUDIO, ACROSS THE STREET FROM LES DEUX CAFES. I VISITED THE APARTMENT WHERE HE LIVED WITH MICHELE AND IT ALL MADE PERFECT SENSE. THE AESTHETIC WAS SO WELL DEVELOPED ALREADY: THE INTERIORS, RICK’S DESIGNS, THE WAY THEY BOTH LOOKED, THE COMPANY THEY KEPT. THEY WERE PIONEERS: IN A DIFFERENT LEAGUE.

I DISCUSSED IT WITH MY PARTNERS AT EBA WHEN I GOT BACK TO ITALY BUT WE DID NOTHING ABOUT IT AT FIRST. LIFE GOT IN THE WAY. A FEW MONTHS LATER, IN MARCH 2001, I WAS BACK IN PARIS FOR FASHION WEEK AND I OPENED MODEM, A PUBLICATION THAT LISTED ALL SHOWROOMS AND DESIGNERS. MY EYES FELL ON AN AD FOR A SHOWROOM CALLED TOTEM, AND THERE WAS RICK’S NAME. I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. I CALLED HIM STRAIGHT AWAY, AND IT TURNED OUT HE WAS IN PARIS TOO SO WE MET AGAIN. I ORGANISED FOR ELSA TO MEET HIM TOO: IT WAS IN THE SHOWROOM WE HAD AT PLACE DES VOSGES FOR OLIVIER THEYSKENS.

RICK: I COULD TELL FROM THE START THAT ELSA AND LUCA WERE AMBITIOUS: THEY HAD DRIVE. I HAD SIGNED WITH TOTEM ALREADY, BUT I HONESTLY DON’T THINK I SOLD A SINGLE THING WHILE I WAS WITH THEM. I WAS READY TO LEAVE.

ELSA: RICK WAS SO KIND AND POLITE; I IMMEDIATELY LIKED HIM AS MUCH AS I ALREADY LIKED HIS CLOTHES. AND MICHELE WAS FASCINATING: I COULDN’T STOP LOOKING AT HER. NOT LONG AFTER OUR MEETING IN PARIS LUCA AND I WENT TO L.A. TO SEE THEM AGAIN, THIS TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND HOW TO WORK TOGETHER. I WAS SO IMPRESSED BY LES DEUX CAFES. IT WAS MAGICAL: LIKE STEPPING INTO ANOTHER WORLD. WE STARTED OUT BY TALKING ABOUT HOW WE COULD HELP RICK GET A GOOD MANUFACTURING DEAL, AND THEN HOW TO SELL THE COLLECTION WORLDWIDE. LUCA AND I HAD THE CONNECTION AND EXPERIENCE TO DO THAT. AT THE BEGINNING YOU DON’T NEED ALL THAT MANY RETAIL STORES, BUT YOU NEED TO POSITION YOURSELF WELL. AND WE ALREADY WORKED WITH THE RIGHT STORES WORLDWIDE. ONCE YOU’RE IN THE RIGHT STORES, YOU OF COURSE NEED TO ACTUALLY SELL - IF NOT YOU WON’T GET A SECOND OPPORTUNITY. BUT IF YOU DO CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS, THE WORLD OPENS UP TO YOU. AND RICK DID.

RICK: I REMEMBER ELSA AND LUCA TOOK ME ON LONG DRIVE ALL AROUND ITALY TO LOOK FOR MANUFACTURERS WHO WOULD AGREE TO PRODUCE MY CLOTHES FOR A LICENSE. IT WASN'T EASY. WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL THEN BUT ELSA AND LUCA WERE PRO. THE COMPANY THEY HAD BEEN WITH HAD BEEN SELLING ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, ANN DEMEULEMEESTER AND OLIVIER THEYSKENS. THEY HAD THE RIGHT ROLODEX.

LUCA: IT TOOK SOME WORK BUT EVENTUALLY WE FOUND A FACTORY CALLED OLMAR & MIRTA IN A SMALL TOWN CALLED CONCORDIA OUTSIDE BOLOGNA, THAT AGREED TO MANUFACTURE RICK’S COLLECTIONS. FINDING THE RIGHT LICENSEE AND MANUFACTURER IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. IT HAS TO BE A GOOD FIT. THE MANUFACTURER HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY NO TO THE PRODUCTION OF A PARTICULAR DESIGN, AND OFTEN THAT’S A TRAP THAT DESIGNERS FIND THEMSELVES IN. THE LICENSEE AND MANUFACTURER WANT TO PRODUCE THE MORE COMMERCIAL PARTS OF THE COLLECTION BUT NOT THE EDGY ONES.

RICK: ONCE WE FOUND THE FACTORY IN CONCORDIA AND GOT A DEAL WITH THEM, EVERYTHING CHANGED. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD MONEY. IT WASN'T THE MONEY I HAVE NOW BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY MORE MONEY THAN I HAD EVER HAD BEFORE. THE FIRST THING I DID WAS GET A BLACK LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THERE WAS THIS CELEBRITY SERVICE OFFERED BY HERTZ IN L.A. WHERE THEY WOULD BRING YOU A FRESH LINCOLN TOWN CAR EVERY TWO WEEKS. SO I STARTED THAT PROGRAM. THEN I RENTED A BLACK BABY GRAND PIANO FOR THE STUDIO JUST BECAUSE IT WAS SO ELEGANT. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY EVER PLAYED IT - I CERTAINLY NEVER DID. IT WAS JUST THIS BEAUTIFUL BIG BLACK SYMBOL OF CULTIVATION AND AFFLUENCE. I REMEMBER FEELING A GREAT SENSE OF SATISFACTION - FINALLY WE’RE ON OUR WAY.

ELSA: AT THE BEGINNING EVERYTHING WAS VERY SPONTANEOUS AND INTUITIVE. WE DIDN’T HAVE A GRAND PLAN. WE JUST REALLY GOT ALONG, FOUND THAT WE HAD THE SAME AMBITIONS, SO TAKING ONE STEP AFTER ANOTHER TOGETHER CAME VERY NATURALLY. PIECE BY PIECE WE BUILT THE GROUP THAT BECAME OWENSCORP.

RICK: EVERYTHING FELT RIGHT. ELSA AND LUCA TREATED ME LIKE AN ARTIST, AND NEVER TRIED TO INFLUENCE MY WORK. THEY WERE VERY RESPECTFUL. BUT WE WERE ALL EXTREMELY AMBITIOUS, AND WE HAD A LOT RIDING ON THE SUCCESS OF THIS VENTURE. WE ALL REALLY WANTED IT TO WORK.

ELSA: WHEN WE STARTED TO WORK WITH RICK OUR DREAM WAS TO BUILD A MAISON. WE WERE THINKING ABOUT ALAÏA: A HOUSE WHERE EVERYTHING IS FOCUSED ON THE DESIGNER. MY JOB WITH LUCA WAS TO CREATE A BUBBLE AROUND RICK SO THAT HE COULD FOCUS ON CREATING, AND WORK WITHOUT THE PRESSURE OF EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES INTO A BUSINESS. SO WE BUILT EVERYTHING BASED ON THAT PREMISE. RICK HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOD [LAUGHS], IN CHARGE OF ALL THINGS CREATIVE AS WELL AS COMMUNICATION. HE CHOSE ME TO BE THE CEO FROM DAY ONE SO I MANAGED THE COMPANY AND PUT THE TEAM TOGETHER. I DECIDED TO PUT LUCA IN CHARGE OF THE COMMERCIAL. MICHELE WAS INVOLVED IN THE REVILLON FUR COLLECTION, THEN SHE STARTED THE FURNITURE BUSINESS. WE’VE ALL EVOLVED WITH OUR ROLES AS THE COMPANY HAS GROWN. IMAGINE: AT THE BEGINNING WE HAD 50 RETAILERS; TODAY WE’VE GOT 800. RICK STARTED OUT DOING TWO COLLECTIONS A YEAR; NOW IT’S 18. WE STARTED AS FOUR; TODAY WE EMPLOY 250 PEOPLE.

LUCA: IN 2001 WE RENTED A SHOWROOM IN NEW YORK TO INTRODUCE RICK OWENS TO THE BUSINESS - THEN SEPTEMBER 11 HAPPENED. THE PRESENTATION GOT CANCELLED, AND WE ALL GOT STUCK IN NEW YORK. IT WAS A VERY STRANGE MOMENT.

ELSA: IT WAS SUCH A DIFFICULT MOMENT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT WAS VERY BONDING FOR US.

LUCA: THREE WEEKS LATER WE HAD A PRESENTATION IN PARIS INSTEAD BECAUSE THE SHOW MUST GO ON. I THINK WE GOT 65 CLIENTS AFTER THAT SEASON: 15 OF THOSE WE STILL WORK WITH, CAN YOU IMAGINE?

ELSA: I KNEW WE WERE ON TO SOMETHING FROM THE GET GO: THE FIRST 50 CLIENTS CAME EASY, AND THE COLLECTION SOLD OUT STRAIGHT AWAY. YOU CAN’T GET A MUCH BETTER SIGN THAT THAT. WE ALWAYS MADE SURE THAT OUR CLIENTS PAID IN ADVANCE, WHICH THEY DID SINCE THEY ALREADY KNEW AND TRUSTED LUCA AND ME. WE WERE VERY TOUGH ON THAT: EITHER THE CLIENT ACCEPTED OUR TERMS OR WE WERE NOT THE RIGHT BRAND FOR THEM.

LUCA: I REMEMBER ASKING RICK EARLY ON WHETHER HE’D EVER CONSIDER DOING A SHOW AND HE SAID NO. BUT LATER IN FACT, IN NOVEMBER 2001, HE HOSTED HIS VERY FIRST SHOW AT LES DEUX CAFES IN L.A. ON HIS 40TH BIRTHDAY. IT WAS VERY SMALL, JUST FOR FRIENDS AND CLIENTS. BUT I THINK IT GAVE HIM THE CONFIDENCE TO DO IT ON A BIGGER SCALE, AND THE YEAR AFTER AMERICAN VOGUE SPONSORED HIS FIRST OFFICIAL SHOW IN NEW YORK.

RICK: WHEN VOGUE OFFERED ME MY FIRST RUNWAY SHOW I WAS NERVOUS; I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE IT WOULD TAKE ME. BY THAT TIME I WAS ENVISIONING A LIFE AS AN OBSCURE DESIGNER ON THE FRINGES OF THE BUSINESS, A CHARLES JAMES TYPE FIGURE MAKING EXQUISITE CLOTHES IN HIS OWN WAY, LIVING IN GLAMOROUS SQUALOR. SO WHEN I GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO MY FIRST SHOW I KNEW IT WOULD CHANGE MY LIFE FOREVER. WHEN YOU GET ON THAT TRAIN YOU HAVE TO RIDE IT TILL THE END.

LUCA: THAT FIRST SHOW WAS LIKE A PUNCH IN THE FACE, IN A GOOD WAY. IT WAS UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE: THE COLOUR PALETTE, THE MUSIC, THE LIGHTS, THE MODELS. OH MY GOD THE MODELS WERE COMPLETELY OTHERWORLDLY. HAVE YOU SEE PICTURES? THE AESTHETIC WAS ALREADY THERE, AND A LOT OF DESIGNS WE STILL PRODUCE 20 YEARS LATER. I REMEMBER SEEING FARAH FAWCETT IN THE AUDIENCE, AND JULIANNE MOORE. EVERYONE WAS REALLY HAPPY AFTERWARDS.

RICK: I KNEW HOW NARROW MY AESTHETIC IS SO I WAS NERVOUS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SUSTAIN IT. MY EVOLUTION WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE SLOW, AND I KNEW IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO BURN OUT FAST. AND THE FIVE FIRST YEARS AFTER MY VOGUE SHOW I DID WOBBLE AT TIMES. I FELT THE PRESSURE TO ENTERTAIN, PROVIDE EXCITEMENT. AT THE SAME TIME I KNEW I WASN’T ALEXANDER MCQUEEN. I WASN’T FULLY CONFIDENT YET. SO AT THE BEGINNING I JUST HAD TO FAKE IT. BUT THAT SAID I HAD HELP: I’D MET THE PHOTOGRAPHER CORINNE DAY, AND THROUGH HER THE STYLIST PANOS YIAPANIS. HE JUST KIND OF SHOWED UP FOR MY FIRST SHOW IN NEW YORK AND HELPED OUT, AND NEVER LEFT. WE WORKED TOGETHER FOR THE NEXT TWENTY YEARS. HE WAS A FASHION FREAK, AND VERY INFLUENTIAL TOO. I’M SURE HE STOPPED ME FROM MAKING MANY MISTAKES. AND AS I LEARNED MORE MY INITIAL ARROGANCE WAS REPLACED BY A QUIET CONFIDENCE.

MICHELE: THERE WAS A TIME WHEN ELSA AND LUCA DIDN’T WANT THEIR CLIENTS TO COME TO THE SHOWS :THEY WERE AFRAID THEY’D BE OFFENDED OR FRIGHTENED BECAUSE THEY COULD BE SO EXTREME. BUT PEOPLE KEPT BUYING THE CLOTHES.

LUCA: MICHELE REALLY STARTED TO SHINE IN OUR LIFE WHEN SHE MOVED WITH RICK TO PARIS: SHE BECAME LIKE THE COMPANY VISIONARY. SHE’S THE ONE THAT PUSHED RICK TO ACCEPT THE OFFER OF CREATIVE DIRECTING REVILLON, THE FRENCH FUR COMPANY, WHICH I THINK WAS GENIUS.

RICK: I WAS GOING BACK AND FORTH TO THE FACTORY IN ITALY SO OFTEN THAT I EVENTUALLY REALISED THAT TRAVELLING LIKE THAT JUST WASN’T GOING TO WORK. MICHELE STARTED COMING WITH ME, AND ON ONE TRIP I NOTICED HAT SHE HAD PACKED A BIT MORE THAN USUAL. I REMEMBER SAYING TO HER: ‘YOU’RE NOT GOING BACK TO L.A. ARE YOU?’ AND SHE DIDN’T. SO WE BOTH ENDED UP MOVING TO EUROPE JUST LIKE THAT, VERY SPONTANEOUSLY. WE LEFT EVERYTHING BEHIND, NOTHING WAS ORGANISED. MICHELE WAS READY FOR A NEW ADVENTURE SO SHE LEFT LES DEUX CAFES, AND WE HIRED SOMEONE TO PACK AND SHIP EVERYTHING IN OUR APARTMENT AND STUDIO. AND THAT WAS THAT.

MICHELE: I USED TO SAY TO FRENCH PEOPLE IN L.A. WHO ASKED, ‘SO WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK TO PARIS:’ I’LL GO BACK WHEN I CAN LIVE AT THE PALAIS BOURBON. AND NOW WE DO.

RICK: BY THE TIME WE MOVED I HAD SIGNED DEAL WITH REVILLON. I’D ACTUALLY ASKED ANNA WINTOUR FOR ADVICE WHEN THEY REACHED OUT TO OFFER ME THE ROLE AS CREATIVE DIRECTOR, AND I REMEMBER HER RESPONSE WAS VERY BRIEF: ‘THERE’S NO MONEY, DON’T DO IT.’ BUT I DID IT ANYWAY. [LAUGHS]

LUCA: I CAN CONFIRM THAT THERE WAS NO MONEY IN THAT DEAL. BUT STILL, IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. IT OPENED A LOT OF DOORS. AND SOON AFTER RICK AND MICHELE MOVED TO PARIS THEY STARTED MAKING FURNITURE AS WELL. THEN IN 2006 WE OPENED OUR FIRST RICK OWENS STORE IN PALAIS ROYALE - WE STILL HAVE IT.

ELSA: WE DIDN’T WANT OUTSIDE INVESTMENT SO WE BUILT EVERYTHING SLOWLY USING OUR OWN MONEY. THAT WAS KEY I THINK BECAUSE WE ALL AGREED THAT MONEY WASN’T THE MOST IMPORTANT, BUT RATHER THE AESTHETIC VALUE OF WHAT WE WERE CREATING.

RICK: I’VE HAD OFFERS OVER THE YEARS TO CREATIVE DIRECT ANOTHER COMPANY BUT WHEN THEY CAME ALONG I COULD AFFORD TO FOCUS ON MY OWN HOUSE SO SAYING NO WAS EASY. NOW I THINK THAT’S THE GENERAL CONSENSUS BECAUSE I HAVEN’T BEEN ASKED TO GO ELSEWHERE FOR A LONG TIME. TO ME WORKING FOR ANYONE BUT MYSELF WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE: HAVING TO MAKE COMMITTEE DECISIONS, HAVING TO COMPROMISE ALL THE TIME AND JUSTIFY YOUR DECISIONS TO A BOSS. NEVER KNOWING IF YOUR CONTRACT WILL BE RENEWED. OH GOD NO I COULDN’T DO IT.

LUCA: OF COURSE OVER THE YEARS WE’VE CONSIDERED WHETHER TO SELL A STAKE IN THE COMPANY, OR WHETHER TO STAY INDEPENDENT. THERE ARE PROS AND CONS, AS WITH EVERYTHING. BUT ULTIMATELY WHEN YOU SELL, YOU LOSE YOUR SOUL. I’M SORRY BUT THAT’S MY OPINION. IT’S THE BEGINNING OF THE END. AN INVESTOR WILL ALWAYS LOOK AT A BUSINESS DIFFERENTLY FROM ITS FOUNDER. IT’S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT APPROACH: THEY’RE LOOKING FOR RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT IN 3-5 YEARS. SO IF YOU’RE READY TO RETIRE, THAT’S THE TIME TO SELL. YOU TAKE THE MONEY, AND YOU GO ON TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.

ELSA: THE DECISION TO STAY INDEPENDENT HASN’T BEEN EASY BECAUSE AS A PART OF A CONGLOMERATE YOU HAVE MANY ADVANTAGES, AND YOU CAN GROWN MUCH FASTER. BUT YOU’RE BEHOLDEN TO SOMEONE ELSE; YOU DON’T GET TO MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS ANYMORE. ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO WE DID SERIOUSLY CONSIDER IT BUT DECIDED THAT THE TIME WASN’T RIGHT: WE WERE TOO YOUNG, AND WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH OURSELVES ON OUR OWN TERMS. RICK IS SO SPECIFIC IN EVERY ASPECT OF HIS WORK, AND WE WANTED TO PROTECT HIS VISION AND ENSURE IT WASN’T DILUTED.

MICHELE: STAYING INDEPENDENT IS PERFECT FOR RICK, AND IT’S A TRIUMPH FOR ELSA. AS FOR ME, I DON’T KNOW ANY DIFFERENT. SOME PEOPLE WERE DISCARDED ALONG THE WAY, LIKE EO BOCCI. BUT I SUPPOSE THAT’S THE WAY IT GOES.

LUCA: WHEN WE STARTED THIS BUSINESS IT WAS EASY TO GET INVESTMENT FROM ITALIAN MANUFACTURERS. THERE WERE SO MANY FACTORIES IN ITALY STILL, AND THEY WERE DOING BIG BUSINESS. TO INVEST IN A NEW DESIGNER WAS NOT A BIG RISK, AND IF THE DESIGNER HIT THE BIG TIME THE PAYOFF WAS GREAT. NOW UNFORTUNATELY MOST OF THOSE FACTORIES HAVE CLOSED, AND MANUFACTURING HAS MOVED ELSEWHERE: TURKEY, PORTUGAL, MOLDAVIA. IF YOU GO TO PORTUGAL YOU PAY 30% LESS. IN TURKEY 50% LESS. IF YOU GO TO NORTH AFRICA YOU PAY EVEN LESS. SINCE THE EARLY 2000S ITALY HAS LOST THE ADVANTAGE THEY USED TO HAVE, AND ‘MADE IN ITALY’ DOESN’T MEAN AS MUCH. SO YOUNG DESIGNERS HAVE TO GET INVESTMENT IN OTHER WAYS: YOU CAN SEE WHY SELLING 40% OF YOUR BRAND TO A CONGLOMERATE LIKE LVMH IS TEMPTING.

ELSA: IT’S TRUE. WHEN WE STARTED IN THE EARLY 2000S THE MARKET LOOKED COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: INDEPENDENT RETAILERS WERE STILL VERY IMPORTANT, THERE WAS NO E-COMMERCE, NO SOCIAL MEDIA AND NO SMART PHONES, THE CHINESE MARKET DIDN’T EXIST FOR WESTERN BRANDS. BACK THEN THE GOAL WAS TO START SELLING WHOLESALE, AND EVENTUALLY TO OPEN YOUR OWN RETAIL SPACES. WE STARTED WITH FIFTY STORES THE VERY FIRST SEASON WE WORKED TOGETHER, AND IT GREW FROM THERE. PRICE WISE WE LOOKED AT POSITIONING RICK ALONGSIDE CORRESPONDING BRANDS: MARGIELA, OLIVIER THEYSKENS, ANN DEMEULEMEESTER. WE REALLY PAID ATTENTION TO THE PRICE STRATEGY: WE DIDN’T WANT IT TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN HIS COMPETITORS. WHEN CUSTOMERS CHOOSE WHAT TO BUY, THEY SELECT SOMETHING WITHIN A CERTAIN BENCHMARK SO IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NEITHER BE TOO EXPENSIVE NOR TOO CHEAP.

MICHELE: THE MODEL I USE IS COMME DE GARÇONS. IF IT WASN’T FOR RICK, I’D WEAR COMME ALL THE TIME. THEY HAVE FOUND THEIR OWN WAY, AND THEY’VE STAYED INDEPENDENT ALL THESE YEARS. I USED TO TALK A LOT WITH ADRIAN JOFFE ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF THEIR COMPANY; AT ONE POINT I PROBABLY KNEW MORE ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE THAN I DID IN MY HOUSE. [LAUGHS]

LUCA: IT’S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR YOUNG DESIGNERS TODAY: THE SUPPLY CHAIN HAS CHANGED, THE WHOLE INFRASTRUCTURE IS DIFFERENT. THINK OF THE LVMH PRIZE. I’M SURE IT’S HELPFUL TO SOME YOUNG DESIGNERS, BUT IT’S ALSO THERE TO FUNNEL IDEAS STRAIGHT INTO THE CONGLOMERATE - AND TO GET YOUNG DESIGNERS USED TO WORKING WITH THEM. I DON’T BLAME THEM, THOUGH. STAYING INDEPENDENT TODAY IS NIGH ON IMPOSSIBLE.

ELSA: IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT WE WOULD NEVER CONSIDER BECOMING A PART OF A GROUP, CONSIDERING ALL AVENUES IS PART OF MY JOB. IF A GOOD OPPORTUNITY COMES ALONG, YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO TAKE IT. ANYWAY, TODAY WE’RE A MATURE COMPANY, STABLE AND VERY CONSISTENT. SO OUR BARGAINING POWER, OUR LEVERAGE IS MUCH GREATER. WHAT I WANT FOR THE FUTURE NOW IS TO ENSURE THAT RICK OWENS REMAINS A STRONG BRAND, UNAFFECTED BY HYPE, AND BUILT TO LAST. AND I THINK WE’RE GETTING THERE.

RICK: MY PATH HAS BEEN A FAIRY TALE. BECAUSE VERY INNOCENTLY I JUST MADE STUFF AND I PUT IT OUT THERE AND HOPED SOMEONE WOULD COME ALONG TO HELP ME FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK. 
AND THEY DID, AND IT DID. THERE ARE SO MANY FACTORS THAT COULD GO WRONG; HAVING BUSINESS PARTNERS THAT ARE GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO AND THAT PROTECT YOU AND ALLOW YOU TO FOCUS ON WHAT YOU’RE GOOD AT IS SUCH AN UNUSUAL THING. I KNOW HOW LUCKY I AM TO WORK WITH HONEST AND RELIABLE PEOPLE. I’M VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT I’VE HAD MORE THAN MY SHARE OF VALIDATION. GETTING THE AMOUNT OF SUCCESS AND RECOGNITION I’VE HAD IS HUGE AND VERY RARE.