Rick Owens

Leather Sneakers

California-born, now Paris-based designer Rick Owens is best known for his ability make grunge fabulous and give worn-in, distressed fabrics a glamorous appeal. Owens debuted his collection in Los Angeles in 1994 and marked his first New York runway appearance in 2002. The following year, he debuted a men's collection alongside his women's runway and then moved his label from the California coast to set up shop in Paris. He calls his look minimal and direct, giving humble pieces luxurious elements and creating a style that combines elegance and destruction. Over the course of his career, Owens has received several awards, including the CFDA's Perry Ellis talent award in 2002 and the Cooper-Hewitt National Designer award in 2007. To celebrate his 10th season, he launched a retrospective of his work in a book "L'ai-Je Bien Descendue."