Born Richard Saturnino Owens, the young designer dropped out of the Otis College of Art and Design to pursue pattern-making and draping courses at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. During his studies, Owens began cutting patterns that illegally knocked-off designer clothing. This tongue-in-cheek attitude would become a fixture of Owens' brand ethos. In 1994, Owens unveiled his inaugural clothing label selling exclusively to Charles Gallay, the L.A's trailblazing avant-garde boutique operator.