Rick Owens and Michele Lamy, at first sight an odd couple. He, gay and a controversial designer, is a mouth full of golden teeth and tattooed fingers dipped in henna. Yet they have been married for 13 years and Michele is both his muse and the business force behind Rick Owens ... not to mention a phenomenon in itself. Rick and Michel, an unlikely combination, an unlikely success.
All kinds of stories about Michele Lamy are circulating. She is Moroccan or Algerian, a Gypsy, raised by the wolves in the Ardennes, she is a vampire and 1,600 years old, an arms dealer or a witch. Take your pick. However, the truth is that Michele Lamy is a Parisienne who after her law studies went to strip in a cabaret, makes music and, most importantly, is the driving force behind designer Rick Owens (her age is one of the best kept secrets of the fashion world, but she must be over 60).
Rick Saturnino Owens (52) from Porterville, California, is controversial, dark, his line DRKSHDW says enough and he has been married to Michele Lamy for 16 years. The Odd Couple from the fashion world, but unbelievably successful. Ironically, Rick Owens' boyfriend Rick Castro - now a famous S&M photographer in turn - was one of Michele's best friends. He introduced them to each other in the hope that Rick could get a job as a patron draftsman through Michele because she had a business in sportswear. Rick worked for her for two years, without really understanding her because she "had such a heavy French accent," he told Hint Magazine in an interview. Whether it was due to the fact that he did not understand her or, in the end, did understand, let's not mention it, but he fell in love with the small, dark Frenchwoman. "So it is true that I am bisexual," says Owens. "That is not supposed to be right?" People don't like that. It would also be great if everything is black or white, but everything in life revolves around ambiguity and sometimes you have to adjust the rules along the way. It would have been much easier for me and in fact I always assumed that I would go through life as 100% gay, without a steady relationship, but with a lot of sex. "
Read more about The Odd Couple in the new The Gay Issue. Now in stores!