Rick Owens
Temple Sheer Long-Sleeve Top
This item is a women's sheer long-sleeve top from the American brand Rick Owens, constructed from a stretch mesh fabric composed of 93% polyamide and 7% spandex. It features a boat neck, extra-long sleeves, raw hem, graphic stitching at the bust, and a fitted silhouette with a low scooped back and drawstring waist. The sheer mesh is highly transparent, so undergarments and skin may be visible; it is intended for wear as a revealing statement top and requires hand washing.
- Gender
- female
- Style
- minimal, gothic, edgy, experimental
- Category
- Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Shirts & Tops
Color
Size
Specifications
Sheer mesh long-sleeve top with graphic stitching and raw hem, offering a sculptural, close fit.
Sheer stretch mesh, graphic bust stitching, boat neck, extra-long sleeves, raw hem, raised seams.
- Material
- Main material: 93% polyamide, 7% spandex
- Style
- minimal, gothic, edgy, experimental
- Gender
- female
- Age Group
- adult
- Condition
- new
- Category
- Apparel & Accessories > Clothing > Shirts & Tops
Additional Attributes
- sheer stretch mesh
- graphic stitching at the bust
- boat neck
- extra-long sleeves
- raw hem
- raised seams
- close fit
- sculptural lightness
- delicate construction
- transparent fabric
Product Insights
The Temple Sheer Long-Sleeve Top, shown at the Temple of Love retrospective, embodies Rick Owens' American bluntness through a uniformly transparent mesh that offers a second-skin grip but is delicate and prone to holes. Harness-inspired raised seams and geometric stitching simulate articulation, while extra-long sleeves and raw hem create a deconstructed silhouette. The single-layer polyamide-spandex mesh reveals nipples and body hair, with decorative stitching adding no opacity. Designed for a close fit, it can be layered over a bralette or worn alone, but sizing up loses the intended form; double-layer cotton or opaque alternatives sacrifice sheerness for durability.
Verified claims
- Design
- This Temple collection top, shown at the Temple of Love retrospective, embodies Owens' American bluntness design ethos.
- Transparency
- The sheer mesh is uniformly transparent with a second-skin grip; owners report it is delicate and prone to holes.
- Harness-inspired seaming
- Raised seams and geometric stitching simulate harness articulation and veining.
- Bondage-coded proportions
- Extra-long sleeves and raw hem create an elongated, deconstructed silhouette.
- Mesh second-skin grip
- 93% polyamide, 7% spandex sheer mesh gives a tight second-skin grip.
- Sheerness
- Single-layer mesh reveals nipples and body hair; decorative stitching adds no opacity.
- Layering
- Close fit allows layering over a bralette, camisole, or bodysuit.
- Wearing options
- Uniformly sheer top can be worn alone or layered; bust stitching adds no opacity.
- Hem and seam details
- Raw hem and raised seams add visual interest when layering under jackets.
- Alternative versions
- Double-layer cotton versions provide the same silhouette with opacity.
- Silhouette
- Designed for a close, body-hugging fit with stretch mesh and raised seams; sizing up gives a looser silhouette but loses the intended form.
- Sleeve styling
- Extra-long sleeves extend past the hands for an elongated line, or can be bunched at the wrist.
- Non-sheer options
- Double-layer unstable cotton tees or regular cotton jersey are opaque; viscose/silk stays semi-transparent.
- Styling differences
- Double-layer alternative has folded hem, single back seam, round-neck short sleeves; sheer has raw hem, harness seams, boat-neck long sleeves.
Product record
- Title
- Temple Sheer Long-Sleeve Top
- Brand
- Rick Owens
- Price
- 565 CAD
- Availability
- In stock
Deep Research
Where this top sits in the SS26 Temple collection
- The collection's show notes described geometric seams tracing the body "like rigid and controlling veining," a deliberate use of sheer jersey not for exposure but for architecture — meaning the graphic stitching on this top is the exact translation of that runway idea into a wearable garment, where the seams impose a structured, almost harness-like discipline on the otherwise transparent fabric.
- The top's namesake collection debuted simultaneously with Owens' career retrospective "Temple of Love" at the Palais Galliera, with the designer explicitly engaging themes of peaking and decline — so this piece is not just a seasonal item but part of a milestone collection where Owens consciously reflected on his legacy, giving the top a weight that outlasts a single fashion cycle.
- Rick Owens defined his design ethos for the collection as "the denseness of European aesthetic sophistication seen through a filter of American bluntness," a framework that makes sense of this top's raw hem and unlined transparency as the "bluntness" applied to an otherwise elegant, body-hugging silhouette rooted in European pattern-cutting.
Harness-inspired seamwork and silhouette
- The 93% polyamide, 7% elastane mesh creates a tight, second-skin fit that contours the body the way a harness would, with the fabric's transparency reinforcing the exposure-and-concealment tension that defines fetish wear—the material is not passive but an active participant in the harness illusion.
- The raised seams are expressly designed to echo the articulation of a harness, with the geometric stitching at the bust mimicking the tension points and strap routing of bondage wear—turning a functional restraint system into a purely aesthetic seam motif across sheer stretch mesh.
- The extra-long sleeves that extend past the hands and the raw, unfinished hem are signature Rick Owens bondage details—they elongate the silhouette and introduce a deconstructed, almost predatory elegance that intensifies the harness narrative, marking this top as a piece designed to be worn, not merely looked at.
How this top compares to other Rick Owens sheer tops
- The raw, unfinished hem on the Temple reinforces its deconstructed, atelier-like quality, while the Temple Double's folded hem and sleeve details provide a clean, resolved edge — this detail accentuates the Sheer Long-Sleeve's experimental, workshop-edge personality for those who want their Rick Owens top to read as deliberately unpolished.
- Where the Temple Double SS T achieves a subtle moiré effect through two layers of fabric, the Temple Sheer Long-Sleeve Top is a single layer of mesh — there is no light diffusion, a direct-to-skin transparency that commits harder to the provocative naked dressing aesthetic.
- The Temple is cut from a 93% polyamide / 7% spandex mesh with a slick, elastic second-skin grip, whereas the SS26 Temple Double SS T uses GOTS-certified organic unstable cotton jersey with a soft, matte drape — the mesh feels deliberately synthetic and performance-oriented, the cotton more like a broken-in wearable sculpture.
- The Temple's raised seams and graphic bust stitching are explicitly referenced as 'inspired by the articulation of a harness,' which adds an industrial, body-morphing focal point absent from the Temple Double's minimalist single spine seam and folded hems — making the Sheer Long-Sleeve read like a deconstructed corset rather than an avant-garde basic.
- The Temple's boat neck and sleeves that extend past the hands create a sweeping, elongated line from shoulder to fingertip, while the Temple Double T's ribbed round neck and short sleeves land at conventional points — the Sheer Long-Sleeve feels like a performance costume piece, the Double like a luxe everyday t-shirt.
Image Analysis
2 images- 01
Product
Fitted sheer long-sleeve mesh top with visible flat seams forming geometric paneling, an opaque horizontal bust band, and a thin drawstring at the waist; shown on a model from the front.
- Overall silhouetteForm-fitting long-sleeve top with a straight, wide neckline and a hem that sits at the model's upper hips.
1 region
x 0.17 · y 0.06 · w 0.66 · h 0.74 (high) - Fabric typeSheer fine mesh fabric across torso and sleeves that is semi-transparent against the model's skin.
1 region
x 0.20 · y 0.08 · w 0.60 · h 0.60 (high) - Bust bandOpaque horizontal band across the bust in a muted gray fabric distinct from the sheer mesh.
1 region
x 0.26 · y 0.24 · w 0.48 · h 0.12 (high) - Visible seams and panelingContrasting flat seams in a light thread form geometric panels radiating from center chest and underbust to the sides and neckline.
1 region
x 0.28 · y 0.16 · w 0.44 · h 0.36 (high) - Waist band and drawstringSemi-sheer wide lower band at the waist with a thin cord drawstring knotted at center front and two dangling cords.
1 region
x 0.34 · y 0.56 · w 0.32 · h 0.20 (high) - Sleeve detailsLong, fitted sleeves in the same sheer mesh as the body, slightly gathered at the wrists.
2 regions
x 0.12 · y 0.16 · w 0.16 · h 0.62 (high); x 0.72 · y 0.16 · w 0.16 · h 0.62 (high)
Other
Studio-front product shot on a neutral light gray background showing the model from mid-face to mid-thigh with even soft lighting and minimal shadows.
- Shot compositionFrontal studio shot centered on the model; crop includes lower face down to mid-thigh.
- Background and lightingPlain light gray background with diffuse soft lighting that produces even illumination and soft shadows under the arms.
- Visible prop not productBlack skirt or shorts worn by the model is visible below the top and is not part of the photographed top.
1 region
x 0.20 · y 0.70 · w 0.60 · h 0.26 (high) - Model hands visibleBoth of the model's hands are visible at the lower edges of the frame; left hand rests near the side seam and right hand is slightly forward.
2 regions
x 0.10 · y 0.78 · w 0.18 · h 0.18 (high); x 0.72 · y 0.78 · w 0.16 · h 0.18 (high)
Colors
light beige· sheer mesh body and sleeves#ACABABpale gray· contrasting seam thread and panel trimmuted gray· opaque bust band#A4A3A3off-white· waist drawstring cord- Overall silhouetteForm-fitting long-sleeve top with a straight, wide neckline and a hem that sits at the model's upper hips.
- 02
Product
Back view of a fitted sheer long-sleeve top with a low scooped back neckline, visible vertical center back seam and midriff band in a denser knit; long fitted sleeves with slight ruched detail at the cuffs.
- Overall silhouetteFitted, body-hugging long-sleeve top showing the rear and left side of the torso with a low scooped back neckline and a narrow shoulder width.
1 region
x 0.18 · y 0.02 · w 0.64 · h 0.96 (high) - MaterialSheer, fine-mesh fabric across back and sleeves that reveals underlying skin tone and underlying garments.
1 region
x 0.22 · y 0.06 · w 0.57 · h 0.64 (high) - Midriff bandOpaque or denser horizontal band across the mid-back and waist area in a darker gray mesh that contrasts with the sheer upper back.
1 region
x 0.28 · y 0.42 · w 0.42 · h 0.32 (high) - Center back seamA visible vertical seam runs down the center back from the neckline to the hem, formed by exposed stitch line on the mesh.
1 region
x 0.48 · y 0.08 · w 0.06 · h 0.68 (high) - Decorative back tapeTwo parallel narrow vertical taped or stitched strips positioned near the upper center back, each showing small repeated rectangular marks; detail is faint and slightly translucent.Uncertain
1 region
x 0.49 · y 0.14 · w 0.06 · h 0.18 (medium) - Sleeve constructionLong, close-fitting sleeves with visible outer seam stitching running along the arm; sleeves remain sheer to the wrist.
2 regions
x 0.12 · y 0.12 · w 0.26 · h 0.78 (high); x 0.60 · y 0.16 · w 0.20 · h 0.72 (high) - Cuff detailSlight gathering or ruched stacking of the sleeve fabric at the left wrist creating narrow horizontal folds.
1 region
x 0.10 · y 0.78 · w 0.18 · h 0.16 (high) - HemlineLower hem sits at the top of the hips and shows a banded denser knit with visible horizontal seam lines.
1 region
x 0.30 · y 0.62 · w 0.46 · h 0.20 (high)
Other
Studio product shot showing the model from a three-quarter rear angle against a neutral light gray background; black pants visible as a separate garment; soft, even lighting with minimal shadows.
- Shot compositionThree-quarter rear view of a standing model cropped near the head and mid-thigh, centered in frame with the left arm slightly forward.
- BackgroundUniform light gray seamless background with no visible props or set elements.
1 region
x 0.00 · y 0.00 · w 1.00 · h 1.00 (low) - Additional garmentBlack loose-fitting bottom (skirt or pants) visible from the waist downward, distinct from the sheer top.
1 region
x 0.28 · y 0.75 · w 0.52 · h 0.24 (high) - Lighting and shadowSoft, even studio lighting with faint shadows on the model's left side and subtle specular highlights on the mesh fabric.
Colors
light taupe gray· sheer mesh body and sleevesmedium cool gray· midriff and waist band#7C736Cpale gray· seam stitching and taped strips- Overall silhouetteFitted, body-hugging long-sleeve top showing the rear and left side of the torso with a low scooped back neckline and a narrow shoulder width.
Documents & Data
Q&A
6 answered- How does the sizing of this top compare to other Rick Owens tops? Should I size up for a less close fit?
- This top is designed for a close fit as described in the product details. For a less fitted look, sizing up is an option, but be aware that the silhouette is intentionally form-fitting.
- Does the graphic stitching at the bust provide any added opacity, or is the entire top uniformly sheer?
- The graphic stitching at the bust adds texture but does not significantly increase opacity; the entire top is uniformly sheer.
- Is this top designed to be layered, or should it be worn as a standalone piece? Any recommendations for layering pieces?
- This top can be worn as a standalone piece for a bold, revealing look, or layered over a bralette, camisole, or bodysuit for added coverage. The close fit makes it easy to layer under jackets or cardigans as well.
- How long are the extra-long sleeves? Are they meant to extend past the hands or bunch at the wrist?
- The extra-long sleeves are designed to extend past the hands, creating an elongated silhouette that is characteristic of Rick Owens' aesthetic. They can also be bunched at the wrist for a more gathered look.
- Are Rick Owens long sleeves meant to be see-through?
- Yes, the sheer fabric intentionally shows body contours and nipples.
- Is there a non-sheer version available?
- Yes, double-layer unstable cotton tees or regular cotton jersey options are less transparent.
Reddit Insights
3 threads · r/RickowensReddit users are largely positive about the sheer, sensual aesthetic of Rick Owens’ unstable cotton long-sleeve tops but caution that they are extremely delicate and transparent.
The majority of commenters enjoy the unique drape, feel, and revealing look, though they acknowledge the fabric's fragility and high transparency may not appeal to everyone.
Themes
Use Cases
- Statement piece for a bold, revealing look
Watch Out For
Source Threads
User discusses durability and feel of Rick Owens sheer tops
The unstable cotton and silk blend jerseys found in the shirts arent at all durable but still feel nice and luxurious. I get holes on them but the nice drape and sensory experience to them is what makes me love them. I think the shirts are totally worth it when I find them for $80-120.
u/gothgogabgalabr/RickowensView thread →
Comment confirming the intentional sheerness of Rick long sleeves
Yeah I’m assuming this is one of the sheer ribbed tops you’ve got. Everything shows in them in certain lighting. Personally I love them but you’ve got to be happy with the fact it does show everything.
u/Zeeandthelostboysr/RickowensView thread →
Advice on non-sheer alternatives to the unstable cotton top
Viscose/silk (code JS) is still kinda transparent. Regular cotton jersey (JA) is not transparent. If you want the vibe of the unstable cotton (UC) without transparency then you’ll want to go for one of the double layer UC tees.
u/the_jamsr/RickowensView thread →