Here’s the thing about Ralph Rucci, you know before you see
it that what you are about to see is what you won’t see anywhere else during
the so called week of fashion we have here in New York. Mr. Rucci is the stand
alone in this town as what he stands for is the closest thing to precise
exacting fashion that you can find in any fashion capital. As has been stated
by me many times, he is a designer, a craftsman and an original. Yes he is an
acquired taste and no he is not the trend driven new kid on the block. He is
consistently mind boggling in showing you the viewer that he can achieve the
impossible with a mere “needle and thread!”
In his notes, yes he actually wrote them, he describes the
opening exits as precise and sharp and here my eyes told me that sharp is an
understatement as the shapes and silhouettes could cut glass. Some might say
rigid but there was a certain softness to them even though at first glance you
might think they could stand up and salute. Something about them, maybe the
cream color, spoke to a slim chic woman of any age rather than a woman of a
certain age.
In past seasons and this one included, Rucci is relaxing a
bit and showing some softer separates or rather pieces that go together and
appear at lack of a better word… leisurely or relaxed maybe. The prime example
is the print skirt with wood beaded shell and high waisted skirt with what
seemed to be a waist tied shirt over a bra top. In keeping with this new, I
hate the word younger, but yes that, there were exquisite suits and simple
dresses and even a princess version of a trapeze ball gown and the RR version
of a caftan.
Major standouts were his couture touches he calls
“vibrations” which was used in a set of exits which highlighted the technique
in layered dresses, jackets and suits. Then there was his Venetian pin tucking
of tulle which gave us a peek of skin in a very tasteful and strategic way.
There were a couple of short beaded pieces which were almost an anomaly to the
collection yet one understood that without
a bit of a shock or seemingly poor fit in terms of look, there can be no
evolution. The short dresses happen to
be beaded and appeared in sort of Easter eggs colors; one all over beaded and
embroidered and one mechanically placed off to one side. What cannot be
forgotten was a Mondrianesque turnout matched in the most accurate and precise
way and the “they won’t forget you as you leave” gown that exposed liquid
silver under layer as you walked away.
The slide show will hopefully make all the verbiage coagulate
but no matter as what you need to know is that Ralph Rucci is a visual treat to
the knowledgeable, savvy and observant. His fashion “entertainment” is to
astound those who recognize it for what it is… mastery! And oh yes.. he is a
designer who designs!
PS… one would be remiss if the trapeze tunics were not
mentioned and that he managed to turn a shirtwaist dress into a chic affair!
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