Ralph Rucci Haute Couture F/W 2023.24 Paris

[LadyJunon]

Rucci design sketches on the left, illustrations by Bil Donovan on the right:

Source: Ralph Rucci

 

[LadyJunon]

Source: Ralph Rucci

 

[LadyJunon]

As much as I love all these designs, I do wish that he'd put some of those designs into physical form and present them on mannequins à la Theyskens or even in a short fashion film.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ It’s a shame the collections aren’t produced and presented of course. However, it’s also such a no-nonsense streamlined approach to a business that’s so wasteful: Only produce what a clientele pays for. (…And I suppose the cost-saving cuts will be passed on to the clientele…Which sounds ludicrous and an absolutely contradictory in the rarified world of couture LOL But a business approach someone like our good friend Elena Vekez could learn from.)

HIs clientele must be so trusting and so confident in his creative vision and technical skills to invest in a look purely based on chicken scratch (the added illustrations are a needed aid). That’s the level of experience and relationship with their clientele every designer ought to aspire to. Still, a shame we’ll never see his collections in its full, realized glory.

 

[FashionMuseDior]

I know that the physical collection will not do justice to these amazing sketchs.

 

[Deleted member 7575]

I love Ralph but oh my god these designs are so dated.

 

[Nimsay]

Yes very dated.

rucci is all we got for american HC so we gotta give him our energy.

 

[Lola701]

I love Ralph but oh my god these designs are so dated.

But isn’t it part of his charm though…
I have always appreciate his work but it was never modern for me. It always had that old fashioned feel…Maybe because of his clientele.
One thing I must say though is that his way of working with furs, even through the sketches, feels very dated but not in the charming way.

But I have to admit that in that lane of very conservative fashion, his work doesn’t look as trans generational as Armani.

 

[Deleted member 7575]

But isn’t it part of his charm though…

No, it's to the detriment of his success.

 

[Lola701]

No, it's to the detriment of his success.

But it does seems like he doesn’t want to be out of his ivory tower though…

‘Maybe I would have felt the same way as you if something in his work ever suggested that he wants to be part of the moment… Sure his IG posts have some underline resentment but even at his peak his approach has always been « Ivory Tower-ish ».

 

[Cocteau Stone]

I'd like to see some of these be made mainly to see the textiles in action. Can't say the silhouettes move me all that much if at all. Some of these designs remind me of Valentino's Fall 2007 Couture Anniversary collection, but that was so chic in that old-school couture glamour kind of way with the right touch of whimsy compared to this.

The man does love himself a stole and a shawl though. Can take away his design house, but you can not and will not take away his love for a stole and a shawl.

 

[Phuel]

But isn’t it part of his charm though…
I have always appreciate his work but it was never modern for me. It always had that old fashioned feel…Maybe because of his clientele.
One thing I must say though is that his way of working with furs, even through the sketches, feels very dated but not in the charming way.

But I have to admit that in that lane of very conservative fashion, his work doesn’t look as trans generational as Armani.

I find Armani's current couture offering rathe hideous, frankly. But if that's what his clientele wants...

Yes, Ralph is dated. In the best way-- in a way. It’s endearing, inspiring how committed, how unashamedly lost in his own world he is— and that’s in a good way ( I wished I could afford to be this lost IRL LOL). Not a lick of corporate pandering to the SM children as so much of even haute couture has dumbed down to, just for likes/follows. The illustrations look so at home as a late-80s Vogue ad for Bill Bless x Neiman-Marcus, and right next to an YSL Opium ad. But there’s no comparison to the real thing. Ralph really is one of the last few gatekeepers of couture when the tradition has been so plagued by commonness, mediocrity, cheapness now on display at Chanel/Valentino/Fendi, among others :cough:Charles de Vilmorin:cough: And it’s unfortunate he can’t/won’t produce actual garments that would showcase his complete creative vision. And more unfortunate he likely doesn't have enough of a roster of clientele.

His aura in marinating in a certain part of the past that’s understandably tired to some— or eternally classic couture staples to some, like his clientele. I tend to side with the latter (although nixing the feathered trimmings would be an improvement.But that’s just my personal repulsion to feathers). And there seems to be a whole new generation that have just discovered the late-80s/early-90s and enthralled by the fashion trappings of that period— and fortunately for Ralph, includes his sensibility. One of the most important points that so many designers seem to neglect: Know and respect who you’re designing.

 

[reese06]

Kinda fab but also dusty.

I know this New York woman and she is fabulous but not really my thing.

 

[brandon J pierre]

I love Ralph but oh my god these designs are so dated.

they are

 

[brandon J pierre]

But it does seems like he doesn’t want to be out of his ivory tower though…

‘Maybe I would have felt the same way as you if something in his work ever suggested that he wants to be part of the moment… Sure his IG posts have some underline resentment but even at his peak his approach has always been « Ivory Tower-ish ».

Ture he's of of touch

 

[LadyJunon]

Can take away his design house, but you can not and will not take away his love for a stole and a shawl.

Funny thing you say that, because he actually managed to get his name back.

When Rucci left his house, the investors used the house's property, employees and resources to create Sies Marjan. Sies Marjan went under during the pandemic and the investors officially closed the fashion house, allow the Ralph Rucci name to be freed up the following year.