New York Fashion Week :: Chado Ralph Rucci [The ZOO]

Chado Ralph Rucci

Chado Ralph Rucci :: Spring Summer 2006

As New York Fashion Week came to a close on Friday, it was quite ironic that the Chado by Ralph Rucci collection was one of the last shows scheduled. Mr.Rucci's presentation gave us the strong reminder of what fashion week is really about, the clothes themselves. And among the far and few, no one does it better than Mr. Ralph Rucci himself. For the woman tired of retro, fairytales and bohemia, all the pieces from the Ralph Rucci collection displayed a deep understanding of the purity and beauty of clothing on the human body. These clothes represent what it is we love about fashion, the masterly craftsmanship, the painstaking details, the lush colors, and the ultimate luxury of the fabric.

In a collection of both ready to wear and haute couture, Rucci's pieces stemmed from a combined influence of nature's lines and the art deco movement. Dresses were pieced together in a collage like fashion with metallic placements. Leather was twisted and precisely cut, manipulated so as to look woven. The color palette was an intense of variety of orange, red, brown, and neutrals. Rucci's trademark funnel neck jackets stood tall like a piece of modern sculpture, yet never overbearing the body. The audience held its breath as Rucci's gowns came down the runway. The silk crepe gowns evoked a true spirit of old world couture. The long and lean silhouette was a powerful statement in response to the heightened lines and volumes displayed this past fashion week. A collection of true integrity. For New York Fashion Week, they saved the best for last indeed. [Rania Abu Eid]