Good Morning All!! Happy Monday and Happy April 1st!
First of all, I would like to thank all of you for so many well wishes. I'm happy to say that I feel stronger each day and the stitches come out on Friday!!
Last week I started a little series for Monday's inspiration with a focus on couture design. I think we all find it incredibly amazing to see the work that can go into just one garment. Today I am showcasing a book that I bought a few years back at the Art Institute of Chicago called American Beauty.
This book is full of so many incredible pieces. In fact, we'll spend two weeks with this book and I still will not cover everything. It is truly a treasure trove of interesting pieces. If by chance you would like a copy of your own, you can find it
here on Amazon.
Today, I am focusing on a favorite of so many, Ralph Rucci. There are not a lot of pictures, but I don't think we need a lot in order to be inspired.
The first piece is a suit from his fall 2006 collection. It is double-faced cashmere.
The suit has cutout designs where contrasting pieces were inserted back into the cutouts. All hand stitched.
Corded seams. Fall 2004.
Fall 2006. All intricately pieced and hand sewn.
This is by far my favorite piece. Hand knotted bodice. Take note of how the cording is held to the main portion of the dress and all the tiny seams!
Spring 2003
Ripple Effect Infanta, 2002
Ralph Rucci insists that there be no rigid or heavy understructure to his gowns. He uses organza and Filogil to support the voluminous skirts. Filogil is a stiff but featherweight silk. In fact, it is so stiff that it cannot be bent into a seam. Rather, the material is cut 1/8" smaller than the seam of the base fabric and then hand stitched with a fine cross-stitch to the organza layer. All I can say is WOW!! No wonder these gowns cost thousands of dollars.
Fortunately for those of us who sew, we can attempt to recreate one of his beautiful pieces. Here is a link to his patterns that are currently available,
http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/chado-ralph-rucci-pages-315.php
Wishing you all a wonderful week as well as a wonderful month!
Rhonda
I think designers are recognized worldwide are for good reason ... They are meticulous with details of work ... this post is very inspiring ... I hope you are better ... take care.
ReplyDeleteCan't say I am really a fan of his work but I can sure appreciate all the work that has gone into these garments.
ReplyDeleteI've made one or two of his patterns but it's so glamorous that I these dresses don't fit my life but it's lovely to look at. Thank you, roll on Friday - I aways see that as a milestone on the road to recovery.
ReplyDeleteHe is one of my favorite designers. I love his embellishments and attention to details. I find his work inspiring and his ideas can, with a little motivation, be used in our own creations. Thanks for this Monday's showcase. Friday can't come soon enough, I'm sure.
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