HADO,
a centuries-old Japanese tea ceremony, consists of 331 distinctive
steps, which when performed properly, creates an overall sense of
grace and elegance. The principles behind Chado—harmony, respect,
purity, integrity and tranquillity—are also quite apparent in Mr Rucci’s designs.
Ralph Rucci, a native of Philadelphia, is one
of those designers who operate far under the radar of his more famous
peers such as Donna Karan, Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs. For the
people in the fashion press who have never bothered to attend any
of his shows over the years, he is a mystery. But for those of us,
who did and continue to do so, he has long been the master of the
quiet seduction. His work is an amalgamation of his college studies
of philosophy and literature, his later appreciation of the fine
arts, and his particular æsthetic as influenced by artists
such as Alberto Giacometti, Robert Motherwell and Cy Twombly. He
also takes inspiration from historical fashion figures such as Cristobal
Balenciaga, Mme Grès and Charles James, which led him to
attempt to establish himself as a couturier.
God is in the details at Chado Ralph Rucci. Season
after season, Mr Rucci designs clothing that fulfils a self-imposed
mandate: high-quality clothes using only the most beautiful fabrics
with a lot of hidden bells and whistles. Never one to load down
his designs with over-adornments, he excites his customers with
a meticulousness and attention to detail that has won him many fans
(and fanatics) among store buyers such as Neiman Marcus’s Joan Kaner
and retired American designer James Galanos. He has even managed
to create a fan in The New York Times’ chief fashion critic,
Cathy Horyn, who is not known for being a fan to most American designers
or a supporter of their efforts.
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