Taking a breather from a world caught in thrall to digital, designer Tamara Ralph looked to master photographers like Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, and Norman Parkinson for her collection. It was a lavish display, with streams of opal and gold crystals, sequins, pearls, feathers, gold embroidery, and plissé organza flowers. “We wanted to have reminiscences of those times, but capture it in a modern way,” Ralph noted. “We wanted to do a collection that was very rich, that embodies our woman.” Clearly, the meticulously groomed front row clients—and they were legion—are going to bespoiled for choice.
Michelle Rodriguez, on a Paris break from filming in Chicago with Steve McQueen, exclaimed, “This is kind of new to me, but that bride!” Indeed, the finale seems the most fitting place to start. The designers found their ideal bride in the voluptuous Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor. Her gown, in Champagne Chantilly lace with a double duchess overskirt and train embroidered in silver, gold, florals, sequins, and pearlescent micro beads was so elaborate, it took four atelier assistants to wrangle the train when she turned at the end of the runway. Completing it required 6,000 hours of hand-embroidery.
The show opened with a few tailored cocktail looks, such as a crisp white suit or a one-shoulder black and silver tweed suit with jeweled buttons. But eveningwear is Ralph & Russo’s sweet spot, and the designers delivered options in a dizzying array of classic lines with lavish embellishments. A white organza dress with a cascade of crystal and ribbon woven hand-embroidery stood out, so did a tulle cocktail dress with metallic scalloping and crystal embroidery. A gown in illusion tulle seemed to be raining crystals. Another, in metallic sapphire lace, came veiled in tulle strewn with ostrich feathers.
That the show’s set design evoked a couture maison says a lot about what Ralph & Russo has been able to build in a relatively short time. And the designers are not stopping there: The couple will bow their ready-to-wear in Paris this October. At which point the choices may be even more head-spinning.
