“There are so many clients; half the room up there is clients,” said Michael Russo from the venue’s lower level backstage. The space could have accommodated a very large wedding, and he sounded a little awestruck. If just a dozen guests place orders for these latest Ralph & Russo dresses, the British brand’s commitment to couture amid its expanding business (several stores are forthcoming) would likely speak for itself.
As Russo and partner Tamara Ralph’s first big statement since the royal wedding, for which they were considered strong contenders to design Meghan Markle’s dress, the collection did not come across as an overt bid to win her over for future black-tie occasions. How could it with many of the gowns oozing so much glitz and glamour: the lacy bustiers and allover transparencies; volumes of feathers and gold and silver crystal sequin embellishments; and diaphanous skirts slit up to the hip bone? Not even in some parallel universe could the Duchess of Sussex get away with bejeweled garters peeking out from a very sexy ivory coatdress. The chiffon caftan gown with a jewel-encrusted collar, which Ralph singled out as a key statement, was quite the showstopper; yet to be duchess-appropriate, the swirling highlighter hues would need to be swapped for a subtler palette.
All that being said, the duo was very smart to take this direction—particularly when Dior did ultra-discreet dressing just hours earlier. They can still bask in the afterglow of the official engagement photos while staying true to their luxe, lavish positioning. “She’s given a lot more visibility to the brand globally and internationally—and the reach that she has is just incredible,” said Russo of the duchess. So with Jacqueline de Ribes as the season’s muse instead of Markle—a couture-loving comtesse in lieu of a public-facing duchess—the sparkling minidresses, jewel-toned jumpsuits, and bustle-enhanced gowns should have easily seduced the show’s enthusiastic clients, who, by the way, seemed to have come from everywhere except France. “Our woman is so worldly, and couture is as well,” said Ralph.
