The year has only just begun, but for Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo it’s already one for the books.
“She’s definitely added to our worldwide appeal,” Russo ventured in a preshow interview before politely declining to elaborate further on the Meghan Markle effect. He did allow, however, that all the eveningwear action sparks an equal interest in daywear. “The wow factor catches their attention, then they ask for a lot of daywear too,” the designers said.
That the brand is opening stores in Miami, New York, and Los Angeles this year (armed with perfume and cosmetics to boot) speaks volumes. So did the crowd at the show: Kylie Minogue, Natalia Vodianova, and Arizona Muse all sat front and center.
The couple’s recent travels through Asia for both work and pleasure inspired a collection of 56 looks cascading with such couture flourishes as molded petals, hand-painted motifs, and lashings of ostrich feathers or tassels. Ralph cited mother-of-pearl details spotted at the furniture museum in Seoul as one of the inspirations for some of the show’s jacquards, the lights of Tokyo at night for a glittering cage dress, and traditional Chinese roofing for some of the plissé work.
The opening dress, a ’30s-style silk crepe kimono with hand-painted peonies, ivory crystals, organza petals, and ombré fringing and tassels brought themes together in one piece that the designers explored in many iterations and colors, from pale mint and peridot to vivid chartreuse, emerald, red, or canary yellow. With awards season in mid-swing, the delicate tiered gown in navy metallic lace could well become a bone of contention among the red carpet set.
This season’s star bride was the Brazilian influencer Camila Coelho. “She’s beautiful, lovely, and annoyingly perfect,” Ralph noted. With 7 million followers, she also brings a whole extra dimension of visibility. “This is new for me. I was super happy to be invited; I’m only processing it now, and I’m nervous,” Coelho said before her big runway debut. “I’m doing things I never dreamed of. I feel like a real-life princess.”
The gown, an off-white double duchess confection with a draped bodice, floral ruching, pearlescent micro-beads, 3-D Swarovski jeweled leaves, silk floss flowers, and metallic silk thread embellishments, was one weighty piece of work, but Coelho pulled it off.
