Francesca Ruffini presented her fall collection by showroom appointments in Paris. It was quite a change of scene from the lavish penumbra of her Milanese apartment; her luxuriant creations seem to agree with slightly decadent, atmospheric surroundings. Yet Ruffini has turned her niche label into a go-to for women who certainly don’t want to look like they’re lounging in an opium den; her many clients are, like herself, busy living active lives while retaining a desire for individuality and creative expression through dressing. They want comfort and ease infused with imagination and joie de vivre—especially now, when the world is so unpredictably difficult to navigate. “We need to stay positive and optimistic, and react with energy to what’s happening today,” said Ruffini. “We have to appreciate all the beautiful things that surround us. Beauty can be healing. And I hope to contribute with what I do to help women express confidence in themselves and in the future.”
Her sophisticated prints and artistic sense of color certainly convey an uplifting message. Her decorative inspiration, which comes from her travels as well as thorough archival research, was translated for fall into blown-up exotic and naturalistic patterns, printed on squared foulards. Patching and assembling them together, she worked on various shapes for dresses and wrap coats. The best of the former were new elongated and body-friendly versions, with a jacquard-knitted bodice segueing into an asymmetrical pashmina-printed skirt, that could be cinched into a more shapely silhouette. As for the latter, they were proposed in elegant double-face and reversible iterations, in a mix of naturalistic and geometric motifs printed on velvet or silk.
Ruffini seems to be in experimenting mode these days. Mindful of sustainability, she worked on a series of wrap coats in recycled silk yarn, woven into a jacquard Aztec pattern; in addition to looking terrific and highly covetable, they felt warm and soft to the touch like baby cashmere. Expanding her offer into a lifestyle label is also in the cards; decorating being one of her passions, she is introducing a line of home textiles—quilted bedspreads, pillows, and throws—which she plans to develop into a full-fledged home collection, complementing her fashion propositions. Judging from the exquisite taste she has poured into her (multiple) homes, it’ll surely be a hit.
