Behind her reserved, elegant demeanor, Francesca Ruffini hides a love for the magical and the mysterious, which filters into the iconography of her sumptuous prints. For Resort, the print took an esoteric turn, with tarot symbolism and Surrealist imagery translated into evocative motifs. “It’s a mixture of the sacred and the profane, merging the classical with the enigmatic,” she said.
Ruffini gave a bold twist to her sophisticated graphics, shying away from the romantic representations she has so far favored and introducing a more assertive energy into the patterns. Blown-up flowers or waterfalls became like curlicued paint strokes on an emerald green caftan, and herons looked almost like menacing shadows over a sunset ablaze with red and yellow clouds. Willowy silhouettes inspired by René Gruau’s drawings dissolved into ethereal outlined abstractions, and black-and-white stripes mingled with an exotic menagerie wandering in a jungle. An 18th-century gravure was juxtaposed with humongous red blooms.
Colors were vibrant and often used in dégradé on long shirtdresses or trapeze caftans. The easy sophistication of FRS’s signature pajama sets was complemented by jumpsuits, palazzo pants as ample as a circle skirt, and loose-fitting shirts paired with ankle-grazing skirts with an elasticized waistband for comfort. Having launched in 2016, the loungewear-inspired label has expanded considerably, encompassing a full-fledged offer of versatile separates infused with a flair for decadence.
