Continued series of Suspension Suit idea.
Newer developments in the Suspension Suit idea.
Ralph Rucci’s “suspension” garments are less about gravity than they are about the complex engineering that goes into the composition and finishing of a
garment, some of which comprise more than eighty-five individual pattern pieces. “Suspension” refers to the way the pieces of fabric seem to hang in the final garment, held together by almost indiscernible layers of hand-stitching.
Ralph Rucci is known for the remarkable construction of his garments. All of his designs demonstrate refined and impeccable craftsmanship and each one features one or more elements of fine handwork, including embroidery, knotting, stitching, and beading. Rucci favors toothy fabrics—such as heavy silk jersey, doublefaced wool, duchesse satin, faille, moiré, and silk gabardine, as well as double-, triple-, and quadrupleweight gazar—for their sculptural qualities; they allow for greater volume and hold their shape better than lighter, more fluid fabrics.
This skirt features hand-looped ribbons loosely appliquéd to an underskirt, creating an elaborate three-dimensional surface and a sculptural silhouette.
Chado Ralph Rucci is a luxury clothing line designed by Ralph Rucci, the first American designer to receive an invitation to the Paris haute couture shows in more than 60 years. The name of the collection comes from chado, the Japanese tea ceremony noted for its attention to detail, exactitude, sense of austere style, and intensive expertise on the part of the practitioner. The garments are known for the minute precision of their construction, their sculptural look, and the innovative use of fabrics such as horsehair and organza.
“Architecture has been a constant source of inspiration for my work throughout my career. An architect’s thought process, his choice of materials, the combination of these materials to create a structure, and the practicality and function of a structure are all things that I try to incorporate in my own work.” Narciso Rodriguez
Every detail of Narciso Rodriguez’s clothing is carefully composed; seams and fit lines follow curves of the body and show how a garment is put together. After an initial period of sketching, Rodriguez’s design process is characterised by many hours spent draping and fitting garments on a live fit model rather than on a dressmaker’s form. He repeatedly marks, tapes, pins, and re-tapes fit lines to achieve precise proportions and balance. He works out ideas for shape and proportion in a series of sketches before beginning to work with fabric. Once Rodriguez is satisfied with a design, its elements are translated into a computer drawing from which the actual paper pattern is generated.
