See | Ralph Rucci | Fashion Designer | RR331

Well, I have no idea what year it was, perhaps 199

Well, I have no idea what year it was, perhaps 1996-1997, but this bewitching young girl was brought into my office one morning for an interview….. with me protesting that I do not have the time to interview, have her speak to others, give her projects and let’s see how she reacts and handles herself…. Because I have no patience of trying to pry the hidden talent out of someone if they are frightened of me…. Of course the girls ignored me.
So, here I am at my desk, the young lady, and I do mean immaculate young lady, Larisa Ryzhova, sitting in front of me, so nervous, unable to speak and intimidated and shaking. Her husband, whom I have grown to deeply respect in the past 25 years was also there to give her courage and strength.
Now, she has this HUGE artist’s portfolio and she is pulling out garment after garment of crazy baby clothes and doll clothes that she made.
So I start to panic! I’m looking at my key people, rolling my eyes, and with extreme desperation….. what do all of you want from me ??? This is a total Fellini scene. The only way that I can get control of this is to simply….make it Perfect…. How little did I realize the divine intervention of this.
Cut to the chase…. Larisa became my TEAR IT TFU ARTISTIC DIRECTOR FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES.
She became the liaison, the communication, the visionary who DIRECTED!!!!
Monsieur Lesage, Jean Pierre Ollier, Vermont, Cecil Henri, Montex, and Eric, King of Le Marie.
But, what she developed in house blew people’s minds. She and I worked closely together and there was an deeply enriched relationship…. And we are still working together again. She is my Angel. Your legal bullshit contracts never stopped any vision from unfolding. Smoke that, better yet… try digesting it.

A rare individual amongst men…. His manners, cur

A rare individual amongst men…. His manners, curiosity, wanderlust, and constant search for beauty in the world, with no prejudices makes this man decade by decade an inspiration. His name is Bix.

Same Rugby Resort, 2009?…. Let’s take crin- ho

Same Rugby Resort, 2009?…. Let’s take crin- horse hair, shape it, pipe it. And add it to a transparent mesh and Jersey bodice.
You see I was struggling so much to remain in business after the crash that I thought that by offering Couture at lower price points, we would survive because I had my own factory. Well, it worked but clients all became so damn spoiled that they registered rtw price points for couture. Probably this is when I developed a reputation of…”are you out of your mind?????”

Rugby Resort? 2009? White crystal micro cut bugal

Rugby Resort? 2009?
White crystal micro cut bugal beads hand embroidered on the cross for much more shimmer. Deeeep décolleté exposing a black bias cut hammered satin tube.
Sit back, watch, think about the presence and grace that a woman emotes moving in nanno seconds in this.

Beuys…. I am forever following him so that I can

Beuys…. I am forever following him so that I can speak to him through the stark reality of silence and power.

And now, the evolution…. Joe Eula capturing ivor

And now, the evolution…. Joe Eula capturing ivory cashmere and taupe Bargauzine Sable by H. When you saw these clothes move you were ascended to another plane… none of this crap concerning gender fluidity.

Beuys, a Balenciaga in his own sense…. Once remo

Beuys, a Balenciaga in his own sense…. Once removed by living in his own eccentricity. Here in heavy gray flannel Melton and Woolf. You do understand that he wore this and created the gray felt suit in honor for those that perished during both the First and Second World War!!!! We you attempt to comprehend that!

Ferre…. Woolf facings on silk raincoats in refer

Ferre…. Woolf facings on silk raincoats in reference and homage to Joseph Beuys.

Another PIETA….Evangeline Bruce, best girl frien

Another PIETA….Evangeline Bruce, best girl friend of Pauline de Rothschild . She was visiting Pauline at her Chateau, Mouton, the day that MISHIMA— the hot, spiritual, homosexual, Japanese, Alpha Man, Wrestler, Poet killed himself.
Evangeline was the person who had to go into Pauline’s Chinoiserie Garden Bedroom and inform her.
She did. Pauline stood, escorted Madame Bruce to the door, closed it, and remained within for several days…..
Forget all of that garbage about Mona Bismarck locking herself in her bedroom in Tunisia when Balenciaga closed his doors, Vreeland and Consuelo Crespi were staying with her. Here is the difference…. Pauline was deeply effected by this great loss of an artist. Bismarck knew that without Balenciaga’s clothes, she would look like… as Elsa Maxwell, who Vreeland said, no matter what Patou Couture she wore, she would “Still look like a maid on her day off”.
Now you know I have nothing against a maid…. They actually teach their clients the manners and etiquette. But Maxwell was a prime lady wrestler from Pittsburgh, and so was Bismarck.

Escargot at Voltaire. When you get to Heaven, God

Escargot at Voltaire. When you get to Heaven, God has these waiting at the door in small burnished silver, and three prong BUCCELLATI forks…. With some freezing vodka flutes ( Russian) …. God likes perfect aesthetics… so that your entry is so happy…. And then suddenly people begin to enter the room…. Elsa, Pauline, Cristobal, Jimmy, Marjorie, H, James, Genghis Kahn, Ms. Pittman, Da Vinci, ….. sooooo many, all coming in at once, and between sips and Snails, Jesus whispers to me to please fix this double faced ivory cashmere that you made and left for me when you were last here….. What???I was here before? Why did you send me back???? I don’t want to go back to Earth!!! And he said that you still have not worked out one major conclusion. “what???”
You have not, as most people do not accepted to love yourself.

Dear Friends, PIETA imagery is everywhere. I think

Dear Friends,
PIETA imagery is everywhere. I think that we carry it with us and use it to : 1.) rationalize and 2.) to receive comfort from a higher source.
Here, one of the last photos taken of our beloved Elsa ( life is so empty without you), here at lunch outside with her staff/ extended family. Peter, Marion, and Stefano are the ultimates who are not here. The point is… look at her in total PIETA , as the Virgin Mary. As PIETA she enveloped the world. Now, the same from another plane.

The Emperor in technicolor. Our Kings…. Valentin

The Emperor in technicolor. Our Kings…. Valentino and Giancarlo.
Honor them.
@giancarlogiammetti @realmrvalentino @redromanrose @therealdfmalabaster @ram75007 @tatianasorokko @privesuarez @paulpodlucky @vrazdorskiy @rickyonlyricky

The creative genius of Emanuele Pennisi at G. Penn

The creative genius of Emanuele Pennisi at G. Pennisi in Milano. A cushion cut Diamond set in dead black lacquered gold. I am hypnotized.

THE GREATEST Haute Couture Collection that Monsieu

THE GREATEST Haute Couture Collection that Monsieur Valentino ever made….. speaks to me….. the bravado of cut, the love, the Master in complete control…. Not one thought trailing in weakness. Long Live the Emperor!
@giancarlogiammetti @realmrvalentino @georginabrandolini @albrechtollendiek @vrazdorskiy @tatianasorokko @margaretrussell @ram75007 @therealdfmalabaster @redromanrose @rickyonlyricky @paulpodlucky @susangutfreund

Yes, I’m rr, and I feel it necessary to show you

Yes, I’m rr, and I feel it necessary to show you many clothes that I have made, since no one else did. God Bless my Ateliers. Here is a burning violet double faced wool crepe with “Shards” of black tulle inset in an effort of intellectual seduction.

Dress code: get a new pink chinchilla coat now, an

Dress code: get a new pink chinchilla coat now, and wear it like Madonna in… I just got laid, Justify My Love video.
@nick_pologeorgis @tatianasorokko @vrazdorskiy @albrechtollendiek

Richard Serra’s monumental beacons for extraterr

Richard Serra’s monumental beacons for extraterrestrial lust and seduction. I am told that the metaphysical power here is quite inviting and strong. I had a tombstone made in black, gloss granite ( to reflect the greenery and sunlight) for the graves of my parents…. Based on this and the monolith in 2001 Space Oddesy. Since the cemetery is Roman Catholic, I had to bride them since they like rules so that as you wish to perhaps….. flex them…… they make money on every change. They wanted religious imagery… I told them that they are missing the point, the monolith reaching the sky is reaching to God, so he can rest on top…. Not good enough… so I, after many attempts, only to be seen as “difficult “, and after thousands of dollars succeeded. My parents names are engraved in the sides, and a Peretti- esque Crucifix is deeply engraved upward to the heaven…. Totally private, discreet, and powerful. Communicating to God, and not those counting money representing the Roman Catholic Church.

Here is where we are…. This is the evolution. I

Here is where we are…. This is the evolution. I do not remember the year…. 73?74?75?…. What ever—this was the photo used for the opening of editorial of Vreeland’s December Christmas Issue for American Vogue Magazine.
Ok….she pays homage to The Kirdis Women of Cameroon…. Noble, Body Adornment, living in natural order, Pagan believers in magic and in DREAMS….
You see, she sent Irving Penn to shoot them with reverence and for inspiration. Great dignity here….is it about style, fashion, culture…. You better believe it. And you also better see that we have taken a nose dive…. Big Time ….. in the representation of culture . All that we have today are band-aids. So, can this all be corrected? Of course…. Maintain your own research and cultural wanderlust.

Look, it’s simple. You either get it or you don’t. The throw your head in a cold shower or simply suggest the utter chic of a beaded apron. I have been pushing them for years! Here is the holy grail of a couture beaded apron….. Givenchy….. black satin Duchess bateau-Vreeland- no shoulder neckline tunic, narrow pants, and a thick, jeweled encrusted beaded apron from the Crazy King Lesage!
Study in proportion!!!

The Dauphin at play.

The Dauphin at play.

There are interior designers, and then there are v

There are interior designers, and then there are visionaries who are so culturally, socially, historically refined and educated that they conceive space/ rooms/ environments with such vision that they create couture for space. One such genius is Joseph Graff, the Great Graff.
An example, tie backs for curtains looking like some old dowery treasures from a trousseaux from 15th Century Japan.
Perhaps eleven years ago I was in Ben STEINITZ’s salon and I attacked him like a Mott the Hoople— T Rex groupie. I think, the most elegant man in the world! Forget that Gianni Agnelli wore his Piaget watch in top of his shirt cuff. Graff wore olive corduroy suits with aubergine ties….

Perhaps 1975, I was upstairs at 33 East 68 th Stre

Perhaps 1975, I was upstairs at 33 East 68 th Street and was frozen in time. There on a mannequin was a design that allowed my gears to become recalibrated…. Forever. The dress is the one you see on the ethereal Christine Royer. A woman who has dazzled and allowed me to use her as a standard of chic, style, quietude, and most of all, Grace. But, this quality was the essential quality of all of the girls fitting for the directional cabine of his. Notice, I do not use his name because I have decided that all of our design Gods should not be reduced to names.
So, ….. a Sari…. Bias layers of brown silk chiffon in the skirt worn with Elsa’s Gold Mesh Bra, and then miles and miles of brown silk chiffon to wrap around tge torso. This image is one from Vogue- USA, Mirabella. It is photographed, as mentioned on Chris. Also, please note Lisa Taylor wearing a violet- aubergine deep cut jersey with Elsa’s gold mesh obi….. oxygen please. All of this as important and culturally significant as smoking pot with Dame Elizabeth Taylor, but that’s another story.
I think that this post is in homage to Chris!
X r

Once again….. to be transported by the most wond

Once again….. to be transported by the most wondrous Kubla Kahn of the world of finding the most rare antiques and objects… STEINITZ. Period. Benjamin Steinitz evaporates history to psychology…… and we then dwell with beauty in life in a practical way. Here a porcelain of such majesty.
@galerie.steinitz @therealdfmalabaster @ram

A new documentary film by Matthew Placek, based on

A new documentary film by Matthew Placek, based on the Furniture and Lighting Designs by Apparatus, I had the honor of dressing our principle, Madame Debra Shaw in befitting couture. She, in a very relaxed manner channeled the Legend, Deeda Blair.

This is BVLGARI.

This is BVLGARI.

Obsession…. St. Laurent here, (whom I dreamt of

Obsession…. St. Laurent here, (whom I dreamt of last night), he was sitting in a sofa, smoking and drinking…. Thin but healthy in a buff suede safari. White hair and incredible vintage Cartier jewelry. We hugged and kissed and spoke for hours even though the cigarette smoke made me ill.
So this made for him by Vivier, then think the ultimate, where ALL ladies had their shoes and boots made in Rome— Dal Co.
Think Vreeland’s black satin, and her rock star pythons…. Dal Co.
Now, planning something alien for couture with the most handsome man in shoe creation…. Who happens to be my ( twin) brother, Jean Michele Cazabat…. Stay tuned.
This boot is Witchcraft!
@jeanmichelcazabat_

Before the 40 year history began, this was the fir

Before the 40 year history began, this was the first couture garment that I conceived, draped, cut, constructed, fit, and finished. Fall 1978.
Beige/ White double faced cashmere one seam brioche coat, ( in homage to him), beige cashmere and silk bias cut sweater and scarf, beige bias cut cashmere pants. Felt quite inspired and accomplished. But, alas it was stolen amongst so many things not when we left Seventh Avenue( not a minute to soon), and moved to Soho in 2005.

And Woman created God. Here the Master is seen fit

And Woman created God. Here the Master is seen fitting you know who in the first ever designed Sport’s Bra, in black Satin Duchess. It was originally conceived and made for his young patron and client, Dr. Mary Ellen Hecht( still amongst us)! Also, the Figure Four skirt. In the background is the double faced Satin Duchess “Baby Cape”. They are fitting here in his rooms at the Chelsea Hotel, where he eventually died…and let it be known that EP paid and supported him for the rest of his life. Note…. Notice how divine the clothes looked when he removed all under structures.