CHADO RALPH RUCCI
In a career that spans three decades, Ralph Rucci has assembled an atelier of uniquely talented, creative individuals who share both his aesthetic and his passion for meticulous workmanship. Nearly all of the artisanal techniques and fine, intricate hand-work of Chado garments were conceived, developed, and realized by Rucci and his staff, which has been referred to collectively as one of the finest workrooms in the fashion world. The occasional exceptions are pieces which are produced in some of the finest and most innovative embroidery houses operational today.
Since 1981, Ralph Rucci’s body of work has been evolving, garment by garment. In 1994, Rucci added the word Chado to his company name after the exacting Japanese tea ceremony. He presented his first haute couture collection in Paris in 2002 and is the only American-based designer to have been invited to show as part of the official Haute Couture calendar under his own name. He is also a fine painter and his work has been exhibited in four solo shows over the past five years.
Throughout his design career Rucci has chosen to work with the most luxurious fabrics and specialized collaborators in the world. Yet, despite a quantum leap in both the quality and magnitude of his designs, Rucci’s evolutionary process continues to move at its own pace. New silhouettes or technical processes enter his oeuvre as the designer sees fit, not when external pressures dictate.
In essence, Rucci is a modernist working in a traditional vernacular. For this artist, that constitutes a fertile contradiction. He is aware but unconcerned that the workmanship in his creations – from lush ball gowns to the luxurious, exquisite daywear that form the core of his business – does not readily yield its secrets to the printed page. He has become best known for the richness and diversity of his fabric choices, the broad range of his color palette, the artistic sources from which he draws inspiration, and the complex construction methods he employs in executing his creations.
Ralph Rucci is honored to be able to participate in his chosen métier; he strives to inspire all who seek refinement, beauty, and even peace in the world of fashion. He is also very proud that with the assistance of a very motivated and dedicated staff, he has succeeded in growing a retail client base of global scope, with Chado garments found in Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman in New York, and in select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide in the U.S. Other clients include Shinsegae in Seoul, South Korea; Sauvage in Kazahkstan; and TSUM in Moscow, Russia. His work has been featured in numerous museums, including three solo shows, and is also the subject of a book, “Ralph Rucci: The Art of Weightlessness”. In 2008 he was honored to accept the National Design Award in Fashion awarded by the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.
Since 1981, Ralph Rucci’s body of work has been evolving, garment by garment. In 1994, Rucci added the word Chado to his company name after the exacting Japanese tea ceremony. He presented his first haute couture collection in Paris in 2002 and is the only American-based designer to have been invited to show as part of the official Haute Couture calendar under his own name. He is also a fine painter and his work has been exhibited in four solo shows over the past five years.
Throughout his design career Rucci has chosen to work with the most luxurious fabrics and specialized collaborators in the world. Yet, despite a quantum leap in both the quality and magnitude of his designs, Rucci’s evolutionary process continues to move at its own pace. New silhouettes or technical processes enter his oeuvre as the designer sees fit, not when external pressures dictate.
In essence, Rucci is a modernist working in a traditional vernacular. For this artist, that constitutes a fertile contradiction. He is aware but unconcerned that the workmanship in his creations – from lush ball gowns to the luxurious, exquisite daywear that form the core of his business – does not readily yield its secrets to the printed page. He has become best known for the richness and diversity of his fabric choices, the broad range of his color palette, the artistic sources from which he draws inspiration, and the complex construction methods he employs in executing his creations.
Ralph Rucci is honored to be able to participate in his chosen métier; he strives to inspire all who seek refinement, beauty, and even peace in the world of fashion. He is also very proud that with the assistance of a very motivated and dedicated staff, he has succeeded in growing a retail client base of global scope, with Chado garments found in Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman in New York, and in select Neiman Marcus stores nationwide in the U.S. Other clients include Shinsegae in Seoul, South Korea; Sauvage in Kazahkstan; and TSUM in Moscow, Russia. His work has been featured in numerous museums, including three solo shows, and is also the subject of a book, “Ralph Rucci: The Art of Weightlessness”. In 2008 he was honored to accept the National Design Award in Fashion awarded by the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.
