Ralph & Russo RTW Fall 2020
Click here to read the full article.
Ralph & Russo may have made its mark with couture — both on the Hollywood red carpet, and a certain ex-Duchess (she’s back to Meghan Markle now), who catapulted the young luxury brand into the global headlines when she chose to wear it for her official royal engagement portrait in 2018.
But designers Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo also have a budding ready-to-wear business. For their sixth collection, they looked to channel a global explorer, Ralph said backstage of the amalgam of references, from kimonos to Highland tweeds, pointing out that for the first time, the collection is offering unisex styles and sizing up to 22.
More from WWD
“We have had a lot of interest from males wanting to buy from the brand,” she said, “This is a nice step into that category.”
On the runway, the result was a cheerful mix of tailoring (an embroidered cheetah-patterned pantsuit); outerwear (a punchy pink-and-red Buffalo check cape); day dresses (in exploded houndstooth or burnout velvet camo), and cozy knits (Fair Isle sweater dressing), with touches of military and the boudoir.
“When we first launched ready-to-wear, because of the couture, people expected it to be slightly dressy,” Ralph said. “But outerwear and jersey have been our bigger categories.”
So there was a cherry blossom-embroidered fur coat, there were marabou-trimmed silk pajamas, and a Fair Isle patterned fleece dress for après-ski. With a bit of yellow, and some camel suiting thrown into the mix, the collection felt a little like a trend report come to the runway. Perhaps a stronger point of view will develop over time. (Ready-to-wear just launched in 2018.)
Regardless, business is growing, Ralph said. (Coronavirus not withstanding — the brand, like others in Paris, reported attendance was down.) Ralph & Russo is on track to open its second U.S. store in April (after Miami), on Madison Avenue in New York. There are also several collaborations in the pipeline. “Ready-to-wear has been a growth area,” she added. “Within a season or two, sales will outpace couture.”
Launch Gallery: Ralph & Russo RTW Fall 2020
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
