Thursday, November 6, 2014

Ralph Rucci.

Sat. 09/06/2014.






It's OH So Difficult to not Wax Prosaic about a Ralph Rucci Collection. He Captivates the viewer with a Technique so Formidable and Brilliant that the clothes seem borne from some other Dimension. His skills in channeling the Minutiae of the Intricate is Obscenely Awesome. The Minute and Infinitesimal Calculations that are imbued in Rucci's work are as much works of A Mathematician as that of the Dedicated Artiste,

In the last Season or so, Rucci has curbed his more Prosaic tendencies and taken to Heart the criticisms of his detractors who Chastised his Artistic Zeal and Exuberance and perhaps even old school Habits of Profusion in Outfit Exits. So, Starting Last season, Rucci cut his Show Edit nearly in Half and Whittled down his more Extreme Penchants, as in his Stultifyingly Exquisite "Infanta" Ballgowns and his Large section of Super Couture-Quality Evening pieces. This has led to his collections being less the Operatic Phantasmagorias than they used to, which in a certain way, is greatly missed, but it has honed his Focus and given him the ability to Distill his vision to it's Essence and pare back the Extraneous.

This can be viewed in two ways, One, That some of the inherent Drama of such past Spectaculars is now missing and somehow, Something of the Dazzling Magic of Rucci's Oeuvre has been siphoned off in replacement with following the path of the advice of  Investors and Critics. That is a Valid Hypothesis. There is the Second View, That now that Rucci has emerged into what many consider, the 21st Century and has Forced himself to Edit Ferociously, That it has Energized his work and Stripped away the Excesses that some considered to Bloat his previous collections. Again. Valid.  

Whichever side of that Psychological Fence you decide to Stake your claim on is up to the Individual. I, tend to follow the theory that, Rucci, Simply wants his business to be that, A BUSINESS. This entails that now, He may have to Finagle his vision in accordance to the current winds blowing though the Fashion Landscape to accommodate such a Desire. That Also means, he has had to adjust his Aesthetic to fit that vision. It's not unreasonable that he would want to establish a Business that will allow him to flourish into the future without worry. One has no need to Question such a move, and in response to such a desire, Rucci has adapted with, In my estimation, Flawless Aplomb. He has taken to this task as a Fish would to Water. Yes, Some of the Marvellous Resplendence of his Abundance of the Past has been drained away, but what that has left is a Categorical Concentration on Only what is Essential, And that is an Exciting Gambit in and of itself!

This collection was a Fierce Dissertation on this exact Idee. He edited his collection down to only 37 Exits. For Rucci, This is tantamount to Cutting off Sampson's Hair, but there was a Jittery Excitement to such a proposition that Imbued his collection with a Lightning Spark Frisson. There was a Breathlessness that one felt, as it made for much more scrutiny of each Outfit and when the truly Diabolical Examples of his Punishing Exactitude did appear, they were even more Heart-Stoppingly Extraordinary!

Rucci proved adept at surmounting the Dichotomy of Simplifying his Oeuvre yet retaining that Couture edge of Supreme Difficulty of Execution. From the Opening Wrap dress that was as Clean, Modern and Fresh as anything this season, but had that Razor Sharpness that is signature to the house! From this Opening Stance, Rucci pursued his Passion for Strategic and Artistic Cutouts and Sheer Insets, One of these Specimens, A Yellow Pantsuit, was Scrolled with Strips of Fabric on a Sheer Back that was Intergrated into the Solid base of the Jacket was Dizzyingly Elaborate, But maintained a Element of the Extemporaneous and Organic. This was Contrapunctally poised against the Most Heavenly, Unforced naturalness of a Nougatine Dress traced in Black Zippers which Worn on the Leggy Goddess Maria Borges was a thing of Such Perfection, it seemed to exist in a different dimension!

This is but just a sample of the Riches Mined in this collection, More Examples, A Sleek, Slender White Sheath with one Sheer Sleeve in Front and one and in Back with angled Embroidery on the hem, An ornately worked Sleeveless Trapeze Tunic over Cigarette Pants, or the Most Scintillating Outfit in the show... a Quietly Opulent gown in Fog Grey Crepe with an Underskirt of Quicksilver Sequins was Hauntingly Devastating!

As Imaan Hammam Strode out as the Finale Model in a Navy Blue Silk Floor-Length deflated "Infanta" version of the opening dress on Jamie Bochert, There was an Eloquent and Dynamic sense of Continuity and Cohesion that was presented with a Perspective on Awe and Drama! Rucci has scaled Scope of his Purview back to an Incredibly Distilled Essence. It's exciting to see where this in the future will lead him, which vistas Rucci will alight his Eye upon... There is no doubt that wherever he chooses to Plant his flag... Brilliance will spring up in that place!





That's All.





Bye4Now!






No comments:

Post a Comment