Coutorture

Yoox Hosts Online Vintage Sale Inspired by FIT Exhibition

coutorture — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:58:51 -0800

A number of pieces from the Fashion Institute of Technology archives will be on sale at Yoox.com beginning today, as the online retailer celebrates its partnership with FIT's current exhibition.

In addition to the sale, Yoox is hosting a virtual exhibition of "American Beauty: Aesthetics & Innovation in Fashion" which focuses on the convergence of technical dressmaking and the philosophy of beauty. Throughout a series of short videos, curator Patricia Mears takes viewers through specific pieces from the exhibit with interviews from Ralph Rucci, Nicolas Caito, Hamish Bowles, Yeohlee Teng, and Francisco Costa offering additional insights.

The curators spend three minutes breaking down the construction of a Halston dress-wearing white gloves-and muse on the difference of tailoring versus dressmaking. For fashion lovers and budding designers, the videos offer insights deeper than the typical designer interivew and into the real behind the scenes work that goes into constructing a garment.

Spring 2009: Nude Makes A New York Comeback

coutorture — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:00:00 -0800

For Spring 2009 head to toe nude looks are back and better than ever. Ralph Rucci, Carmen Marc Valvo, Tommy Hilfiger, Aurelio Costarella, Chris Han, Anna Sui, Milly by Michelle Smith, Doo Ri, Catherine Holstein, Calvin Klein, Proenza Schouler, Thakoon, Chris Benz all went for trend.

The 50 Best Prints of Spring 2009

coutorture — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:42:08 -0700

If you are feeling glum from all of the gray we saw on the catwalk, the impending financial doom, our imperiled ecosystem or are just plain out of sorts we have the fifty best prints of Spring 2009 here to cheer you up. From Gucci to Pucci, Miu Miu to Marc Jacobs we cover New York, Milan and Paris' best prints.

New York Spring 2009 Trend Reports: Black Day Dresses

coutorture — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:30:43 -0700

The black day dress seems a strange staple for a Spring 2009 runway and yet it kept popping up on runway after runway, as if to say things are a bit dire so maybe a conservative frock will get the attention of concerned buyers? Our gallery showcasing the trend includes Ralph Rucci, Carmen Marc Valvo, Badgley Mischka, Zac Posen, Aurelio Costarella, Vera Wang, Chris Han, Anna Sui, Richard Chai, Joanna Mastroianni, Dennis Basso, Derek Lam, Iodice, Rock and Republic, and Nicole Miller

New York Spring 2009 Trend Report: Shine

coutorture — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:06:39 -0700

Everything from skirts and pants to day dresses and evening gowns shined lke the top of the Chrysler Building at New York Fashion Week. And given that we have no clue how Lehman Brothers is going to survive the week we too say its a Hard Knock Life, thus the fantasy and aspirations of a newly impovershied America turns to glitz and glamour. Ralph Rucci, Carmen Marc Valvo, Aurelio Costarella, Reem Acra, Naeem Khan, Joanna Mastroianni, Dennis Basso, Derek Lam, Ports 1961, Venexiana, Calvin Klein, and Isaac Mizrahi are all in our gallery.

Ralph Rucci Spring 2009

coutorture — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:04:23 -0700

If Fashion Week was consciously saving the best for last then they couldn't have done better than closing with Ralph Rucci America's only true couturier.

Ralph Rucci Spring 2009

coutorture — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:27:15 -0700

Ralph Rucci Spring 2009 Images by Frazer Harrison

Fashion in 50 Seconds 5/8

coutorture — Thu, 08 May 2008 06:15:02 -0700

Karl Lagerfeld has launched his first bag collection under his own name. Manufactured in collaboration with the Accessory Network Group, the holiday/resort collection features a mostly black, white and beige palette with occasional pops of color (hazard-cone orange, midnight blue). ANG is also responsible for Vera Wang's bags and as much as we love a little tulle we admit this doesn't exactly scream prestige. But with wholesale prices from $250 for a clutch tp $1,510 for a shearling carry all we are guessing they are going for the big guns. And with little K logos woven into the design maybe the Kaiser can make them iconic.

Isabella Fiori was acquired by Fab Starpoint a licensed kids' accessories company. We don't quite see the connection between selling pop tart paraphernalia and luxury handbags but cash is king.

We are sad to hear that now isn't the time for Nau with an homage to the brand from Eric Wilson.

Apparently natural is just as hard to achieve as perfection. In what is unlikely to be a surprise to anyone, it is revealed that the Dove Real Beauty advertisements were in fact the product of photoshop

Ralph Rucci will be awarded with a National Design Award by the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. With rabid fans and yet surprisingly little hype, Ralph Rucci is beloved by real fashion lovers everywhere and we couldn't be happier.