Fashion: Creating Endless Opportunities

Chado Ralph Rucci is one of America’s most respected fashion houses; an internationally renowned brand synonymous with superior quality, elegance and pure luxury. This illustrious fashion house is one of few American labels outside Paris dedicated to the distinguished art of Haute Couture, with each design skilfully made by hand under the creative direction of the sole designer, Ralph Rucci. The designer draws inspiration from the delicate rituals of Chado, an ancient Japanese tea ceremony, ensuring his designs are made with the most precise craftsmanship and keen attention to detail.

            Ralph Rucci’s designs are celebrated by some of fashion’s most prominent and influential names including former editor at large of American Vogue, Andre Leon Talley and editor of Harper’s Bazaar, Glenda Bailey. These iconic couture pieces are understandably a favourite with some of Hollywood’s most glamorous leading ladies including Gwyneth Paltrow, Amanda Seyfried and British top model, Lily Donaldson.

The extremely talented Justin Stutzman is a young designer and artist who through his passion for design, raw talent and determination went from a small town business major to a key member of the renowned Chado creative team. Justin works closely with designer Ralph Rucci on a daily basis creating mock designs, altering garments, purchasing fabrics and ultimately helping bring the designer’s sketches and ideas to life.

 Justin offers a rare insight into the illusive world of haute couture and how these celebrated pieces are painstakingly made. “Once all the fabrics have been chosen and ordered, Mr Rucci starts preparing himself by organizing his fabric and mood boards. Naturally, he is always searching for inspiration but during this time his search becomes a little more focused and intense.”

The next stage of the design process involves key input from Larisa Ryzova, who heads the art department at Ralph Rucci. “This is where the Chado techniques, which many people recognize the label for, are developed”. It’s here in this department that the designer begins to sketch and brainstorm playing around with different ideas and gaining a sense of what he can do with the fabric. Justin continues, “Once Ralph has decided on a design (which fabric and techniques to use) he then begins to work with the highly trained pattern makers.” Justin describes this as one of the most challenging parts of the design process where sketches are further developed and Mr Rucci begins to create mock design pieces. After all the crucial details of the design are finalized these mock pieces are taken back by the pattern maker to the work room “to make alterations to the pattern and the original garment will then be cut and its plan for construction finalized.”

            This design process takes incredible amounts of skill and dedication especially considering that each couture piece is completely hand made. Justin explains what its like being apart of such an extraordinary process “What I love about being in the work room and helping produce the clothing is you always learn something new.” He reflects “When I came to Chado I knew a good deal about well made clothing because it consumed my thoughts for a long time, but when I got the privilege of working on a Chado garment I saw things I never understood and of course was blown away by techniques I could never imagine.”

 Despite working in such a celebrated fashion house he remains refreshingly honest and grounded. “Working in couture is demanding in every sense of the word, the process of making the garment becomes your life. The realities of producing couture in a ready to wear business model are very taxing.”

Although he enjoys a fascinating fashion career in New York Justin’s story is like one only Hollywood could tell. Justin was born in a small rural American town called Syracuse “My home in Indiana is fifteen acres of pure wooded landscape, no close neighbour; the only people around are the ones you love.” Justin who is one of nine children reflects on the important role his parents have played on his life, “They sacrificed so much for us and I don’t think I have yet to fully comprehend this fact. The principles they instilled in each one of their children, while supporting each and every individual is something really amazing to me.”

Originally home schooled Justin always painted and sketched and even from an early age was fascinated by clothing and design “I started painting on my clothing, I would paint landscapes, portraits and body parts.” However, despite displaying a keen interest in art and fashion, the gritty realities of rural life meant Justin instead went on to study business at university. “This decision was based on job security something that consumed me due to the amount of student loans that confronted me.” A sentiment I’m sure many students are more than able to identify with. Justin continues, “I never even played with the thought of designing clothing until I reached college. I know the reason this thought never crossed my mind was because I knew nothing about it or that careers even existed where people did what I did in my free time as a profession.”

Having the courage to change his course of study and gaining an illusive internship with Chado Ralph Rucci has allowed Justin Stutzman to become the artisan he is today. He offers this advice to students “Knowledge, skill and desire are all within our control you can work on either one of the three to improve the balance of the others.”

Eager to discuss what may lie ahead for this gifted young designer I ask him about his future aspirations to which he replies casually “The future is bright because it’s unknown. One thing I do know is I will always create.”

Images courtesy of Chado Ralph Rucci