Ruffian
REVIEW
COMPLETE COLLECTION
NEW YORK, February 3, 2007
By Nicole Phelps
¿If Nan Kempner hung out with Bob Dylan in the West Village in the fifties, this is what she would've worn," Brian Wolk said backstage at the National Arts Club, Claude Morais standing by as if about to jump in and finish his partner¿s sentence for him.And, yes, you could absolutely picture Kempner, the late, rail-thin clotheshorse whose style is currently being celebrated at the Costume Institute exhibit, in the duo¿s second-skin ("molded," they called it) stretch-charmeuse top and high-waisted silk-faille trousers. She would¿ve just loved the ruffle flounces that traipsed along the lapel of a wrap jacket and down the neckline of a halter.
Ruffian has long bandied about the aspirational term ¿American couture,¿ and it's always seemed anachronistic that they should design for women of Kempner¿s generation and tax bracket. But perhaps their focus is shifting. While it was clear they hadn¿t exactly raided the bargain bin when it came to fabrics—all that polished wool, silk taffeta, and sequins—plenty of the pieces would look believable on, say, Olivia Palermo (the freshly anointed social darling who sat in the front row and, based solely on the number of shows she's hit so far this weekend, just might rival Kempner for fashion enthusiasm). In a Ruffian cashmere flannel A-line dress with snaps and exposed zippers, any twenty-first-century Nan would fairly glow.
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Fall 2007 Ready-to-Wear
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3.1 Phillip Lim 6267 -
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Badgley Mischka Balenciaga Balmain BCBG Max Azria Behnaz Sarafpour Betsey Johnson Biba Bill Blass Blumarine Bottega Veneta Brian Reyes Bruce Bruno Pieters Burberry Prorsum -
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D&G Daks by Giles Deacon Daryl K Dennis Basso Derek Lam Derercuny Diane von Furstenberg DKNY Dolce & Gabbana Donna Karan Doo.Ri Douglas Hannant Dries Van Noten Dsquared² Duro Olowu -
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Elie Saab Elie Tahari Emanuel Ungaro Emilio Pucci Emporio Armani Erdem Erin Fetherston Etro -
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Fashion East Fendi -
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Gareth Pugh Giambattista Valli Gianfranco Ferré Giles Giorgio Armani Givenchy Gucci -
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Haider Ackermann Hamish Morrow Heatherette Hermès Hussein Chalayan -
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Iceberg Isaac Mizrahi -
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J. Mendel Jason Wu Jean Paul Gaultier Jens Laugesen Jeremy Laing Jill Stuart Jil Sander John Galliano Jonathan Saunders Jovovich-Hawk Junya Watanabe Just Cavalli -
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Kai Kühne Karen Walker Karl Lagerfeld -
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L'Wren Scott Lacoste Lanvin La Perla Lela Rose Loewe Louis Vuitton Luca Luca Luella Luisa Beccaria -
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Naeem Khan Narciso Rodriguez Nathan Jenden Naum Neil Barrett Nicole Miller Nina Ricci Noir -
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Oscar de la Renta -
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Paul Smith Women Peter Jensen Peter Som Peter Soronen Phi Philosophy Pollini Prada Preen Pringle of Scotland Proenza Schouler -
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Rag & Bone Ralph Lauren Reem Acra Réyes Richard Chai Richard Nicoll Rick Owens Roberto Cavalli Rodarte Roksanda Ilincic Rue du Mail Ruffian -
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Salvatore Ferragamo Sari Gueron Sinha-Stanic Sonia Rykiel Sophia Kokosalaki Stærk Stella McCartney -
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Tao Temperley London Thakoon Threeasfour Todd Lynn Tommy Hilfiger Toni Maticevski Topshop Unique Tory Burch Tracy Reese Trovata TSE Tuleh -
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Undercover United Bamboo -
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Valentino Vena Cava Vera Wang Veronique Branquinho Versace Viktor & Rolf Vionnet Vivienne Tam Vivienne Westwood VPL -
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Wunderkind -
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Y & Kei Y-3 Yigal Azrouël Yohji Yamamoto Yves Saint Laurent -
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Zac Posen Zero + Maria Cornejo
