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On Friday, Tamara Ralph and her fiancé Michael Russo closed the first day of London Fashion Week with a hotly-anticipated showcase of Ralph & Russo’s first-ever ready-to-wear collection. The designers, who launched the British couture brand 10 years ago, decided to expand to ready-to-wear following requests from non-couture clients for more accessible options. “We need pieces that clients can easily fit into their lifestyles. Pieces that pack and can be versatile for different events,” says Ralph to British Vogue.“Couture is the fantasy but this is the everyday.”
With an A-list client list that includes the likes of Angelina Jolie, Rihanna, Zendaya , and more, the maison has established itself as one of the hottest tickets during the fashion week schedule. Here are 5 key notes from the Ralph & Russo Spring 2018 show.
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#1: The couturiers’ chose Old Billingsgate, a former fish market, as the venue for their first ready-to-wear show. The set featured a 480-ft circular runway dotted with lampposts, which were meant to illustrate the brand’s transition from exclusive couture to everyday clothing.
Ralph & Russo Spring 2018 RTW. Indigital.tv
#2: One of the brand’s first clients, Angelina Jolie, gave us a preview of the collection during the Toronto Film Festival earlier this week, wearing a simple, one-shoulder black dress (the runway version was mustard yellow) from the ready-to-wear offering before the look even hit the runways at LFW.
Arizona Muse at Ralph & Russo Spring 2018 RTW. Indigital.tv
#3: There was no trace of Instagirls on the catwalk. The diverse model line-up featured established faces and emerging names; models included Arizona Muse (who opened the show wearing a white, Swarovski-embellished dress), Blanca Padilla (who closed the show), Marie Borges, Nisaa Pouncey, and Georgia Fowler.
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#4: As for the makeup, a strip of silver glitter was liberally applied to the inner corner of the eyes and lower lashline. The metallic makeup was paired with a clean complexion, barely-there lips, and sleek, center-parted hair.
Ralph and Russo Spring 2018. Indigital
#5: The debut collection featured 46 looks altogether. Standout pieces included shiny, metallized trench coats, gold and silver tweed skirt suits, and Ostrich feather-lined evening dresses primed for 24-7 glamour.
Angelina Jolie wears an elegant black Ralph & Russo gown at the Toronto Film Festival
