Ralph & Russo Haute Couture AW19 Catwalk Report

A beaded white bodysuit, light florals and embellished tweeds glided down the catwalk this season for Ralph & Russo’s Autumn/Winter 2019 couture collection. The young house, founded in 2010, is the only British brand that has been permitted by the Chambre Syndicale to show during couture week, and it’s easy to see why. The duo’s super glamorous designs are intensely detailed, both decoratively and structurally and showcase the incredible skill of their atelier.

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The show was held in the gardens of the residence of the British Embassy in Paris. The catwalk itself a bright white path stretching 90 metres into the gardens. Throughout the show, the audience members tried to keep cool in the Euro heatwave with branded fans.

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The collection catered to the evolving market of couture, with its emerging younger clients that want to mix and match, filtering pieces into their wardrobes in a more modern way. A slightly more androgynous feel was seen in some of the looks with oversized white smoking suits. Though the hyper-femininity that the brand is so well known for was never far away; there were floor-sweeping pastel and floral gowns, Art Deco flapper style dresses as well as embellished tweed suits that would not have looked out of place in a Chanel show.

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After the initial section of white looks drenched in pearls, diamonds, feathers and crystal fringing came the pastel shades, light floral prints with diamond-encrusted neckpieces. The show then moved into bright colour and bold prints as well as a cheetah print that pushed the label’s aesthetic to its glitzy limits. The show was brought to a finish with a stunning organza bridal piece covered in beadwork and accompanied by a white rose headpiece, the perfect ending to a high octane show.