Integrity
Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo have successfully created a powerhouse super brand, through word of mouth, integrity and a fierce attention to detail.
Following a chance encounter in 2004, Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo founded the now powerhouse couture brand Ralph & Russo. The first British design house in almost a century to join the prestigious Chambre Syndicale in 2013 (the French regulatory body that certifies what is and isn’t haute couture) and the first British brand to show at Paris Couture Week in 2014 alongside industry giants like Chanel, Elie Saab and Givenchy. Boasting a loyal and often royal client base – including Princess Ameerah alTaweel of Saudi Arabia, Angelina Jolie and Natalie Massenet, their appeal spans every demographic of client. “We believe what sets us apart are our fundamental pillars as a house; our mission has always been to offer approachable luxury, exceptional craftsmanship, creativity and highly personalised customer service,” says Michael Russo.
Working out of a seven-floor, 19th-century townhouse in London’s Mayfair, the brand represents everything couture stands for, which is not surprising given that Tamara is the fourth generation in her family to work in couture. Every piece is constructed entirely by hand that can take thousands of hours to finish and with only one version of each garment per country, there is that crucial element of exclusivity. They work with some of best artisans in the world and use centuries-old techniques when it comes to crystal-glass beading, rose-gold foiling and use of luminous fabrics, yet the pieces feel relevant to what the world’s most affluent women want to wear. According to reports, the company was said to be growing by 400 per cent every year and from the beginning had a stronghold on the Middle Eastern market, but they’re not stopping just at couture. They introduced ready to wear in 2017 and have a line of accessories, including stilettos with ornamental filigree leaves spiralling up the heel, and a range of bags called Alina that can be made of mink, calf or python and feature feather-shaped handles. In addition to their stores in Monte Carlo and Paris, the duo has opened further boutiques in Dubai and Doha.
Now they’re on a mission to transform Ralph & Russo into a lifestyle brand with perfume and beauty, eyewear and, eventually, menswear. However, some of their plans had to be put on hold due to the global pandemic, but that hasn’t prevented the duo from innovating. With autumn/winter 2020 couture shows forced to go online due to lockdown rules, Tamara and Michael decided to create an avatar to present their latest collection. Named Hauli – which is a traditional Swahili name, synonymous with strength and power – the digital concept presented a new challenge. Not only did the entire team have to work remotely and rely on video calls to go through sketches, but they also had to rely on their rich archive of fabrics as shipping restrictions in Europe made it difficult to source material. Then came the time to digitise every detail of the collection before finally unveiling their mesmerising avatar-styled pieces that look almost as good as the real thing.
Respecting the heritage of couture yet always looking forward, we speak to the design duo about how they coped in these uncertain times, the goals they’ve set for the future and what they have learnt from working with their Middle Eastern clientele.
How would you define Ralph & Russo? Michael:
We are a global luxury lifestyle brand with an offering that encompasses couture, ready-to-wear and accessories, all designed, created and tailored for the modern, independent woman. We believe what sets us apart are our fundamental pillars as a house; our mission has always been to offer approachable luxury, exceptional craftsmanship, creativity and highly personalised customer service.
How has the brand overcome 2020 and its challenges? Michael:
Like most brands, when the pandemic began to take hold, we had to pivot quickly and rethink our overall business strategy. We scaled back some of our projects to focus on only the most essential initiatives, and redirected the majority of our efforts to focus on the digital space and making this the primary means of communicating with our clientele, as well as our supporters. While digital and e-commerce were always important to the brand, we knew it was crucial to invest much more time and energy, as well as financial resources into this platform, to make it as engaging and user-friendly as possible. Making digital a priority will be our new norm, and incorporating this into your larger strategy opens the door not just for creativity, but
for the entire world to enjoy and be a part of your brand. With our clients, in particular, the limitations with travel have led us to trial new ways of interacting with them during the quarantine period. As we haven’t been able to host them at our Maison in London or Paris or travel to them for appointments, we have instead been conducting e-fittings and appointments via Zoom or a similar platform. While it’s certainly different, it has worked well. Every client is different of course, and you have to respect their wishes during a trying time like this. The process along with the overarching situation globally has taught us quite a lot about how to move forward. We have learnt how to properly take a step back, assess a huge challenge like this one has been, look at the bigger picture, and quickly shift our approach. This is a lesson that will stay with us, and which, to be truthful, was much needed. Our industry moves so quickly, almost too quickly, and if there is any silver lining to all of this, it’s that it has forced us to re-evaluate what works and what does not, what is dated and what is the future, as well as what’s important and what isn’t.
Michael: Tamara: How do you continue to grow without resorting to advertising? Michael:
We are a brand that grew organically, largely via word-ofmouth (and, of course, plenty of hard work), and I think that is in large part due to the pillars I mentioned before, which remain at the very core of the house. Customer service and our relationships with our clients is paramount. Every single individual who steps through our doors (be it physically or, currently, virtually) is accepted warmly as part of the Ralph & Russo family, and we truly listen to each client and what they have to say and what they are looking for.
And while it certainly shouldn’t be, I think this kind of service has become quite rare in the industry. Beyond this, exceptional craftsmanship is integral to our brand, and something we’ve become known for. And while we continue to evolve as a brand, we do so in a way that remains true to who we are and what we stand for. I think that all of these factors combined are what keep our clients – and brand supporters generally – coming back to us, and what also helps to attract potential new clients as well.
Which pieces have been your favourite? Tamara:
Gosh – I don’t think we could ever choose, we truly love each and every piece for a myriad of different reasons. They all represent individual parts of our journey and different memories.
You have many loyal clients in the Middle East, does your approach differ when it comes to dressing women from the region? Tamara:
Our client in the Middle East really understands luxury, and has a big appreciation for detail, beauty and design. They love getting dressed up, aren’t afraid to be bold, and they love celebrating, so this certainly informs how we approach dressing our clientele within this region – which is a lot of fun!
Which references have you taken from working with your Middle Eastern clients? Tamara:
Absolutely, our clients inspire me all of the time and this is especially true for our Middle Eastern clientele. They love to dress up, be bold, and make a statement, which is something I really love about them.
Talk us through your most recent collection, where did the inspiration come from? Tamara:
The current state of the world motivated me to slow down and to reflect this season, pushing me to reconsider the inspiration and concept I initially had in mind for this collection, which no longer seemed or felt quite right. I felt I had to allow myself this moment of peace, and relish in the rare opportunity to spend time contemplating the direction I wanted to go in with this collection, and the message I wanted it to convey to the world. This led me to think about the far-reaching, limitless beauty of our natural world and all it has to offer, which serves as my inspiration for this season. I wanted to create a collection that would allow people to take refuge in fantasy and wonder, and encourage them to keep dreaming of beautiful things during these especially trying times.
In thinking about how to unveil a collection during these times, I immediately thought of the digital realm and how we could explore this as a dimension in a way that made sense for couture. Artificial intelligence as a dimension is something I have always been interested in exploring, especially within the fashion space, and the recent developments in the world, and subsequent limitations, made me feel now is the right time to do so. While avatars in and of themselves might not be new, I don’t feel it’s something that has been fully realized as of yet within couture as a business, given its inherent nature of old-world craftsmanship, techniques and level of detail. Our avatar, Hauli, serves as both our model and
our brand muse, so she has come to mean much more to us than simply a virtual model. Bearing a traditional Swahili name that is synonymous with strength and power, Hauli was inspired by and is an embodiment of the spirit of beautiful and inspirational women changing lives in all four corners of the world. She represents the brand and all of the values that we stand for. She is the ultimate modern woman, fusing both old and new, elegance and strength, and stands with the brand as a positive force for change.
Are there any new techniques or details you’ve enjoyed implementing recently? Tamara:
Of course, we are always experimenting with different techniques, processes and details with each new collection, and playing more with digital prints and effects specifically. To echo the bridging of the digital and the natural world with our autumn-winter 2020/2021 couture collection, for instance, we created a special digitally printed design this season to use on both our taffeta and tweed pieces that involved distorting and blurring florals like watercolours; it makes these prints both rooted in the world as we know it and unique.
How do you define luxury today? Michael:
To us, luxury is defined by quality as well as experience. Luxury is for the individual that wants to invest in excellence, and just as craftsmanship plays a key role within luxury, so does experience. The client should feel at the absolute forefront of the brand’s world.
Do you reflect on all Ralph & Russo has achieved to date? Tamara:
Thank you for your kind words, it still feels surreal at times to hear something like that! It has been an incredible journey, and, as you said, it all happened quite fast. So much has happened in the space of ten years. However, regardless of how much we have achieved and how far we have come, all of the individual big moments and major milestones for the brand are not lost on us. We are forever grateful for all of the support we receive daily from our clients, media, our celebrity supporters, our friends and family and, of course, our wonderful team without whom none of this would have ever been possible. It’s so important to remember where you came from and how you started and to celebrate each and every achievement.
Michael: What does expansion look like for Ralph & Russo? Michael:
It was always our plan to evolve Ralph & Russo into a luxury lifestyle brand, extending beyond apparel and accessories, and into other spheres, such as home and interiors, beauty, and so on. Whilst, understandably, some of these launches have had to be put on hold or slightly delayed, we are still working towards this plan and hope to have exciting news to share in the coming months. Beyond category expansion, retail growth is also at the forefront of our brand strategy, and we hope to also eventually have a brick-and-mortar location in all of our key markets globally – with quite a few conversations already on the go. Our New York store, and our first ever boutique in the US, was originally meant to open earlier this year, but of course, had to be pushed back due to the current situation. However, we hope to be able to unveil this store later this year or early next – fingers crossed!
A major focus for us will be moving forward and towards our vision of becoming a global luxury lifestyle brand, but in a way that is more thoughtful, considered and sustainable. It’s crucial not only for our industry
What are your goals for 2021? Tamara:
but for the world generally. Also, with the pandemic teaching us so much about ourselves and our individual needs, I think it’s fair to say a goal for both of us is to try to achieve more balance in our lives, outside of the brand.
Michael: This is ‘The Power Issue’ – when was the last time you felt empowered? Michael:
We are so fortunate to be able to say we feel empowered every day to be the best version of ourselves, and to put our best foot forward as a company. Even during this very difficult period of time, we have proven – to ourselves as well as our company – to be an agile brand, quickly pivoting our plans to evolve with the times, believing in each other and our team.