The Couture Process
In order to guarantee the highest quality of our products, Ralph & Russo calls upon the expertise of its designers and craftsmen. Fundamental to the heritage of the brand, Ralph & Russo is devoted to ensuring that the craftsmanship is nurtured and that the skills are not only passed on but also developed and modernised.
Driven by a commitment to creativity and reinvention, true craftsmanship is at the very core of each product. The brand is dedicated to fusing innovative and new techniques with traditional craftsmanship, delivering the finest hands to the modern consumer.
Ralph & Russo’s couture collections are a contemporary reinvention of savoir-faire.
The collections showcased in Paris seasonally, transform renewed interpretations of the female form into timeless silhouettes.
Renowned for housing one of the largest couture ateliers in Europe, Ralph & Russo occupies 30,000 sq ft space within the heart of London. And when it comes to Couture there are no limits – For a collection to come to fruition; hundred couturiers, six hundred hours and countless fittings have been culminated to create the exclusive looks that defines Ralph & Russo.
Ralph & Russo is a company built on serving the individual needs of every client with unrivalled customer experience
Initial consultation
You will meet with a Client Relations specialist for a one-to-one personalised consultation at our by appointment only London or Paris Maison. During the consultation, we will discuss the occasion, what you like and dream about wearing that night. You can bring photos and colour inspirations, but you’ll be shown the latest images for silhouettes as well as colour palettes with fabrics and embroideries.
Bespoke for you
Ralph & Russo Couture gowns are made using your personal measurements. A team of skilled seamstresses will measure you during the Initial or Design Consultation - depending on your preference.
Design & Sketch
Once this design is complete, a second appointment will be booked for you to come forward with the design. During this consultation, you will approve the design, and make any adjustments needed prior to start crafting the unique piece.
Personal Mannequin
Based on your personal measurement sheet, our atelier will construct a bespoke mannequin whose form will be handcrafted from a special fabric solely for you. Your exclusive piece will be crafted and altered on this made-to-measure figure.
Toile Fitting – Pattern cutting
After the design is decided and your personal perfect block created, the material is mounted on the mannequin. Our team of over 200 couturiers take each design and shape, then build sculpt and transform them until the toile silhouette is transformed.
The Final Fitting
The garment being completely hand-crafted, it can take anywhere from 100 to 800 hours to create it and at least 4 full-time tailors and seamstresses using their expertise — from the smallest, microscopic details to the more salient, eye-catching aspects — to bring yours thoughts onto the piece. Once the piece is perfected, you will be called to come in for the final fitting. Our team of seamstresses will make sure the piece sits properly on your body and fits like a glove.