story by Michael Fragoso
photos by Sandy Ramirez
Ruffian’s Spring 2011 collection was a treatise on the warrior female. The dynamic duo of Brian Wolk and Claude Morais looked specifically to Susan Tavers, the only woman who served in the French Foreign Legion. Military and safari abounded, with huge square-pocketed cropped jackets with strong shoulders and muslin silk leopard-print tops that hearkened back to an era when Annie Hall roamed Manhattan. Gold-buttoned crisp white shirts, lots of strong high waisted billowy pants and a few cocktail dresses worthy of the chicest military gal (complete with her strappy heels courtesy of Manolo Blahnik).
However, what the show translated to was less warrior femme fatale and a bit more unflattering for most women off the runway, especially with the look after look of ruffles on the breast. While the waif thin gals who come down the runway could easily wear this look, not one over an A cup would dare to carry so much weight on a dress in that area.
That having been said, the brand’s modern spirit was definitely captured in a number of looks, including one black printed cocktail number that was sexy in all the right ways, and although it was a deep dark color it did not look out of season. That same print was translated into one more dress and also a skirt, all equally quite sexy. Towards the end of the collection, cobalt and royal blue took over, and all that silk and sheen was sure to please in the warmer months.
