INTRODUCTION

Lovingly fashioned out of gossamer-sheer chiffons, radiant silks and fragile lace, her trademark evening dresses have a magical quality, sylph like in their feminine allure and romance. Equally assured at designing tailored garments, Ruti’s refined suits have a crisp, coolly elegant appeal. Each hand made piece of Ruti Danan’s exclusive micro-label collection reveals her expertise in cutting and draping luxury fabrics to enhance the body, transforming the wearer into a modern-day goddess.

Celebrities and fashion cognoscenti alike have recognised Ruti Danan’s talent and there is a constant waiting list for her exclusive designs. A-list supermodels, pop stars, socialites and actresses including Kylie Minogue, Geri Halliwell, Elle Macpherson, Naomi Campbell, Sonique, Normandie Keith and Nicole Kidman to name but a few, have worn her one-off designs to much critical acclaim. And Ruti’s designs have also appeared in major films: in the opening sequence of ‘Mission Impossible II’ Thandie Newton steals the scene in a made-to-measure body skimming black lace sheath dress.

Ruti Danan’s dedicated approach to dressing women and her innate sense of style lend her work a definitive balance. Her designs are sexy yet subtle, always leaving something to the imagination; intricate in detail, yet pure in silhouette.

Ruti’s creations are frequently worn to premieres, galas, private views and other high profile events. Many devotees have commented on how special a Ruti Danan couture piece makes them feel. Once off the hanger and on the body, a metamorphosis takes place, the grateful, fluid lines give the wearer an added poise and elegance which speaks for itself. These are indeed couture clothes which have the power to make an entrance but without being over-powering.

Biography

Ruti Danan was born in Jerusalem and was one of thirteen children. She clearly remembers sitting on her mothers lap watching her carefully hand stitching clothes for the family. In 1981, Ruti worked as a prop maker and studied stage design. Further studies in her early career at the Architectural Association gave her a spatial understanding which informs her work today.

She went on to design costumes for the prestigious National Ballet at the National Theatre of Tel Aviv. After experimenting with textiles in the Sinai Desert in 1987 she moved to London where she worked closely with Michico Koshino and Nigel Atkinson and afterwards became assistant to Alexander McQueen in 1994. Her first collection was launched in 1996.

Design Philosophy

Ruti Danan’s designs are one-offs or limited edition which display a superb quality of workmanship and attention to detail. Mostly made to order and individually fitted, many pieces take weeks of care and patience to produce. It is this dedication: the cut, the fit, the drape, the hang, the movement, the fabric and the detail, which means that her clothes are frequently considered heirlooms to be passed on to the next generation.

A major influence in Ruti’s design philosophy is Madeleine Vionnet, the legendary pioneer of the bias cut. Almost all Ruti’s designs are cut on the bias, cleverly avoiding the need for side seams. The pieces seem to wrap themselves effortlessly around the body, skimming and flattering its contours. It is precisely this minimal simplicity of line which contrasts so perfectly with the richness of Ruti’s fabric and trimmings.

Ruti Danan also believes in the element of surprise and is a master at it. In one design for trousers an unexpected accordion of pleats emerges from the inside leg seam as the model walks giving the strict tailoring an added excitement. Many pieces have a chameleon quality; a completely reversible silk satin asymmetric beaded skirt, for example, can be transformed into an evening shawl.

Ruti Danan’s hallmark avoidance of side seams is successfully combined with her concentration on the back view. As a designer, she is thoroughly accomplished at working in four dimensions. This is a key tenet of her philosophy. The carefully chosen, flat two dimensional fabric is transformed into three dimensions on the body and is taken to a forth stage, where its texture, hang and drape is considered in movement. Ruti understands that for a dress to work on al levels it must be visually arresting from all angles and her deep, sensual v-backs adorned with ruffles, beading, buttons, loops and tassels have become a signature of her silk and chiffon evening dresses.

Ruti’s artistry can also be seen in her expert use of colour and texture. Drawing on diverse inspiration, from painting to costume, from the haunting landscape of the desert she is so fascinated by to the iridescent light of traditional winter festivals, she translates these into her work by contrasting unexpected colours and adding texture with light-refracting beadwork, antique precious trimmings and organic sinuous ruffles and tucks.