If It's Hip, It's Here (Archives): ralph pucci

Pratt Institute and Ralph Pucci International presented "Pratt + Paper & Ralph Pucci," an exclusive exhibition preview of paper designs by fashion design, fine arts, industrial design, and interior design students from Pratt's School of Art and Design on Tuesday, December 7th at the Ralph Pucci International Gallery Nine Showroom in New York.

An interdisciplinary group of 50 Pratt students were challenged to a semester-long study in texture and form to dress Pucci's Spring 2011 "GIRL 2" mannequins entirely in paper. (By the way, I featured Ralph Pucci's amazing mannequins here, if you are not familiar with the collection.)

The project was led by Rebeccah Pailes-Friedman, Chair of the Department of Fashion Design at Pratt. The exhibition highlighted the best work from the project as selected by Ralph Pucci and will feature 20 dressed mannequins and 4 sculptural pieces.

above: The GIRL2 mannequin that served as the muse for the paper creations.

A panel of distinguished judges which included Linda Fargo, Vice President of Fashion, Bergdorf Goodman; Nicole Fischelis, Vice President of Fashion, Macy's; Grey Mills, Founder of Greg Mills Showroom; Jens Risom, furniture designer; Anna Sui, fashion designer; Deborah Turbeville, photographer; and Vicente Wolf, interior designer selected the top three designs at the event.

Winners for Best Dress Design:
First place - Dana Otto
Second place - Meredith Lyon & Beatrice Weiland
Third place - Thom Forsyth
Best Sculpture - Su Ting Chen & Samantha Johnson
And K.C. Weakley created the amazing mural.

The students who created the top three designs received these awards - 12-inch mannequins hand sculpted by Pucci designer Michael Evert in gold, silver, and bronze:

More images of Pratt + Paper & Pucci:

photos shown in this post are courtesy of Pratt, Antoine Bootz for Ralph Pucci , Ralph Pucci International facebook photos and flickr photos from *Sparked

Pratt Institute and Ralph Pucci's Paper Push

Pratt + Paper & Ralph Pucci,
Gallery Nine Showroom,
44 West 18th Street, 9th Floor,
December 8-10, 11 a.m-4 p.m.
ralphpucci.net.

Ralph Pucci is the major force behind Ralph Pucci International, and an innovator in the mannequin industry. He is president of the company founded by his parents in the 1950s, which is operated in a spacious loft on West 18th Street. Mannequins are designed, manufactured, and unveiled twice yearly. His Gallery Nine Showroom showcases art, sculptures, photography, lighting, and furnishings by a variety of new, spirited artists and designers.

Pucci Manikin Co., which is now Ralph Pucci International, was originally a mannequin repair company begun by Leda and Nicholas Pucci in the 1950s, in the basement of their Mount Vernon, New York home.

above: Ralph Pucci in his NY showroom (photo courtesy of New York Daily News)

Pucci's son Ralph joined the business in 1976 and then took it over in the 1980's. He then transformed it into a company that created high-end mannequins in the likenesses of top models and collaborated on mannequin designs with top fashion designers and illustrators.

above and top image: Pucci's Madame Mannequins

I'm going to show you some of those amazing mannequins today.

Of course they are also known for their pricey high end unique pieces of furniture, interior decorating, hotel designing, lighting and graphics designed by some of the most influential innovators of this time.

Literally hundreds of beautiful mannequins, clothed and au naturel, sculpted and/or painted, have graced the showrooms of Ralph Pucci International. Too many to show you in one post. But here are just a few of my favorite collaborations.

Anna Sui:

Chelsey Maclaren:

Jeffrey Fulvimari:

Kenny Scharf:

Laura Ljungkvist:

Maira Kalman:

Michael Bartalos:

Patrick Elie Naggar:

Robert Clyde Anderson:

Ruben Toledo:

Like I said earlier in this post, there are too many to share them all with you, but there is a book!
Show by Ralph Pucci, 192 pages, 154 color illustrations, published by Glitterati Inc, 2009