During a warm and sunny week in April, a suite at the Sunset Tower Hotel served as a mini showroom for New York-based dress specialist Donna Ricco. Celebrities stopped by to not only meet the designer, but pick out a dress that would be a perfect fit for both their bodies and the shows they are most famous for. While signature styles of some designers only look good on certain body types, Ricco pointed out to her visitors that she has worked hard for 20 years to ensure nobody has that problem with her line.
“I’ve been wearing dresses since I opened the company 20 years ago,” muses the stunning designer, distinguished with her clean elegance and smart Louise Brooks bob. “However, I think it’s great that women from all walks of life are falling in love again with the idea of wearing dresses again, and a whole new generation recently sporting designer jeans is now discovering them, too. The dress is totally new to them, but suddenly, it makes such perfect sense…”
Her primary collection, which ranges in price from $98 to $178, happens to be on trend with every trend going on right now, from the simple, go-everywhere black shirtdress (which she was sporting at the Sunset Towers) to floaty retro trapeze dresses to ethnic prints to bold jewel tones. The just released “Collection,” meanwhile, translates her take on femininity and versatility to cocktail hour and black-tie looks, with prices ranging around $300-$595.
“I’m focused,” she affirms. “My values haven’t changed. They’re still about keeping things straightforward and simple. I’m doing this to make a woman feel good about herself. After all this time, I’ve learned that if I know what works for me, if I can wear it and feel great in it, my customer will, too. Women are re-thinking their lives and how they want to present themselves. They exercise and take care of their skin. They work at it, and they are confident about who they are. Wearing a dress is a natural expression of that confidence. It’s also part of keeping things straightforward and simple, you know?”
Donna Ricco dresses are available at Nordstrom's, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, speciality retailers and on www.donnaricco.com.
This week Donna Ricco is gifting one lucky winner with a beautiful dress.
Winners will be randomly selected and notified May 12, 2008.
US only. Rules
