Designed to Dazzle
Designer to stars such as Queen Beyonce
and to ordinary women who want to “feel beautiful
and empowered,” Rubin Singer made an appearance
in the Valley the week of Oct. 28.
His entire Spring 2014 Collection was showcased
at the Old Bags Luncheon to benefit Homeward
Bound, in a runway show presented by Neiman
Marcus. The collection then returned
to Neiman Marcus in Scottsdale Fashion Square.
While his most impactful press moment came following the 2013 Super Bowl when Beyonce appeared in one of his designs for the halftime show, that wasn’t his first foray into the world of celebrity. Glenn Close selected one of his gowns to wear to the 2010 Emmy Awards, and his designs have been seen on Lucy Liu, Heidi Klum and more. What we see on the celebrities, he says, is design driven. “Most of the time they see what I’ve been doing and we use that as a starting point to build from there.”
At the Nov. 6 Country Music Awards, Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry will wear a costume built off his spring collection.
Singer’s real customer, the one he has in mind when he designs, however, is a real woman. “My designs are not about the age or the demographics or the size of a woman,” Singer says. “Feeling beautiful comes more from a sense of one’s self.”
While on the runway, his collection is displayed in size 2 or 4, as you go through the collection you can see how it would translate into larger sizes. There are suits, dresses with sleeves and loose-fitting tops.
Singer draws his own sketches, develops the fabric and does his own draping.
Singer has the metallics woven into the fabrics for each particular design.
The most remarkable aspect of his designs might be the fabrics. He sketches his ideas and then develops the fabrics and has them woven according to the design of the garment. Because of the fabric, some of his designs appear to float down the runway. Others are remarkable for the metallic threads woven into the fabric or the embossment on the leather.
The interest in each design is in the architecture and drama as well in the fabrics. The skirt on the right is made of embossed leather.
His clothing has a sense of drama, which he attributes to his appreciation of opera and history. “Clothing is social armor,” Singer says. “The clothing I do is not for the faint of heart. It’s a celebration of women’s physique.”
More casual clothing still has a sense of drama combined with wearability.
Of Russian descent, Singer grew up in the design business. His father designed costumes for the Bolshoi Ballet and Stanislavski Theater. His grandfather, for whom he was named, dressed Russian royalty, Soviet political figures and the social elite.
“My father taught me everything I know,” Singer says. “That gives me a solid foundation and a deep understanding of the craft the business.
“I view myself as a real designer. I don’t listen to trend reports. I cut my own patterns. I don’t have anything to prove in terms of my creativity. My job is to take my creativity into clothes that are wearable. I create drama, but also wearability.”
