In the elegant, open space of the showroom in New York, the artist and gallerist Ralph Pucci creates prestigious pieces of furniture: tables, chairs, armchairs, desks, armoires and dressers, lighting, glassware, sculptures, paintings and graphics, with originality in shapes and in colors. In his showrooms, also located in Miami and Los Angeles, are exposed works of other artists from other countries and cultures too. Ralph Pucci International has also a precious collection of textiles fabricated in Italy. Ralph Pucci has started to work as a designer and manufacturer of mannequins. In the fifties, his family of Italian heritage opens a shop for repairing mannequins, and in 1976, Ralph Pucci joins to the company in the manufacturing of artistic and innovative mannequins, for boutiques, department stores of haute couture and worldwide exhibitions, creating “action mannequins”. His models take inspiration from the classic Greek and Roman sculptures and the glam rockers the New York Dolls. In 1980, the collection of mannequins in athletic poses called “Workout” gets a great success, and department stores as Macy’s in San Francisco, Broadway in Los Angeles buy them for their window displays. In 1986, Ralph Pucci collaborates with the French designer Andrée Putman, and on the occasion of the opening of Barney store, they design sculptural mannequins “Olympian Goddess” that reflected the modern fashion. In 1996, Jeffrey Fulvimari and Ralph Pucci realize the mannequin Camille; other collections are “Avalon” and “Lady”. In 2004, Pucci makes a series of larger-sized mannequins. In 2010 Ralph Pucci International and the Pratt students dress a collection of abstract mannequins in white paper. They are exhibited at Ralph Pucci’s showroom, Macy’s display window in New York and EuroShop trade show in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Working with artists, fashion illustrators, models, architects, and sculptors, such as Michael Evert, Patrick Naggar, Kenny Scharf, Ruben Toledo, Paul Mathieu, John Koga, Ralph Pucci show many styles, looking at many cultural trends. Many of his models were the subject of an exhibition, “The Art of the Mannequin” at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. His abstract or realistic mannequins clothed and natural, are both fashion models and works of art. Ralph Pucci said: “Mannequins are, as always, a reflection of the ideal, not how we are but how we’d like to be…glamour and youth are still what sells”. Two illustrated books, “Show” and “Wall” tell the creative work of Ralph Pucci, actually designer and producer of splendid modern pieces of furniture in plasterglass and resin, resistant and handcrafted materials suitable for indoors and outdoors, made by The Ralph Pucci International, www.ralphpucci.com
GALLERIA
