Designers praised at the White House |
|
| Tuesday, 15 July 2008 | |
 For the last time, First Lady Laura Bush welcomed winners of this year’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Awards to the White House on Monday. The nine honorees are considered cutting-edge creators who often work without public recognition. That certainly goes for the lifetime achievement
award winner Charles Harrison, who served as an industrial designer for Sears for more than three decades. The winner of the Fashion Award is Ralph Rucci, who established his women’s wear label Chabo Ralph Rucci in 1994. An ambassador for American Fashion, Rucci presented his first haute couture collection in Paris in 2002, becoming one of only two Americans in history to be on the official calendar of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. Both his ready-to-wear and haute couture lines distinguish themselves with their impeccable craftsmanship, luxurious fabrics and subtle embellishments.
"American design helps to tell our nation's story and shape our common identity," said the First Lady, dressed in a metallic taupe Carolina Herrera pantsuit. "Some of our country's first designers were actually our founding fathers" she told her 150 guests. Laura Bush has a special interest in the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, as daughter Barbara works in its education department. |
Finalists in the Fashion Design category are menswear designer Thom Browne, who is distinguished for his ability to update classic silhouettes and an aesthetic rooted in a truly American sensibility; and Zac Posen whose refined, intricate womenswear line is recognized for its flawless construction, playfulness and wit.