Having just presented his Fall 2013 collection in New York, I caught up with the designer du jour to chat silhouettes, social armor and other queens he’s fancying these days.
Julie Bensman: New York Fashion Week is over! Congrats on your collection – I imagine you had a few more eyeballs on this presentation than last season.
Rubin Singer: It’s been amazing what the Super Bowl has ushered in as far as attention. When I went down to New Orleans for the game, the FW13 collection wasn’t finished. When I returned, I was working like a madman to finish it before Fashion Week. We were all scrambling in the days leading up to the presentation – but isn’t that how it always is? We had Cathy Horyn, Wall Street Journal, Glamour, all the magazines, just so many amazing appointments this season.
JB: Beyonce’s costume was an extension of the FW13 collection, yes?
RS: Thank God, yes! When Ty Hunter and Raquel Smith came in to see me early December, I showed them the FW13 storyboards. They loved what they saw and told me to keep doing what I was doing. I’ve been working with Beyonce for the past six years – first when she was on the X Factor in the UK. It was an honor to receive the assignment.
JB: What are some of your favorite looks in the new collection?
RS: I love all the gowns. I do a very big gown business, especially at Neiman Marcus, but I was particularly excited by the silhouettes this season – they’re much more controlled. My favorite looks include the red gown and the tulle with the leather bodice. I love their wearability – they’re more urban and not so precious, you know?
JB: With an influx of media attention and celebrity requests, do you find it hard to find your design focus?
RS: It has to be symbiosis of editorial, celebrity styling and retail. I’ve just come off a big celebrity project and so my next focus is retail. My customer ranges from the very young to the very old, and my size offerings range from 2-18. The Rubin Singer girl is less about a demographic and more about a state of mind. She is strong and likes to make a statement. Clothing is her social armor.
JB: I love that! And I love that your studio and showroom are in New York. How important is that to you?
RS: So important. I grew up in this business — I’m a third generation couturier – so it’s really second nature to do it this way. Dressmaking and eveningwear is a dying art – it can often be next to impossible to find the right staff for this craft. Producing gowns in New York ensures quality, delivery and control – plus, I visually drape my fabrics so there’s no design for someone else to do it. If my designs change, I alienate my customers and I am done. A gown has to be perfect and I want to deliver consistency, yet be constantly evolving. And I never take on business I can’t fulfill.
JB: What’s the best style advice you’ve ever received?
RS: It was from Ken Downing at Neiman Marcus: “Know your customer and give them what they want without changing your vision and who you are as a designer.”
JB: So what’s next?
RS: Well, I have dinner at Daniel in an hour. That’s tonight [laughing]. For March, I’m working on a big global music project and planning for a major show in Bangkok with L’Officiel, plus a few shows in Japan and traveling the Far East. For April, I’m focusing on designing resort and bridal collections.
JB: What was the last thing you googled?
RS: [Checking his phone] Queen of the Night. I was doing some research on different queens.
JB: A clue to next season’s inspiration?
RS: Maaaaaybe. You’ll have to wait and see.
