What would it be like to design high-end watches like haute couture? Audemars Piguet, the collector-favorite Swiss high-end watch brand, has invited haute couture designer Tamara Ralph to join forces to create the first limited-edition cross-border design work in 2024. The following will introduce you to this aesthetic and haute couture watch An encounter with the craftsmanship of the table.
Tamara Ralph, rewrite her name in the world of haute couture
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Even if you don’t know the name Tamara Ralph, you must have heard of her first high-end brand, Ralph & Russo. Ralph & Russo was founded in London in 2010 and was recognized by the French Haute Couture Association just 4 years later This makes Tamara Ralph the first female creative director in London to be invited to participate in Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week in the last century (and the first Australian to receive this recognition in history).
Sydney’s Tamara Ralph represents the fourth generation of high fashion designers in her family and fashion is in her blood. To break into the fashion world, she arrived in London alone at the age of 23. She initially always wore her clothes to socialize and became her most competent spokesperson. Later, during her 11 years as co-founder and creative director of Ralph & Russo, she worked on the “Mrs. Carter” by Beyoncé, to Angelina Jolie’s knighthood, to Meghan Markle’s engagement photos, etc. she can be seen on the red carpet from celebrity weddings to the Met ball.
Although she separated from her former partner and business partner Michael Russo in 2021 and left the brand permanently, she quickly found her composure and founded the eponymous high-end brand Tamara Ralph the following year. years, this time What you have to tell is your story. The Tamara Ralph brand workshop is still in London today. Although the team size is smaller than before, they are all employees who have worked at Ralph & Russo in the past; and the design style is much stronger and more mature than gentle and graceful in the past, a simple attitude; furthermore, this time she is not satisfied just with fashion, but also wants to become a lifestyle brand, and the collaboration with AP Watch is a significant first step.
Tamara Ralph x Audemars Piguet The birth of an “haute couture” watch.
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During the Spring-Summer 2024 Haute Couture Fashion Week, the work designed by Tamara Ralph for Audemars Piguet was presented on the catwalk for the first time: the limited edition flying tourbillon watch “Tamara Ralph” from the Royal Oak Concept series is limited to 102 pieces are produced, and the craftsmanship of the layered design seems to decorate the wrist with a unique “haute couture uniform”.
The first time you see this 38.5mm watch, you will be drawn to the 18k rose gold case and the rippled surface underneath. This watch case uses “Frost Gold Jewelry Craftsmanship” derived from ancient Florentine gold hammering technology. The K gold watch case is delicately hammered with a diamond hammer to create tiny depressions in the surface, which catch the light. It will exude a delicate luster. After being reinterpreted by Italian jewelry designer Carolina Bucci and transformed by the masterful hands of Audemars Piguet craftsmen, satin gold technology has adorned many Audemars Piguet watches since 2016, and has become the protagonist of this work.
As for the multi-layered surface, it is decorated with a satin sunray pattern and is layered with gradient tones and soft curves of brown, bronze and gold, which contrast with the angular octagonal bezel, hexagonal crown and steel hexagonal screws stainless. From the luster of frosted gold, to the matte and brilliant shiny metal, to the alligator leather strap with large pearlescent square scales and the 19 brilliant-cut diamonds inlaid on the surface disk, this watch has The various textures are full of layers and very harmonious, and every detail is inspiring.
The 2964 manual winding movement hidden under the elegant appearance is also not simple. The constantly rotating flying tourbillon at six o’clock not only improves the precision of travel time, but also is a symbol of excellent watchmaking craftsmanship, allowing you to appreciate the superb technology that only a few masters in the world can master closely. worn on the wrist.
Below is our exclusive interview with Tamara Ralph.
HR: How has your upbringing shaped your identity as a high fashion designer?
“Although this is no longer the case, at the time Australia was very far from the luxury industry, so it was always a dream of mine to develop in Europe – I knew it would be the place where I would be free to realize my couture dream. My grandmother and great-grandmothers were all couture artisans who dedicated their lives to couture, and I fell in love with it. My grandmother also taught me all the techniques she knew and she asked me to practice again and again until I made the perfect finished product. ——This shaped my understanding of perfect couture craftsmanship.
HR: Can you share your creative process with us?
“Creating for me is an evolving process. You can start with one idea, but when the idea starts to flow, it can develop into something different. I usually start in one direction and develop a larger story and at the same time time I draw the artwork I also like to explore techniques on how to realize these ideas in the process, because design and craftsmanship are inseparable, they might influence the image in your mind during the process or push you to push the boundaries of some technologies, therefore, a high-end collection is not always centered around a story or theme, fabrics and techniques can also become the protagonists – but of course, the story behind it is what makes the work able to connect with hearts of people.”
HR: How do you balance facing the reality of the limits of your abilities while letting your imagination run wild?
“I always want to do something I’ve never tried before, from designing couture clothes to designing high-end watches, so I think the most important thing is the willingness to challenge the limits of my creativity and innovation, because that’s what will carry the brand forward in the long run. However, I am also very lucky to have a team of perfectionist craftsmen. We are like a big family. Whenever I go to them with crazy ideas, they will not resist the challenge.”
HR: Between complete self-expression and meeting customer needs, which gives you a greater sense of accomplishment?
“Honestly, I think it comes from a combination of the two. When we present the collection on the catwalk, I have the freedom to express the vision of the brand, my personal vision, and tell the story of women that is unique to this season and that we want to highlight ; But at the same time, half of my pieces are models that have never been seen on the catwalk and are tailor-made for a special client. What I love most about couture is that it is very personal and you have to dialogue with the client, get to know him , get to know him and then use your creativity to express the best side of him, sometimes even the one he can’t see.”
HR: What is the biggest difference between Tamara Ralph, born in 2022, and your first brand, Ralph & Russo?
“It’s so rare to have a vision that is completely unique and personal, and I also feel like it has a braver and more feminine tone, something that resonates with many of my loyal customers. Of course it’s also an exciting opportunity for me, because as an entrepreneur and creative director at the same time, I have to constantly prove myself in all aspects, and the collaboration with Audemars Piguet is a perfect example of this.”
HR: Running a haute couture brand in a world dominated by fast fashion, how do you hope to reaffirm the value of haute couture?
“Even though today’s fashion world moves very fast and the fast fashion industry is huge, ‘classic’ will always be an evergreen product: people know that being able to truly love a job and pass it on to their daughters “It’s a great achievement. What a special experience. Not only that, I also find that the age of high-end consumers is getting younger and younger, which simply proves that the new generations know how to appreciate sustainable and timeless works.”
HR: Can you tell us about this collaboration with Audemars Piguet?
“My love for haute couture comes from the combination of creativity and technology, and Audemars Piguet agrees with me on this point. I respect and admire this brand very much. They are pioneers in the field of haute horlogerie. This collaboration is the most important. The big The fact is that our core values are so similar, but our creative fields are so different, which makes a successful collaboration possible. Audemars Piguet has always generously invited artists and designers from outside the watchmaking field to collaborate, and I think perhaps the femininity in their designs resonated with them and is the direction they hope to see in their future work.
HR: While both are manifestations of extreme craftsmanship, high fashion and high-end watches don’t seem to appear that often in the same set of women’s looks. How do you hope to change the situation through this collaboration?
“I want everyone to know that high fashion and high-end watches can go perfectly together. It was only while I was designing the watch this time that I realized that the design process of the two is actually very similar: I found myself obsessed. I can’t stop drawing designer drawings. Maybe it’s because I come from a high-end customization background, so I feel like anything is possible. I like to mix different fabrics and colors when designing high-end customizations and I also look for to combine it and integrate it into the design of the watch.”
HR: So how would you describe the final product?
“I usually like to mix and match different colors and textures when I match clothes and accessories in private, so I mixed many different colors and metal treatments into this watch work, also showing my creative aesthetic: very feminine and strong, classic but also modern, I think this is very consistent with the spirit of the Royal Oak series with its long history and continuous innovation.”
>>Click here to make an appointment to appreciate the limited edition Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Series Flying Tourbillon “Tamara Ralph” watch
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