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   For fall 2002, Mr Rucci sent down his runway one of the few standout collections of the season. One of the truisms is that it pays to show during the first few days of the market week. It benefits most everyone because the editors’ eyes are still fresh and, as a designer, you invariably have their undivided attention. By the end of the week, everyone becomes cranky and shows signs of sensory overload and individual collections begin to melt into each other. It is a sign of true strength that Mr Rucci—who always shows on the last day of Fashion Week—manages to bring something new and potentially exciting to the mix, thus rising above the preceding design malaise that came before him.
   Once again, it is the details that allowed his designs to shine so bright. It is the plain, grey wool-jersey trapeze dress, worn by Karolina. It is made all the more sensual by adding a thin empire belt in oxblood leather. His suits were exquisite as usual but it is his coats that ended up ruling the day. I have always felt that it is his ability to create such wonderful coats that is the cornerstone of his business. From his oxblood silk rain jacket at the top of the show to his beige double faced, hand-whipstitched cashmere coat, he demonstrated a clear affinity (for knowing and) giving the customer exactly what they want. His use of leather as insets on selected pieces also served as another example of his keen attention to detail.
   I was most impressed with his ink double-faced wool crêpe duster coat, as well as with his black cashmere coat with hand-braided insets. For the most part, his pants came in the straight legged, body-conscious cut variety. They were often paired with cashmere sweaters in several different colours.
   But ultimately, the best pieces came in the end with his eveningwear section. Among the pieces that caught and kept my attention were his charcoal gauze and taupe silk–wool satin gown, his black jersey obelisk gown and stole (with a sheer, transparent back detail) and Maggie Rizer in a hand printed silk chiffon strapless gown.

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