Mexican-Arkansan designer Rulli Torres has already ruffled up the fashion world after passing through New York and Dallas, where he resides after working under established couture designers Nicolas Villalba and Rosie del Bosque.
Torres, 32, is putting the finishing touches on a fashion show that marks a homecoming for the Northwest Arkansas native and Rogers High School graduate. He will showcase his collection at 7 p.m. Friday in Room 226 of The Jones Center in Springdale.
The show marks the beginning of March as Women’s History Month, and Torres said part of his mission is to increase the selfesteem of Northwest Arkansas women. All of the models in the show Friday are from the area and are “normal sized,” said Torres, referring to the “ridiculously skinny and super tall” size 0s who worehis designs in New York City.
The young designer graduated from the University of Arkansas in December 2011 and immediately moved to the Big Apple, where he admits almost nothing went right for him. All his money was even stolen at one point.
“Obviously I didn’t make it in New York because it’s such a huge city, and I later came to Dallas, where I felt more familiar,” he said.
“Still, when you’ve never been away from your family and friends, the challenge doubles or even triples. It’s hard.”
But with all the challenges of the metropolis, Torres learned that cutting-edge designs, which are the norm in New York, are not necessarily popular with the public. That is why he makes his designs more marketable, combining the styles of the 1960s with his own contemporary stamp.
“Sometimes people do not accept drastic changes,” he said. “I always liked the classic silhouettes of the ‘60s, where they show off the female figure: small waist, with a lot of flare.”GO & DO Fashion Show With Rulli Torres When: 7 p.m. Friday Where: Room 226 of The Jones Center in Springdale Cost: $20 VIP seating or $15 general admission, available at RulliTorres.com Information: facebook.com/officialrullitorres
Style, Pages 29 on 02/28/2013