Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo’s couture label is the only British design house to have joined the French Chambre Syndicale, and is known for dressing royals and celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Beyoncé.
Tamara Ralph is the fourth generation in her family to work in couture and fashion design. After graduating from the Whitehouse Institute of Design in Melbourne, Australia, Ralph travelled to London in hopes of breaking into the fashion industry. After a chance meeting with Michael Russo, an Australian banker working in London, the duo launched Ralph & Russo in 2006.
The couple’s business has been profitable since its inception and filled a gap in the market in London, a highly affluent fashion hub without a local couture provider. To preserve the brand’s exclusivity, Ralph & Russo sells only one version of each garment per country.
In 2013, the couple were the only representatives from the fashion industry on Forbes’ annual list of the 40 most successful people under 40. That same year, Ralph & Russo became the first British couture house to join the French Chambre Syndicale and in 2014, they were the first British brand to show at Paris Couture Week. Today, the company has offices in Paris and London, and a roster of more than 600 clients.
