Ralph Rucci, previously known chiefly to fashion insiders, has been nominated yesterday (March 29) Women`s Wear Designer of the Year by the Council Of Fashion Designers Of America. Other nominees in the category are Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera and Marc Jacobs. The winners will be announced at the annual gala on June 7 at the New York Public Library.

Philadelphia-born Ralph Rucci uses fashion design to explore notions of how women present themselves visually. As a student of philosophy and literature at Temple University, Rucci discovered three fashion designers whose work affected him profoundly: Cristobal Balenciaga, Mme. Gres, and Charles James. Their influence led him to move to New York after graduation, whereupon he studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology. In 1994, Rucci launched his ready-to-wear collection called Chado, named after a Japanese tea ceremony that, when performed properly, aims to create an overall sense of grace and elegance. "Chado is the space where we, as individuals, are evolving," Rucci says. "It is a space that has to do with constant re-awakening to the possibilities of your own self."