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Rui Leonardes

Rui studied menswear and womenswear at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie before focusing on footwear at the RCA, where his graduation collection received press accolades especially for his spiked heels and sharp toe stiletto boots for men. Rui then took part in the ‘It’s Three’ Manolo Blahnik awards in Italy and the ‘Future of Menswear Exhibition’ at the V & A. Rui sees himself as a designer of contradiction, blurring the boundaries of rational and chaos, peace and mayhem, masculinity and femininity. Clothes are the medium for him to project his provocation. His designs represent rebellion and aggravation as his adaptation of male/ female features in garments indicate i.e. the tight fitted leather trousers with chunky exposed zipper fly that looks severely butch but with attached heels at the hem of the garment makes it oddly elegant. www.ruileonardes.com   /  rui@rui.demon.co.uk /  +44(0) 207 247 2874 NICKY LONDON COLUMN