By: Josie Goldberg
Orange County, CA (The Hollywood Times) 01/24/2024
After having a fitting for a beautiful dress which Roberto Racanelli made for me, he told me that the idea that I would never fit into a couture designer dress was false. I misinformed, like most women, who think they are just too big. I am going to share some interesting facts that will inform women of all sizes so they can get into a designer couture dress just like I did and look and feel fabulous!
Fashion Brands like Dior, Chanel, Versace, Gucci don’t sell Couture garments in their stores. They sell Ready to Wear garments. Couture clothing is when the designer makes the Garments specifically for the individual. What one is buying at the store is called Ready To Wear Collection even at the high prices nowadays that we could see at the South Coast Plaza Stores or Rodeo Drive, for example, high end designer basic t shirts are priced starting at $600.00 and the most simple dresses start at $2000.00 and up, a woman’s tailored jacket usually ranges anywhere from $3000.00 to $5000.00 and up if we are talking Chanel, a classic Ready to Wear Chanel jacket at the store starts at $10,000.00. These luxury high end designer brands produce about 1,000 to 10,000 or even more of the same t-shirt, dress, or jacket, etc. that are individually sold at that price for pieces made in generic sizes to their vision of size. Nowadays buying high end luxury designer does not mean at all that it is unique, yes, the garments are quality but at the end of the day there are 10,000 women that will buy the same $4,000 dress. Hopefully they won’t be at the same party. At the end of the day, expensive things don’t make you unique, style does, your personal style does.
Do you ever see the fashion models in the magazines wearing runway outfits and then you pass by someone in real life wearing that outfit and it does not look the same? It’s because the model has it custom altered specifically for her/him and only her/him. That’s the magic of the perfect fit and look at them on the runway or in photoshoot, and of course the extra help of Photoshop. When Roberto made me a couture dress (see article) I was able to wear a couture designer dress because it was made specifically for me. That is the secret. If you don’t fit the standard sizes, it does not mean you can’t wear a couture designer dress. You must find a couture dressmaker like Roberto Racanelli, who can make it for you and have a one-of-a-kind garment! It took me 41 years to meet Roberto and I’m sharing him with you! Now I can bring my fashion sense to a different level and dress gracefully like a lady that’s ready to blossom.
Enjoy our interview here:
Growing up in a Russian Jewish family, I was always taught that one must be both beautiful on the outside as well as on the inside. I come from a family where my dad was the breadwinner, and my mom was a trophy wife. However, in the Russian Jewish community trophy wife means the man does not send his wife to work, she gets to live in a beautiful home, and she can live for her kids. In today’s terms, being a helicopter parent (lol). When I was a child, my mother had a best friend who was a fashion designer, and she would always make cute clothes for her children and I. Then we would go to the park and do photo shoots and picnics on the weekend. Back in the day that’s what housewives in Orange County did. My mom enjoyed these photo shoots, but she knew my father did not approve. Even though he was very handsome as a young man and my mother was a beauty herself, he would get annoyed when he would see glamorous pictures of me. He even told me he went out with Miss New Jersey when he was younger, and she wore a beautiful long elegant dress, and it annoyed him because he was taking her to a diner not a steakhouse. My dad for some reason did not like beauty queens or women who dress in elegant long fancy gowns. One day my mom’s friend entered her daughters in a beauty pageant at the South Coast Plaza Mall in Orange County, California. We went there to support our friend’s daughters in the beauty pageant. One of the pageant directors came up to my mom and said “Why don’t you have your daughter enter? She is a cutie” My mom said we don’t have a dress and even at a younger age I was wearing a sailor jumpsuit! (a cute one.) I was a sporty kid. But my mom’s friend said just have Josie do it, it will be fun for the girls. We were 5 years old! Well, what do you know, I placed second and was told I would have won If I had the proper attire. My mother’s friends’ daughters did not place at all, and their grandma gave my mom and I the stink eye as they had beautiful dresses on! My mom came home and told my father as she was so happy that I placed and almost won! My dad took one look and said If she continues this with me, he will divorce her! That was the start and finish of my modeling and our pageantry career until I finished my undergrad degree in 2004!
Being 5’10”, having 38DD breast, and a full-figure my father always told me I was a full-figured woman and men don’t like that. He always said to keep slender and petite, so I don’t look manly. Hearing that my whole life I always tried to dress down and not be so noticeable. Even though my dad was 6’1” and a medium build, for the Russian Jewish breed that’s like 6’6” in the wasp breed. While most girls wore pageantry dresses and did Cotillion (private programs where kids come together for a series of classes and events to learn manners, etiquette, and social dance.) My dad said we are Jews, become a doctor or a lawyer and you will be a big winner in life for all. I was a little rebel as well and loved to dress sexy, flashy, and gaudy. I was into sexy jeans and cute tops (back then it was Bebe, Bongo, Guess, and BCBG). I always dreamed of wearing a fancy gown, but I never had any place to go until my career picked up at the age of 41 and I met my new “Couture Dress Maker “designer Roberto Racanelli who owns “House of Racanelli” they say better late than never!
I was never a size 0-4 even in high school! I have always been a good 6-8 in American sizes since I was 14 years old. I never was able to fit into designer clothes in the brand-named stores, so I just got over it and stuck to designer costume jewelry and accessories. Plus, in my head I was just too big and did not feel feminine. When the designer does not make your size, you start to think “it’s not for me”.
My sister-in-law is into beauty and plastic surgery. She always says that in the plastic surgery world they say “You’re not ugly, you’re just poor” I’m telling you, you’re not too big or fat you just need to hire the right couture dressmaker Roberto Racanelli. He can make you look and feel like a “Parisian Supermodel.” Look at me and my photoshoot. If I did it being 165 pounds, so can too by contacting Roberto Racanelli. He loves letters to be written to him and seal it with a kiss.
https://houseofracanelli.wixsite.com/website
About Roberto Racanelli
House of Racanelli was created in the fall of 2021. Roberto was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. He is a French Canadian, speaks French and English fluently. His aunt who he has said has been his eccentric fashion inspiration, Juliette Trolio, told him he grew up in a universe surrounded by only fashion people and that’s why he is the way he is. Juliette is a well-known stylist who owns an iconic store in Montreal, called Boutique Rix Rax. Boutique Rix Rax’ is a unique specialty dressmaking supply store that became seen as an institution, now in business for 37 years and running, for fashion people, dressmakers, costume makers for movies and theater, and everyone else in between who is looking for the perfect stylish button, ribbon or trim or feather it is a goldmine filled with treasures to complete or create a garment. That’s how Roberto feels he got his passion for fashion and creativity from. Roberto also mentions his sister as his muse and doll to dress since he was a little kid. Her name is Elysia Racanelli. She is a medical doctor by profession but also a fashion icon in Montreal, Canada. Ladies check her out on Instagram.
(@elysia.racanelli)
For Boutique Rix Rax and marvelous dressmaking supplies and fashion treasures check out www.rixrax.ca
