Read on for exclusive sketches and insight on how Zaldy strives to make RuPaul the best-dressed woman on TV.
Its a very loose communication.
Its hard to pinpoint that creative place that Ru and I connect on.
Courtesy of VH1 (3)
We both know what weve done in the past and whats coming in the next seasons.
There are so many things to sort out.
We dont have to speak as much.
Courtesy of VH1 (3)
We definitely have to show Rus waist, we decided on that, he continues.
His vision for season 11 marked a definitive shift for RuPauls style, however.
The archetype is the glamorous gown look.
Courtesy of VH1
Over the course of change, all of a sudden we started doing short dresses and more adult pieces.
Its a short, pink leopard, [almost like a]Flintstoneslook, Zaldy remembers.
Such is the standard when you have a powerful icon calling the shots.
Courtesy of VH1
[This is] one of them.
The big thing was for many seasons [was] we didnt show Rus legs.
You cant imagine the tears that went around my studio in New York.
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I was like, What!?
When I first met Ru, it was all legs.
Nobody in the world has legs like this….
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This is Ru as I met her and started with her!
This striped cotton dress is another piece Ru added to the season 11 mix, much to Zaldys pleasure.
That makes his job a seamless, unorthodox blend of intuition, history, innovation, and curatorial excellence.
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But it was just in the mood, thats just how it goes, he says.
In the same way we look at her wardrobe, Ru will have the final say.
Thats how we communicate!
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Zaldy estimates each of Rus looks can come together in anywhere from four to 14 days.
Im very motivated by fabric.
I love that look so much and Ru was so into it.
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Its fun to be on that discovery path with Ru!
That was a really different look for Ru.
I thought Ru would get into the vintage vibe of the whole thing.
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When it arrived, Ru was like, Oh my God,thisis episode 1!
She couldnt wait to get into that outfit, Zaldy excitedly remembers.
Its like a full puffball gown, which isnt his normal thing.
Courtesy of VH1
Its so different from the way most people work.
That was in the early days when we had a linear game plan.
As the seasons went on, everything got bigger and we got busier.
I never know whats coming!
Its a Bob Mackie-Cher relationship, Zaldy continues.
Its a weird thing.
Its not only us.
Nobody needs to check in to ensure everything is going to be on par.
Its the package and culmination of everything weve built as a supermodel.
Ru is her own archivist and takes impeccable care of each look.
Theyre still in perfect condition.
Its really amazing, and I know that Ru would love to do something with it at some point.
Museums of the world, take note.
