Randolph Duke began his career in fashion at the Los Angeles Fashion Institute, starting with
swimwear and working for Jantzen and Anne Cole. When he moved to New York, he started his own
sportswear line under his own label. He took a crack at the luxury lines of womenswear and gowns later.
When he made his debut at 7th on Sixth during Fall 1997, Randolph Duke became "The Duke of
Stars" because Hollywood just love his creations.
Fall 2000
Written by: Susan Redstone
Photo by: Visko Hatfield
Worsted wool herringbone separates and dresses in black, white and camel for day and evening
shimmied down the runway, some trimmed in sable and some hound’s-tooth sparsely beaded with
painted edges. There were other luxury trims too.
Graytweed-stenciled palettes were trimmed in ostrich feathers and herringbone and optic
houndstooth and plumes were finishes on the more psychedelic items. There was an exquisite
array of furs including a dyed chinchilla torso cuff, shrug stoles, cocoons and shoulder
slings in dyed red and blue silver fox and a knee length coat of sheared and longhaired fox.
The Tuscan lamb bubble was innovative and looked so cozy and a simple but brilliant black
and white palette gown was sheer at the waist. Patent black boots gave this collection an edge.
Some of the simplest stuff worked best. I loved the tweed palette feathered shell worn with
simple black leather pants. It was fun and flirty. And the cashmere gowns like the sky blue
one with a key hole gash over the stomach looked really comfortable yet really sexy.
Spring 2000
Excerpt from: Diary of New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2000
Written by: Susan Redstone
Photo by: Visko Hatfield
First up for me was the long awaited Randolph Duke show which was a huge hit with everyone. It
was a parade of crisp clean memorable clothes, with nautical and Parisian influences throughout.
Lagoon colored silk sharkskin foul weather pieces like the popover and marin front skirts were
sleek and sexy and paired with white Celtic knits like long cardigans and a cheeky matching beret.
Shorts were visible through see-through long knit skirts.
I particularly loved a piece called a cardigown - a blue cashmere knit slinky to the ground in one
piece. Silk scarves were crafted into floaty skirts and gowns in sand, teak and lagoon. The gowns
were the biggest crowd pleasers however. The galaxy was simply a flesh beaded column with a short
train was stunning as were the cerulean and azure beaded gowns with patterns of wheels and flowers
worn with big beaded hoop earrings.
The dusk comet dress had panels of alternately heavier and lighter beading that graduated from
shades of navy through to white - a shimmering silhouette. Randolph received huge applause at
the finale.
