From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Best Fashion Designer

September 21 2005

Rene Ruiz
Rene Ruiz Couture, 262 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, 305/445-2352, www.reneruizcouture.com

Heavily inspired by the glamorous Hollywood movies of the 1940s and '50s, this designer appreciates nothing more than talking with his clients and finding out how they want to look. Born in Cuba, Ruiz fled the country when he was 14 years old. He graduated from the International Fine Arts College in Miami in 1990 and opened his first design studio two years later. Creating flirty and feminine designs, he mixes fur and silk on everything from evening gowns to geometric-print wrap tops and has designed wedding gowns, jeweled handbags and leather bustiers. Ruiz enjoys seeing his creations on his clients, who include Paris Hilton.