For Spring 2012, designers Claude Morais and Brian Wolk decided to explore their roots beginning with their namesake, the famous female racehorse, Ruffian.

Horse racing culture is all about society, high class, wealth and riches, and the Ruffian Spring-Summer 2012 collection is just that. Ranging well beyond the equestrian crowd, sporty, yet razor sharp, the Ruffian woman is social and cool.

Masculinity and femininity meet in tailoring as the designers take their jockey inspiration literally with tailored sport jackets, yet juxtapose this with beautiful shining silks and sheer chiffons. Ruffles, bows, and zippers play parts as details. Color blocking has already sprung as a trend early on this New York fashion week, and Ruffian does it in the form of stripes and with bright, bold colors, with names like "shocking pink", yellow, and blue.

Not one to blend into the crowd, the woman who dons Ruffian is a total stand out. And with social goddesses (and gods) like Rose McGowan and Lorenzo Martone mingling pre-show, Ruffian is certainly not short of celebrity fans either.