It’s a drizzly day as I drive across the Queensboro Bridge to Sutton Place in Manhattan. I’m visiting Robert Rufino, a born-and-raised New Yorker and man about town who has had the kind of career that makes perfect sense in retrospect, but could hardly be planned in advance. As I walk into his foyer, the picture starts to come together. There are objects, paintings, furniture, and all manner of hints of a life well-lived.
Ice Scooters of the Great South Bay
We have the utmost respect for those who find a way to get out and spend time on the water -- even in the colder months. In fact, with the right outlook, these months can be the most pleasurable and rewarding of all. Just ask a member of the South Bay Scooter Club. Since the early 1900s, these folks have been racing Scooter boats on the icy Great South Bay every winter. Read their take on the history of Scootering, originally published on the SBSC website.
The evolution of the Scooter is not well documented. It did not evolve from a designer’s drawing board nor was there a class association. It evolved out of necessity. Something like this. Take an old duck puntie and add runners. A mast, sprit sail or gaff and a pike pole to steer her. Angle the runners to bite into the ice and to prevent the boat from sliding sideways. Add a jib to balance the main sail and a bit of rocker to the runners to increase steerage and you have a Scooter.
By the early 1900’s the Scooter was used almost exclusively for hunting and sport. Most of the early boats had two rigs. A small sprit-sail, which was used during the work week for hunting and fishing and a larger gaff sail rig used on the week-ends for racing or taking friends out for rides. As the boats begin to carry larger and larger sails, short lee runners were added to prevent the boats hull from scraping on the ice as the boats healed.
The scooter, unlike other iceboats is rudderless. She is steered by her jib. By trimming or slackening the jib one can change course. To head up, ease the jib and trim the main. To bear off, trim the jib and ease the main. Shifting your weight forward or aft accordingly accelerates the process.
The first organized Scooter race occurred on February 23, 1903 off Patchogue New York and eventually Blue Point became the center of racing activity and the meeting place for Scooters. They came from as far away as Bellport to the east and Bayshore to the west. Betting on races was heavy and many local horseracing enthusiasts turned to the Scooter races for some out-of-season action. Extensive printed coverage of the Scooter races was provided not only by the local papers but also the New York City newspapers. Racing led to larger and lighter boats with more sail area. No longer could the boats sail or easily be rowed through open water. But, the water was still there. Instead, the fast new boats begin to jump the water holes and a new pastime was born.
QMS: We’re up here in Sutton Place, and I’m kicking myself for not having hung out around here before. It has a real old New York charm. I know you’re a native New Yorker who has stuck it out here for decades now. Tell me about growing up here.
Robert Rufino: Well I actually grew up downtown, in Chinatown, which was a much different place than it is today, more like a village than anything. My father drove a taxi, and my mother ran a card shop. I went to a missionary school, and really had a great childhood. A little bit after going to FIT where I majored in window display and merchandising, l had the good fortune to start my career at Henri Bendel on 57th Street, which was quite extraordinary.
QMS: Wow, as I understand it, that was THE store of that time in New York. What did you learn while you were there?
Robert Rufino: It was a very special place, almost like a private club. And at that time window dressing was an art form – we called it street theater. Working at Bendel opened my eyes to a whole new world. Not only did I design the windows at Bendel’s, but I was in charge of store design and merchandising. Early on I knew I was dyslexic, and I had a talent for putting things together. My eyes and hands were my tools – whether I was designing a fashion window or a beautiful still life.
QMS: It sounds like you’ve always had a keen eye for style. How did that translate into your career post-Bendel’s?
Robert Rufino: Bendel’s being what it was, I was so entrenched in fashion that it was very normal for me to go on to work in fashion magazines. What started in retail led to me becoming a fashion editor for many years, at various magazines like Elle Fashion to The New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, and others. Eventually, I was Vice President of Worldwide Creative Services at Tiffany & Co. for 13 years.
QMS: Then you made a shift back to magazines. What prompted that?
Robert Rufino: I felt I had accomplished what I wanted at Tiffany’s and it was an honor to design windows for this landmark American brand. I wanted to return to the magazine world, but not fashion. I had the good fortune to work for Stephen Drucker at House Beautiful for about three years. From there, I went to Architectural Digest, Elle Decor back to House Beautiful, and now I work for myself, contributing to Frederic (put out by Schumacher) and do other projects for various magazines like Elle Decor, Town & Country and Veranda. I also consult certain brands.
QMS: You've described yourself as a producer. Can you elaborate on that role in the context of editorial work?
Robert Rufino: Yes, I do prefer the term “producer” over “stylist”. As an editor with my experience, producing a shoot is like being an Art Director. You set the stage for the photoshoot. It's a collaboration between you and the photographer, especially for magazines with a distinct voice. You have to master the process of working, of evolving an idea into reality. Whether you're designing a window or a dress, you have an idea, but you don't know how it's going to look until you start draping fabric or putting it together.
QMS: Let’s shift to your personal style for a moment. What specific moments or experiences influenced your approach to dressing?
Robert Rufino: The late '70s and early '80s in New York were influential. It was a time of individual expression. People dressed so individually; there was an explosion of personal style with figures like Steven Burrows, Stephen Sprouse, Halston, Perry Ellis. People wore what they wanted, unlike today, where it feels like everyone is wearing more of a uniform.
QMS: How did that era shape your personal style?
Robert Rufino: It's all about how you put things together. It’s the way you wear your hat. Real style is something you have within you, not a trend. It's about finding what makes you comfortable and being yourself. For example, I’ve always loved wearing blue, even now. When I was at Tiffany’s I used to wear a lot of beautiful deep blue suits, but now I’ll wear jeans and a blue shirt, and maybe a sport coat instead of the full suit but it's still clean and classic.
QMS: What music were you listening to back then? What was the soundtrack to that era for you?
Robert Rufino: I was a big Supremes fan! Also, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin… so many artists. Roberta Flack, Eddie Kendricks, Diana Ross. I was a total Motown boy! But I always kept a little room for the Stones, the Beatles, and Janice Joplin.
QMS: You have all these great cultural reference points that the new generation hasn’t lived through. I’m curious, what are your thoughts on the younger generation and their approach to creativity and style?
Robert Rufino: In a way, all these young people have access to even more cultural reference points than I did growing up because of the internet. But I think you lose something when everything is so readily available. We had to search for everything ourselves, not just find it on the internet or Instagram. You know, shopping online is different, people aren't really looking at what they're buying – the fabric, the fit, the whole retail experience, which is what I grew up with. Life was simpler for us. But I know creativity finds a way to thrive in every generation, so the kids will be all right.
