[1] In 1972 Ruffin held his first significant catwalk presentation, and in 1973, became the youngest designer at that time to win a Coty Award.
[1] His customer base was identified as young women seeking affordable youthful clothing that was suitable for the office, and he was notable for prominently featuring Black models in his shows.
[4] By 1973, the year that he won the Coty Award, Ruffin had sold nearly US$5 million of good-quality, affordable wholesale clothing to retailers around the United States.
[3] In 1981, Ruffin's designs were described as representing "agelessness and classlessness", one of his 40-dollar dresses equally wearable by both a typical young office worker on a tight budget with plastic jewelry, and by the likes of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis with luxury accessories.
[1] With his early success as a designer, Ruffin was soon able to afford an apartment in The Ansonia, before moving to a penthouse in Abingdon Square Park, which placed him closer to the New York gay scene.