The Dish On Design: In Conversation With TikTok Food Artist Ruby Perman 

There’s no denying that Ruby Perman has good taste.

The Malibu-based graphic designer has been turning quite a few heads in the past couple of years with her incredible, edible fashions carefully crafted from fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, and posted on TikTok in addictive, bite-sized videos. Originally started as an entertaining diversion in the doldrums of the early pandemic, it didn’t take long before Ruby’s TikTok channel took off, gaining the attention of celebrities like Celine Dion, Laura Dern and Chrissy Teigen, and leading to features in BuzzFeed, Tasty and Insider. Appearances on the likes of Good Morning America and The Kelly Clarkson Show followed, as did collaborations with major media brands such as Disney, Pixar and Warner Bros.

Now with nearly 2 million followers and over 36 million likes on TikTok, it’s clear that there’s an appetite for Ruby’s stylish creations, whether iconic red carpet looks rendered in pomegranate seeds, or punny original styles fashioned from cucumber. We caught up with the artist and social media star to find out where she gets her inspiration – and whether she eats her designs.

We have to ask: how did you get the idea to create and plate edible fashion designs?

Living in California, my favourite season is… awards season! Each outfit on the red carpet is truly a work of art. I’m also a big foodie. I love entertaining friends and family with beautiful food arrangements.

The combination of my love for fashion and food design merged during the very beginning of the pandemic, when all the award shows were cancelled due to Covid. My idea was to create a miniature red carpet fashion show in my kitchen with celebrities dressed in food fashion. TikTok was beginning to explode, and my post on TikTok – Jennifer Lawrence dressed in a pomegranate – went viral, and it blew up from there!

@rubyperman

Jennifer Lawrence is wearing a juicy pomegranate dress♥️ #foodart #jenniferlawrence #pomagranate

♬ Yummy - Justin Bieber

Your TikTok channel has been a massive success. To what do you attribute the popularity of your videos?

I’m a big fan of popular music and the talented artists behind these songs; when I create my art I always try to use viral songs and pop culture celebrities. I also take requests – a fun way to engage on TikTok is to reply to people’s comments, and many of my creations are requests from my followers. I love reading the comments to see which celebrities are trending.

@rubyperman

Reply to @elizabethmychu 🥩👗 LOVE U ALL SO MUCH TY 800K!! Who should I dress next?? #foodstyling #foryou @ladygaga #meatdress #gaga #ladygaga @mtv

♬ Stupid Love - Lady Gaga

When did your interest in fashion and art begin?

My interest in art started at a very young age. Growing up, I always had a sketchbook in hand and enjoyed drawing. Ever since I was a little girl, I loved fairy-tale dresses and princess gowns.

In my adult life, my brain is always thinking of creative ways to beautify the world through art; I studied graphic design and knew that I would always be in the art world. Prior to my becoming a fashion food stylist, my husband wrote a children’s book titled Wookiwoo, I Love You, and I was the illustrator. We also owned an art gallery in Dana Point, California. Creating art fuels my soul and makes me happy.

What particular artists or fashion designers inspire you most?

I love recreating red carpet gowns, and I’m in awe of many couture designers such as Valentino, Chanel and Dior. One of my favourite fashion statements is the Cinderella tulle dress Ariana Grande wore to the 2019 Grammys, designed by Giambattista Valli. I recreated the gown with rice paper dyed with food colouring and scrunched into ruffles.

@rubyperman

Reply to @dariusscalancea Ariana’s Grammy’s dress in her favorite color💜 @arianagrande #positions #arianagrande #ari #foryou #ariana

♬ positions - Ariana Grande

Are there any creative skills you’re working on, or other ways you use your talents?

I have a side business creating custom art plates for special events. My art plates serve as table place settings for birthday parties and bridal showers – when guests arrive, they know where to be seated by their faces dressed in candy couture! I recently created art plates for Kathy Hilton’s birthday celebration.

I’m also obsessed with watching fruit and vegetable carving videos on TikTok. I’ve been practising my carving skills, which are very useful to add to my fashion food art plates.

Tell us about your process: when you’re creating an original look, what comes first, the outfit or the wearer?

My answer is – both! Most of my creatives are simply the ingredients I’m going to use to make dinner. The grocery store is where I find art supplies, and when I’m shopping, I think of which celebrity resonates with each food. For instance I bought a cucumber to make a salad, and my thoughts went immediately to the celebrity Benedict CUCUMBERbatch! My video of his outfit has over 25 million views and has been shared all around the world!

@rubyperman

Who should I dress next?

♬ My Name Is - D Billions

After I choose the ingredients, my gourmet gowns are spontaneous and impromptu. Sometimes they turn out completely different than what I had planned!

When I collaborate with brands, on the other hand, I plan the ingredients ahead of time, so it matches the character I’m styling. I’ve been fortunate to have worked with Disney, Pixar, Prime Video, Sony, Warner Bros – it’s fun when they give me the actors and also give me carte blanche to be creative with their outfits!

@rubyperman

Prepare your palates, and your plates! Searchlight Pictures The Menu is now on Blu-ray & Digital. LINK IN BIO. See more at @searchlightpics #TheMenuFilm #ad

♬ original sound - Ruby Perman

You also recreate famous red carpet looks; what is that creative process like?

Serving up iconic red carpet dresses and making them munch-able masterpieces is my favourite part of being a fashion food artist! I first look at the colour and texture to see if I can pair a unique food to make the video interesting and satisfying. A few of my favourites include Rihanna’s yellow gown from the Met Gala, which I recreated with mangoes, Lady Gaga’s iconic meat dress made with deli meats, and Lizzo’s red dress she wore when she won her Emmy. I recreated that one with red liquorice and red candies.

@rubyperman

Lizzo won an Emmy and it’s about damn time🏆💃🏻

♬ About Damn Time - Lizzo

What are your favourite ingredients to work with, and why?

I love working with rice paper, because the texture is like fabric when soaked in water. I recreated Harry Styles’ dress he wore for Vogue – it was a perfect pairing for rice paper.

@rubyperman

Reply to @kaitlynbourgeois_ WAIT FOR IT🤭Pretty, Much? #harrystyles @voguemagazine #vogue #adoreyou #harrystylesvids #foodfashion #celebrity #fashion

♬ Adore You - Harry Styles

I’ve also experimented with deep-frying the rice paper into a dress, like this one I recreated of Jennifer Lawrence’s Oscar dress.

@rubyperman

Replying to @_coconut_beach_ Best Actress tripped on the stairs to get her Oscar🤭🏆 #jenniferlawrence #dior #oscars

♬ Betty (Get Money) - Yung Gravy

What would you say is your most difficult design to date?

I would have to say the most difficult design – and one of my favourites – is the plate I created of Billie Eilish in avocaDUH! First of all, choosing a perfectly ripe avocado is an art in itself. That video took at least five takes, and the satisfying ending is that her outfit turned into a big bowl of guacamole afterwards for Taco Tuesday!

@rubyperman

Reply to @billieeilishnaomi Yay or Nay?🥑💚#repost b/c original song disappeared! #foryou @billieeilish #billieeilish #badguy

♬ bad guy - Billie Eilish

So… are you a good cook?

Well, my husband and kids have not complained about my cooking… yet! I do love to cook and discover new recipes. My parents owned a restaurant when I was small, and I grew up with the preparation of food all day, every day. They are always cooking, baking, arguing about whose recipe tastes better! They both have influenced me on the importance of attention to detail in food preparation. So I guess my parents never said to me “don’t play with your food!”, because they both still play and argue together in the kitchen!

You’ve clearly got a gift for aesthetics and design. Have you ever considered a career as a fashion designer?

I love fashion, and I appreciate the creativity of designers. There are so many ways to create art, and I’m so grateful to have found a niche that satisfies my love of fashion and food. I’m always open to exploring different passions as life unfolds.

Creating art is about connecting people, and both fashion and food bring people together! My main hope is to share love and bring joy to people, one plate at a time.

Follow Ruby and connect with her on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or Snapchat.