Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte are fashion’s most famous sisters. From their nearly telepathic communication with each other, to their unusually intimate inspiration, the Mulleavys have built a Rodarte cult including fashion’s most elite and influential.
Last night at FIT, Kate and Laura spoke at length about their brand. Hearing them talk about their transformation from two sisters without fashion training to one of fashion’s most artistic duos was like watching a 21st century My Fair Lady with Karen Elson in Audrey Hepburn’s place.
The back story’s familiar by now: The girls sat at home watching horror movies, made ten pieces, took a trip to New York, slept of a friend’s couch, sent out hand-drawn notes, made some phone calls, and heard from WWD. They made the cover, Anna Wintour dropped by their studio two days later and their Spring 2008 collection rocked New York Fashion Week two years later.
It sounds like a fantasy, but what else would you expect from fashion’s most fantastical designers?
Even now, Rodarte functions outside the realm of modern fashion. Kate and Laura sew and make most of their garments by hand with the help of their dedicated creative team. It took three months to find the perfect dying process for their AW08 Japanime blood and water collection, and a week to manufacture the tights alone.
But it’s not just the craftsmanship, the girls are probably better known for their artistic process. They insist it’s not art but say they hope each collection engages their audience and communicates ideas ranging from creation myths to Mexican border towns to the endangered California Condor (that’d be SS10).
Kate says they ignore commercialism. The number of jackets or pants or the practicality of the garment is irrelevant which makes Rodarte feel like an art project whose medium is fashion design.
The art world appears to agree. Rodarte was only the second fashion label to be featured in ArtForum (Issey Miyake, 1984). Their expressionist qualities are more reminiscent of de Kooning or Degas than the Pop Art model that brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Dior embrace.
While many labels try to fit in to the molds made by already famous brands, Rodarte seeks to stand out, relying only on their creative talent for success. Their niche market is willing to spend the money on the pieces because they are unlike anything ever before created. A dress is a dress, but a Rodarte piece is one of a kind, and dare we say it, museum worthy.
Tags: Anna Wintour, ArtForum, FIT, Kate Mulleavy, Laura Mulleavy, Rodarte, Vogue, WWD
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They're my favorites right now. I'd love to own one someday!
As much as I like some of their looks, the reality is that most of them are one offs…fit for the museum and not the sales floor because fashion is about production and quality and quantity. Like the article states, they're art pieces, not fashion pieces…..and most definitely not money making pieces.
although rodarte pieces may look too intimidating to be “fashion” because of fantastical images from the runway shows or what they look like on hangers, there are many pieces that, once on, are extremely wearable. it takes a bit more imagination to separate them from the styling of a show or an editorial, but there are indeed many pieces that can be worn in daily life comfortably. rodarte successfully toes the fine line between fashion AND art. but yes, they will [hopefully] never be about money-making mass consumption.
But Making money on a company is the only way it survives and the artists can live healthily. I personally feel they are like Imitiation of Christ done right/better/and are actually artists. Their brand will most likely never go on to the masses unless it is constant capsule lines. But who knows,nothing is permanent. Even if I don't like everything they do (due to different taste) , I definitely respect their perspective and the work and thought they put into it,as well as the sacrafices they've made (living at home with their parents)….
there's a difference between making a living off your artistic creations and making money to make money. i don't think the rodarte girls are willing to drive themselves into poverty for their craft, but i don't think they need to see x% growth each year to keep doing it. there's nothing to say that a company can't survive in the long-run making small profits/covering costs if the people involved don't need or want any more. of course if they can't cover costs, that's a problem. but there's no indication rodarte is in that position.
theworkinggirlesq.blogspot.com
I find their ideas and concepts interesting.
However, the actual quality behind the garments leaves a lot to be desired given the price.
I've spoken to some people who've interned there and basically the quality really is not up to snuff. But that's to be expected from spiderweb knits and shredded fabrics. All creativity and not enough technical know and TRUE craftsmanship to ensure that things are worth their cost. They're expensive mainly because of the low production runs. For example, architects can draw the most fantastical buildings, but without the engineers, they'll never be anything more than a house of cards.