Rodarte Spring 2010

My favorite kinfolk duo (and fellow anime lovers!), Rodarte, are back and suffice to say they’ve brought along with them a beautiful collection. Darkness for Spring? Yes, please. These ladies are doing remarkable things and I love that they’re cultivating and fine-tuning their trademarks as each season rolls around. I love that their vision never falters, though they bring on new elements and overtones with each collection.

This one is so dramatic and has so much to feast the eyes on that it’s hard to keep your sight on one thing for very long. The textures that are happening within each piece is nothing short of mind blowing! Construction-wise, they are one of the most exciting brands for me – in person, their pieces are intense and unusual in the most lovely of ways and the intricacy is just so impressive.

The rich, deep color story this season was gorgeous as well and I adore their printwork. The contrast of elements in these pieces and how they masterfully overlap, intertwine and marry the different materials within each garment is such a beautiful thing. Truly sensational.

Their influences are always present but they translate and incorporate them with such nonchalance that they only add fuel to the already dramatic and visually orgasmic aesthetic that is the foundation of their label. It is a delight to witness the Mulleavy sisters continually flourish each season, enchanting us all along the way.

Rodarte Fall 2009

Rodarte presented their collection yesterday and thank heavens for that. NYFW is such a dreadful bore save for VERY few designers, and naturally these two lovely ladies are on that short list. At this point I feel more than comfortable saying that the Mulleavy sisters not only don’t disappoint – but are also clearly striving toward new territories. This is so admirable because they don’t HAVE to do this yet. The last 3 seasons they sort of built a trademark and I definitely admire that they’re not confined within that. To be honest, I assumed we’d see another collection prominently lead by the deconstructed knitwear, which, you know… probably would have been fine, all things considered. But they are already moving along and aspiring to new heights – and while I see some strong influences here – I still think that’s pretty commendable.

These girls must have been working their tails off to have pulled this collection together and I have to say, for me anyhow, it was worth it. The silhouette and some of the bold detailing has not changed this season – but nearly everything else has evolved in some way. The textures here are nothing short of INCREDIBLE. All of the different fabrics intertwined give such a lovely effect. I admire a good print manipulator, such as Dries Van Noten. Blending prints and textures isn’t the easiest thing to do, but some people can just work it in that area and I think Rodarte have fallen into this category as well.

I mentioned above that I see some influences here, perhaps entirely coincidental, of course. The first one – and this was probably due to the boots and color palette – I thought of McQueen’s Fall 2007 collection. Also the textures as well as colors also brought Somarta Fall 2008 to mind, big time.

All in all, I like it. I like Rodarte. I support them a great deal and appreciate them, along with people like Rick Owens, bringing some credibility back to american design. I love that they’re exploring their craft instead of getting into a comfort zone. I can’t wait to see these girls in Paris. Someone make it happen already!

also – I will try to edit this post ASAP with detail shots and whatever else I can find because clearly with Rodarte, the details are where the magic lives.

Rodarte Spring 2009

The Rodarte duo are really a huge breath of fresh air in the realm of American designers. The few so-called ‘top American designers’ couldn’t come close to these California-based sisters by way of creativity, integrity or just overall fabulousness! The details here are nothing short of amazing; from devastatingly intricate knitwear to the use of contrasting, interwoven chains… there is just so much to admire. The colors are so refreshing and the way they’re worked together is so lovely. This is another show where it’s not a complete 180 from last year’s collection, but instead is an amplified version which has even better technique and construction than the previous one. Aside from the craftsmanship, what I love about Rodarte is the DRAMA… the fantasy element. Fashion should be fun, it should make you feel amazing, and I feel Rodarte really can offer this to women, without it looking like a costume. The clothes are gorgeous but, hello… look at the shoes; they’re absolutely deadly, and I mean that in the best way possible.