we like the story of Rodarte as much as the flight-of-fanciness of the clothes…
design: Rodarte
The best work being done by Portland designers is done by designers who are in the world (of fashion) but not of it. They’ve established the kind of space between their vision and the drag of trend that allows for some singular collections and pieces. We’ve just had a week, The Collections, of shows by some of these adventurous designers that was at turns exciting, inspiring, headscratching. And honestly, the question of wearability sometimes has to take a way-back seat while we revel in ingenuity and craft.
design: Rodarte
The designers of the line Rodarte, are two sisters, Laura and Kate Mulleavy, who live (and work) at home in Pasadena, California. W Magazine has an excellent feature on the sisters this month, describing two siblings who finish one another’s sentences, who dress in jeans and plain black tops, and have, since they were children, challenged one another to dream up extravagent designs in their sleep overnight.
design: Rodarte
Their work is built not on savvy or cleverness, but imagination, magic and skill, and their very grounded ambition, a sense that “we know this is very, very good,” is so unusual, that we’re surprised fashion journalism even knows what to do with them.
design: Rodarte
design: Rodarte
all photos via new york mag
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