The brand, Rodarte, is the sum of the creative forces of two sisters, Kate and Laura Mulleavy from California. According to the “Bio” page of their website, one sister majored in art history and the other was a literature major, graduating in 2001. I can see the spirit of this intellectual property in their designs.
I have seen their work and followed this inspirational pair for a while. The label is young (13ish years) and seems to present itself counter to many of fashions expectations. Their California status, instead of immigrating to NYC, is one example of this; skipping NY fashion week but showing in Paris is another example.
But, I believe that what makes Rodarte so special is their voice that comes through in their designs. I have heard them described as “storytellers”, as their designs are the manifestations of the stories in their heads. Their unique vision requires unique techniques, such as destroying fabrics, digital printing and haute couture hand work, to achieve some of the contrasting looks of strength and femininity embodied in their creations.
My love of fashion, history and art converge whenever I scroll through the looks from a Rodarte show or see their work in a fashion exhibition. I have seen some of their pieces in fashion exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, this was the first time that I have seen a full exhibition showcasing only these sisters’ work. And, I will admit, when I first heard that there would be an exhibition, a fashion exhibition, in Washington DC, I was surprised. I have been to countless fashion exhibitions at museums…in NYC and Paris…not in Washington DC.
For this exhibition to be mounted by the National Museum of Women in the Arts makes perfect sense. It also arouses the question that I have toyed with so many times: Is fashion art? If answered from a historical perspective, fashion was not considered art; it was a trade. I have read several biographical books about Mademoiselle Gabriel Coco Chanel (Oh how I love that woman) from various authors and perspectives. One commonality of all of these biographical sketches was that she played on the dichotomous edge of 1920s societal norms of dress makers being tradespeople on the one hand and celebrities simultaneously.
As time has evolved, so too has the perception of fashion designers being seen as tradespeople. But, are fashion designers artists? Is the design process and art process? Is fashion a craft and not a fine art? These are all questions debated within the art world.
The creations of the Mulleavy sisters stirs that debate when looking at the time, planning, skill and craftsmanship that goes into any one of their designs. It is my intent to investigate this question further next semester. But for now, I will just enjoy the sumptuous details of the exquisite creations of Rodarte at NMWA, the first fashion exhibition to be held at the museum. I hope that this will not be the last.
I hope that you can see the creativity and detail of their work in the images that I snapped with my Canon. But don't rely on my eye. If you haven’t seen the exhibition just yet, there is still time. The exhibition runs until February 10, 2019. I have been to many fashion exhibitions in the past. This one is very well done and strategically curated. You won’t be disappointed.
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