Here’s my obligatory-but-so-willingly-and-adoringly written entry on Rodarte’s Spring 2011 collection. I was getting tired of seeing white, sheer, flowy, “minimalist” pieces. Everyone’s been using that word way too liberally. And I don’t know if I’m being insensitive, but seriously.. what are designers doing? I mean, I understand when .. a trend, for a lack of a better word, almost takes over the industry, and people do their own interpretations of it. But to this extent!? Where is the creativity? Okay recession, investment pieces, blah blah… but… I don’t know, it’s been a couple years where I feel like NYFW has kind of.. lagged. But not my Rodarte <3 Never.
Source: all images from the new and improved Vogue.com
The Mulleavy Sisters said they were inspired by the landscape of Santa Cruz and redwood trees, which explains the beautiful wood prints. They also used the armorial aspect of samurai outerwear, which you can see in that close-up of the leather piece. At first, I was kind of surprised because I was slightly underwhelmed. I guess I was expecting their usual fairy-like, fantastical dresses and mix-and-match swirls of crazy prints, which they did here but in a much more refined, structured, and mature way. I hope it’s not Vogue’s influence telling them to make more practical pieces because there were a lot more wearable separates in this collection than usual, but I also can’t deny that the heart of Rodarte’s creativity and eccentric beauty is still there. I didn’t want to put the whole collection in the entry, but I would!
