FabSugar

Hear What One Mulleavy Sister Has to Say and See Behind the Scenes at Rodarte

FabSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:00:22 PST

The Mulleavy sisters are on the rise, and after attending a Rodarte show for the first time, I now see why. Though Laura and Kate's designs aren't everyday wearable or affordable, they are art. And the sisters are evolving. One thing is for sure: Rodarte has found a niche. A fantastical world where women are feminine creatures who inhabit an otherworldly place. Intrigued? I caught up with Laura in the Lexus lounge after her show, and she spoke the creative speak of a designer in her element.

What are you feeling now that your show is over?

I am exhausted, excited, and happy. I was so nervous that last two days and I have no idea why.

More nervous than before?

Oh definitely. I think we were just so invested in it and it was definitely “us.” It just meant a lot for us to do this collection and get to a point where you grow and you can do more; it just felt different.

There were so many textures and colors in your collection. Let’s talk inspiration.

It started with the idea of Japanese horror films and Kabuki theater. Then we had the color red - how do you make red beautiful? Is it through orchids and peaches; do you use blacks, white, grays? And if you want to use all those colors, how do you balance it all? I felt like last season was a lot of watercolor pieces, but this season it felt like a movement of color too but in a stronger way.

To read the rest of what Laura has to say and to see Fab pre- and post-show photos,

read more What about your choice of fabrics? Tulle and mohair and silk tulle. Anything light and see-through. Organza. Or has a quality that it seems to be broken but it’s so sturdy. I love that. I am San Francisco-based, so I wanted to ask you about the Bay Area and your time at UC Berkeley. We grew up in northern California – Santa Cruz, Monterey - and then moved to southern California in high school. But we both went to Berkeley. If you can go to college, I would tell anyone to try to go to Berkeley. I had the most amazing professors. There was something about being taught by someone that was the best at their field. There’s something really amazing about that campus too; it’s really beautiful. At what point in time did you guys talk about becoming designers? We always wanted to be designers, but we never really talked about it. It was what we loved, but I never considered going to design school. I wanted to learn other things. Everyone has a different way of working. I think we work by trying to learn things and then seeing how it works. Can we talk about those Christian Louboutin shoes?! Oh yeah (laughs). You need a base, and if you can imagine something delicate, I can only see it going hand in hand with something harder and graphic. The heels were six-and-a-half inches, but I didn’t know they would be! We knew we wanted them high. We were very careful with the girls, and they were girls who could walk in them. We practiced a lot. They were excited.

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The Best Runway Beauty Looks From Rodarte

Brittney Stephens — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:15:51 PST

Rodarte is well known for its romantic design sense and meticulous, elaborate gowns. Sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy use intricate hand-stitched detailing and always pair their designs with artsy, ethereal hair and makeup. In anticipation of their Fall 2012 show, we're taking a look back at the most striking beauty looks from Rodarte's runways.

Best of 2011: Breakout Style Star of the Year

Brittney Stephens — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 04:00:41 PST

This year brought lots of new faces to the fashion game and there were five lovely ladies who spent most of 2011 on our collective style radar. Hailee Steinfeld not only graced award season red carpets left and right, but also became the face of Miu Miu's Fall campaign. Elizabeth Olsen showed that she's not content with staying in her sisters' stylish shadows, showing off one gorgeous look after another at events - and it pretty much goes without saying that the perfectly polished Pippa Middleton may have even become bigger than her royal sister this year, showing enviable, casual-cool street style and red carpet looks. Meanwhile, 13-year-old Elle Fanning, solidified her place in the industry by serving as the muse for Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy, while singer/actress Selena Gomez caught our eye with risk-taking runway gowns at various music industry events. So, which girl gets your vote?

Rodarte Spring 2012

FabSugar — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:00:57 PDT

The Mulleavy sisters showed a Van Gogh-inspired collection for Spring '12, complete with large-scale sunflower prints, complex silhouettes, and a soothingly stunning color palette. Click through to see the collection now, and come back soon for our full review.

Runway Retrospective: Rodarte

FabSugar — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:46:18 PDT

Rodarte - I can't say the name without having images of fashion-forward dresses float before my eyes. Designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy have taken the concept of a gown and turned it upside down, in the best way possible. Their designs manage to be both ethereal and completely funky - and celebs eat them up! The sisters even created the Black Swan costumes, which were inspired by Edgar Degas's Little Dancer statue. Since Fall of 2006, Rodarte's ready-to-wear has gotten more and more sophisticated and elaborate. Click through to see their runway retrospective, then look forward to their Spring 2012 collection at New York Fashion Week.

Beyoncé Knowles Goes Short For Another Stylish NYFW Appearance

Lauren Turner — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:41:54 PDT

Beyoncé Knowles continued her fun Fashion Week day with a stop by the Rodarte and Vera Wang shows in NYC this afternoon. She changed into a short leather look after donning a sequined dress for J.Crew earlier today. Also on hand for Rodarte's presentation was Taylor Swift, who wore a lace look by the designers Laura and Kate Mulleavy. Beyoncé's sister, Solange, joined her for their stylish outing, though it was her husband, Jay-Z, who was by her side earlier this week. The couple grabbed brunch at Locanda Verde over the weekend and were spotted again watching the US Open just yesterday.

Link Time: Versace's New Face Is - Gasp! - a Brunette

FabSugar — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:30:46 PDT

Versace ushers in a new era with a brunette face - Fashionologie
The Mulleavy sisters on their Pitti W installation - Vogue Daily
How to shop liquidation sales - The Budget Fashionista
Prada's official share price is lower than expected - The Cut
Jennifer Hudson performs in black and white Givenchy - Red Carpet Fashion Awards
Only one-third of women like how they look in a swimsuit - Yahoo Shine
Kate Middleton has a new favorite milliner - Vogue UK
Check out LA's hottest new line, Stanton 71 - Refinery29
Get all the fashion details on Lady Gaga's "Edge of Glory" video - InStyle
Sara Berman's Ward clutch is weird science - Bag Snob

Shopping: Seven Spring '11 Collabs to Grab

Noria Morales — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:55:27 PST

Spring is going to be a killer season for fantastic collaborations. Collaborations have become hugely popular and have allowed fashion designers - Derek Lam, the Mulleavy sisters, and Chloe Sevigny among them - to step outside their niche and try something new. From luxury to budget, we've highlighted the top collaborations you should check out and stock up on before they're gone.

The Covet List: Rodarte x Opening Ceremony Lace Blazer

Noria Morales — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:00:04 PST

The Piece: Rodarte for Opening Ceremony Lace Blazer

The Investment: $725

Why We Covet: It's Rodarte. The Mulleavy sisters have become one of fashion's most highly respected designer duos, and their collections are the hard-to-acquire stuff of fantasy. Their collaboration with Opening Ceremony has all their romance and frills in functional silhouettes at a slightly lower price point, making it extremely covetable. Case in point: this incredibly detailed, ultra gorgeous floral guipire lace jacket that will be perfect for the soft dreaminess of Spring. It can look chic over a sleek silk column dress, flirty over a tank and jeans, or romantic with a flowy dress. It's got slight bell sleeves and a gently curved collar. It's something new that could be vintage, and we guarantee you could bring this out every season and get a million compliments.