RODARTE (Abstract)

Founded in 2005 in Pasadena, California, Rodarte is the materialized dream of Kate and Laura
Mulleavy that represents their vision of beauty, art and the reinterpretation of their childhood. At that
time being an Art History and Literature student at Berkeley University without any formal fashion
education, the sisters relied on the romantic and conceptual way of developing their collections.
Rodarte quickly gained success straight after they materialized their thoughts in their first publicized
dresses and being present on the cover of Women’s Wear Daily. Straight after the Rodarte sisters
showed their first complete collection during New York Fashion Week 2005. They gained the support
of highly recognized retailers and important friends from the industry as Kirsten Dunst and Natalie
Portman that boosted Rodarte as a brand. During their career as several times, Rodarte was
nominated for big awards such as the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Award and CFDA Designer
Award.

The work of the Mulleavy sisters is constantly balancing on the verge of reality and imagination as an
intersection of art, feelings, emotions and undertones. Fashion is only one dimension of their artistic
expression, allowing the designers to recreate their own world, giving freedom to the inner voice, that
has been constantly evolving during the whole existence of the brand without being influenced by the
external world. This brings the big question mark. Who is the real customer of Rodarte? Their
authenticity left the brand without form, the identity is not shaped and remains on the invisible level.
The interaction of the brand with the outside world and a process of expression becomes more
spontaneous without a consistent strategy. It looks like, the brand is still in a process of formation and
choosing a right path. In 2017 Rodarte decided to show its collections in Paris instead of New York to
align its runway shows with the couture schedule and be present in the environment with a different,
more artistic approach to fashion. In spite of this perception of the brand still remained in the frame
of “couture like” and they return to NYFW few seasons later.

Mulleavy sisters directed their first movie in 2017 called Woodshock, performed by their muse Kirsten
Dunst. Directing the film was another way to share their vision of art, an alternative for the fashion
industry where they are still limited. This step proves that their main goal is to be able to express
themselves. At the same time Rodarte as an independent brand has a necessity to reach a financial
stability. To obtain this goal they are trying to increase awareness among wider audience by
producing second lines, including casual clothing (t-shirts, sweatshirts, track pants etc.), and
collaborating with brands such as Target, & Other Stories and Starbucks.

On this stage it’s important for the brand to stop being isolated in its own world and start to
communicate with their audience. To actually understand with who they want to speak and develop
specific language that will be coherent with the internal and understandable for the external world.
Shape the identity that will be honest and authentic to itself, not “couture like” in France or “too
artistic” in US, rather admiring its origins especially taking into account that most of the inspiration is
related to California and is completely personal.