The Mulleavy sister’s label is relatively new on the fashion scene, but in the six short years since the brand’s inception they have made such an impression on the industry that their FROW is a ‘who is who’ of the fashion and celebrity worlds. Their NYFW show was attended by heavy weights such as Anna Wintour, Tavi, and Beyoncé to name just a few.
For this collection the sisters reached into their Art History backgrounds and paid homage to one of the biggest talents of the art world – Vincent Van Gogh – by featuring colourful floral prints depicting images of sunflowers, idyllic countryside scenes and starry skies throughout their range.
The theme running throughout the pieces appeared to be ‘dreams’ and was reflected in delicate layers of silk and tulle in deep blues, purples, and greens that resembled a waking fantasy. Cuts were kept simple in order to allow the prints to command the attention they deserved.
Sheer was a heavy presence throughout the collection and helped to keep the pieces light. Flowers and patterns that resembled tumbling waves were carefully embroidered onto these sheer elements – giving the impression that model and piece were entwined. A powerful metaphor.
Spring/Summer traditionally features bright colours across all designers and Rodarte didn’t disappoint here. The mix of marigolds and oranges brought an element of fun to the collection, whilst the sky blues and purples gave it more depth and invited us to explore the hot months in something a little bit darker whilst still maintaining that summery feel.
The light fabrics featured were ideal for a Spring/Summer collection but where the sisters had opted to use heavier materials for some of their day dresses they still experimented with their flirtatious side by featuring peek-a-boo holes and cut away backs – perfect for getting everyone here at Designer Ladies looking forward to the Spring already!
Cuts were simple – goddess drapes, dropped waists, folded layers, circle skirts, and sailor collars, but they worked together with the colours and embroidery to tell a story – something that is very difficult to do not only in the pieces but to be able to communicate clearly to the audience at the same time.
Alongside the dresses were simple tunic style tops and cropped trousers in yellows and purples – continuing the Van Gogh theme but appealing to their sleeker customers for whom the rest of the collection may have been too little girly.
Although this collection was one of the prettiest of the week and this was one of my favourite shows, I did feel that it was a touch too mass market. There seemed to be less experimentation than we have come to love the sisters for. Instead, they used two very popular paintings as the inspiration for their prints and stuck to fail safe patterns. I would have liked to see the sisters take a few more risks, but as ‘safe’ as these designs are, it is difficult to argue against their undeniable beauty and I expect we will see these pieces on the red carpet and replicated by all of the High Street stores in the coming months.
As the show ended ‘Once Upon a Dream’ from the Disney film ‘Sleeping Beauty’ was played to the audience, a fitting end to a dreamlike show.
