Rodarte S/S 10 New York

[coldlunch]

this looks like a cancelled look from Alexander McQueen 6 years ago. Muchh worse, it looks like my cat choked on a ball of yarn, spit it out and genius came out.

Seriously, if Rodarte and Alexander Wang are the champions of American fashion, I'll pack my bags and move to Europe, utterly disgusting!

 

[honeycombchild]

You say any designer could drape like that, and could do what the Rodarte sisters do... and yet no one else is? Surely the fact no one else is doing anything even close to what they are doing is part of their sucess?

 

[adelenetie]

I don't deny the amount of work involved in stitching these together, piece by piece, but the method is tired, the shape is unchanged, the textural finish the same, the result still "etsy". There is a limit to repetition, and critics and fans are letting them get away with stretching it to unbearable lengths for some of us.

Yeah I do agree that the style of this collection is basically the same as past season's and I did not like it when I first saw it. Now, the collection is starting to grow on me albeit being too dark for my liking for spring but thats just their style! Whats beautiful is beautiful and their aesthetic is unique. Though it is repetitive it still works for me, its so Rodarte. Guess we'll have to wait for the next season to see if the sisters have upped their game.

 

[ilaughead]

I'm a little confused why everyone keeps going on about how Rodarte's been doing so much of the patchwork pieces. They've only started really experimenting with that last spring. I could see some complaints about the other elements though, like the spiderweb knits and their signature draping, but it looks like right now they're just carrying the collage elements over a few seasons. And in my opinion, it works.

 

[Zazie]

Zazie you are so eloquent. I agree with every single word you wrote.

Thank you! Not that a few critics on a website makes much difference, as the press love them as ever.

You say any designer could drape like that, and could do what the Rodarte sisters do... and yet no one else is? Surely the fact no one else is doing anything even close to what they are doing is part of their sucess?

Ever "played" with a mannequin form? Go get yourself some of your fave materials and start pinning. I have made myself a "Rodarte-Balenciaga-Kaisik Wong" vest a couple of seasons back with bits of brocade, ropes, zips. Why would you assume that other designers don't do this because they can't? What if they have some pride and refuse to go down this well-trodden path? Philip Lim tried to cash in on this trend with his current collection and he deservedly earned heaps of scorn.To wit, I have seen bloggers, yes, bloggers, with zero fashion training, do Rodarte copies and even sold them.

 

[emma peel]

the tattoos were the best part. the clothes often look like a craft project gone wrong. really awkward at moments. i like the silhouette, but they look so home-made.

 

[coldlunch]

other designers don't do it because the care about women who wear their clothes. Looking at the Rodarte models, they look smelly like they haven't taken a bath for days. Now who wants to kiss stinky girls, not me

 

[Scott]

zazie,where on earth did you see where i put them at the same level as margiela? i never uttered a word about MMM or anyone else. so i don't understand that equation. of course,they're nothing like margiela. i don't hold them in such high esteem that i would compare them with any of the masters. but i like what they do even still.

and i have my faults with them too. don't think i am some fawning,delusional hype follower....i've made my feelings about their construction well known. and i agree wholeheartedly with everybody else's feelings about that as well. my point was as everybody's arguments being expressed,was that they aren't moving on....almost as if they need to move on from their niche and i don't agree with that at all. there are loads of designers out there who have signatures and bring back very distinct elements....signature methods of creating things every season,and to say they all need to move on is silly.

 

[honeycombchild]

Ever "played" with a mannequin form? Go get yourself some of your fave materials and start pinning.

I have a degree in Fashion design thanks, so I've done more than "play" on a mannequin, and so am fully aware of the construction of Rodarte's garments.

You missed my point totally it would seem. I never said or even implied other designers are not doing this because they are not able. I simply said, quite clearly, that perhaps part of their sucess is that no-one is doing it. Regardless of the fact they may well be able to do it. No-one else is. And so back to my original point, perhaps here lies part of their sucess.

 

[Zazie]

zazie,where on earth did you see where i put them at the same level as margiela? i never uttered a word about MMM or anyone else. so i don't understand that equation. of course,they're nothing like margiela. i don't hold them in such high esteem that i would compare them with any of the masters. but i like what they do even still.

and i have my faults with them too. don't think i am some fawning,delusional hype follower....i've made my feelings about their construction well known. and i agree wholeheartedly with everybody else's feelings about that as well. my point was as everybody's arguments being expressed,was that they aren't moving on....almost as if they need to move on from their niche and i don't agree with that at all. there are loads of designers out there who have signatures and bring back very distinct elements....signature methods of creating things every season,and to say they all need to move on is silly.

No offense Scott. I am using Margiela as an example, could be CdG, Raf Simons, to provide a framework for discussion about true design talent. Sure they can do their own thing for as long as they can sell them, but that can be said equally of Marchesa. To me, they're similar - repetitive, capable of only one not terribly difficult technique, good looking "dramatic" red carpet clothes, one season interchangeable with another - but of course diametrically opposite in their clothes' appeal, appearance and customers. And they're both quite over-hyped, Rodarte even more so. A few irate, honest-to-goodness comments won't hurt them at all, especially on a site like this. Until this distressed-warrior-collage-patchwork trend is over - and it will soon be with the mini-Rodartes walking around and bloggers DIY-ing - it won't be apparent what more they are capable of, as they simply haven't shown much of anything else.

 

[Zazie]

I have a degree in Fashion design thanks, so I've done more than "play" on a mannequin, and so am fully aware of the construction of Rodarte's garments.

You missed my point totally it would seem. I never said or even implied other designers are not doing this because they are not able. I simply said, quite clearly, that perhaps part of their sucess is that no-one is doing it. Regardless of the fact they may well be able to do it. No-one else is. And so back to my original point, perhaps here lies part of their sucess.

Maybe if you reread your original question, you would understand how it sounds like you're implying exactly that.

"You say any designer could drape like that, and could do what the Rodarte sisters do... and yet no one else is? Surely the fact no one else is doing anything even close to what they are doing is part of their sucess?"

 

[educo]

My main issue is that EVERY SINGLE PIECE almost looked the same. It's hard to appreciate a single stand out piece when the difference between 1 dress and another is that they decided to go up and over instead of over and up. It almost takes the specialty of their "technique" away because there is soo much of it. It waters it down in a design sense because that's all the muscles they're flexing.

 

[mikeijames]

i don't understand the controversy over rodarte's patchwork masterpieces: oscar de la renta has cut the same dress FOR DECADES, karl lagerfeld has put out the same tweed jacket for chanel FOR DECADES, stella mccartney cuts the same boyfriend jackets, rick owens cuts the same leather jacket, etc. while much of fashion is about innovation and moving forward, we cannot discount the lion's share of fashion which is about updating one's signature piece.

martin grant has built an entire fashion line around his covetable trench coats, for example. honestly, all of fashion isn't experimental oneupmanship. the fact that these girls have actually monetized their experimental wares and found a market for their cobwebby knits strikes me as something of a genius.

while anyone could play with fabrics on a form, not everyone could create a look that catches the eye of editors, reap pay gold with buyers, and earn money at the cash register.

 

[Deborah]

My problem isn't that it is repeated, my problem is that its godawful in the first place.

 

[retailqueen]

My problem isn't that it is repeated, my problem is that its godawful in the first place.

ITA

 

[eternitygoddess]

My problem isn't that it is repeated, my problem is that its godawful in the first place.

Most fashion editors, buyers, and wearers will disagree with you.

 

[Deborah]

Thats fine by me, but I will wait till I see someone wearing this.

 

[WilhelmF]

I just don't understand. Why is it that designers are expected to do a different thing every season?

I just think it's great that the Mulleavy sisters are creating a signature look and honestly, it's working for them. They did what they felt in the moment and I'm please with the results. It's all about emotions in their collections.

But hey, it's just me

 

[silk skin paws]

I'm beginning to think they are a one-trick pony. I realized webbing is their thing but I would like to see the look evolve more from season to season.

Me too. I understand there's a signature look or concept in art but there's no real progression.

 

[2Nova]

abstraction thank you for the close-ups xoxoxo I'd give you more karma but it told me i've given you too much! OOOPS!

very interesting there is a TON of texture here... i'm still undecided on this collection but hey it's fun to look at!!