Fashioning art: Rodarte design and display, 2005 - 2015.

摘要

In 2005, Kate and Laura Mulleavy showed their first fashion collection under the label Rodarte. With no technical training but with an excess of creative passion and drive, the sisters from California rose rapidly to fame, becoming known for uniquely hand-wrought conceptual, feminine and artistic designs. In their first ten years in the industry, the Mulleavys received numerous awards and accolades, had three museum exhibitions dedicated solely to their work, and were invited to design costumes for film, opera, and ballet. This paper, the first major academic study of Rodarte, approaches their work from two angles: design and display. First, a discussion of Rodarte's design determines the key characteristics of their aesthetic and creative approach that make them unique in the industry. Second, an analysis of the display of their work -- in print, on the runway, on stage and screen, and particularly in museums -- investigates how the Mulleavys are consistently represented as artists and their work as art. This study explores the debate around fashion being defined as art, and argues that Rodarte's work can be considered art, even if not all fashion can. Finally, this paper looks at how this small, independently run company functions in the competitive world of commercial fashion and finds that the perception of Rodarte's clothing as art is a significant factor in the design team's commercial appeal. In considering the fashion industry's support of Rodarte through awards and loyal buyers and the design team's collaborations with companies ranging from mass retailers like Target to high-end design companies like Knoll, this paper concludes that Rodarte's strong branding as an artistic and quirky independent label is the key to their success.