A Conversation With Kate and Laura Mulleavy
Rodarte: States of Matter from MOCA on Vimeo.
Among the many fashion exhibitions to debut recently, “Rodarte: States of Matter” tops the list of must-sees in Los Angeles. And yesterday, the public had the chance to learn more about the exhibition directly from the source. Kate and Laura Mulleavy sat down for an in-depth conversation about the history of their collection and the exhibition which is currently on display at MOCA Pacific Design Center.
The Mulleavys participated in a QA discussion answering questions about their background, the influence of their parents on the their work and how they got their start in the fashion world. They also recalled defining moments, sources of inspiration and their work on the feature film “Black Swan.”
The pair, who reside in Pasadena, have ascended to great heights on the international design scene. Rodarte, which launched in 2005, is the manifestation of their unique vision. Meticulous craftwork and a non-traditional approach to design has given them a rare and beautiful visual language. The sisters, who describe themselves as “very insular,” at times, have clearly made a stamp on the fashion world at large. They have won many awards including CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year in 2009 and the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York celebrated their work with an exhibition last year. “Rodarte: States of Matter,” which is their first solo exhibition on the West Coast, presents a conceptual look at their recent work in fashion and costume design.
Yesterday’s event gave attendees a chance to hear from the designers first hand and learn more about what it took to reach the heights they have achieved today. Defining moments included the decision to sell Kate’s record collection to launch the line, visiting New York for the first time, which Kate described as “overwhelming” and “like being in a Steinbeck novel.”
The Mulleavys also talked about what inspires them, the influence of film [especially horror flicks] in their work, the craft of design and their collaborative design process. “Our process is us together all the time talking – eventually we’ll have a good idea,” said Laura. To fully develop their complex themes they ask a lot of questions, listen and explore a variety of topics to create a provocative storyline each season. “It’s not easy to describe it,” said Kate. “Everything we do seems like an enigma later.” Think references such as Japanese horror movies, vultures in Death Valley and the '70s ala arts and crafts in Northern California.
Pulling garments from the archives to put the exhibition together gave the pair the opportunity to reflect on their evolution as designers. “It was strange to see how we wouldn’t have done Fall 2010 if we hadn’t done Fall 2008,” said Laura. “And we wouldn’t have done ’Black Swan’ the same [without the previous experience.]” she added.
But that’s the path they have followed all along - “the learn as you go method.” Dedication and taking the ups with the downs were cited as keys to being successful. “The best thing you can do is believe in yourself,” said Kate. And while they have achieved great success with Rodarte, they maintain it’s still necessary to prioritize and balance the budget. “We don’t want to scare everyone but we are still living at home,” said Kate.
"Rodarte: States of Matter" will be at the MOCA Pacific Design Center until June 6. For more information on the exhibition, go to www.moca.org.
