Yes, that’s right—Rodarte is heading to the West Coast LA for its Fall 2019 collection.
It was only in September when Rodarte made its way back to the New York Fashion Week, totally pulling off its SS19 show on a graveyard AND while in the middle of the rain. Tulle and leather filled the collection, and while that may not be best combined with water, the show became hauntingly beautiful, as proven by the photos. But now, the brand will be leaving the Big Apple again to go to its western rival for its next show. Regardless of how memorable things were in New York, the change of venue might just be right for Rodarte especially when their headquarter is based right at Los Angeles.
It will be the label’s first show in Los Angeles, despite the fact that it has set its headquarters in the city. Even its founders, the Mulleavy sisters Kate and Laura, are born and raised Californians. They graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and still live in Pasadena, which is just a short drive from Los Angeles. The sisters being deeply rooted in the state seeps through their work with the label, which makes the push to the city only logical after holding seasonal catwalks in Paris and New York.
The brand, known for its penchant for the feminine and the romantic, have almost always taken inspiration from something at home. This has been acknowledged publicly, perhaps most recently in the label’s justification for taking the show away from the usual and often fuller destinations. In fact, it probably should not have taken a decade for the brand to return to California, but here we are, wondering how the sisters will work on a show right at their home state.
The Mulleavy sisters spoke of their shared dream of doing a runway show in Los Angeles, and also confirmed collaborations now that they are about to make the California catwalk a reality. Names dropped include PR firm Black Frame’s Brian Phillips and Bureau Betak’s Alexandre de Betak. Even the accompanying liquor has been identified—JNSQ wines, which is on its way to its official launch by February 2019, will provide the rosé cru to add to the fashion show experience. Some details have to be straightened out though, including the date. The Rodarte presentation is expected to overlap with the shows that will take place on late January and early February next year.
A fashion capital in its own right, Los Angeles is slowly becoming the destination of choice for designers besides Rodarte’s sister duo. It is still overshadowed by the Big Four, namely New York, London, Milan, and Paris, but the concentration of celebrities in the city can work in its favor. Besides actors and actresses chosen for the houses’ campaigns, the Oscars ceremony is also a display of high fashion, which could encourage more to invest in the city. The Council of Fashion Designers of America has been more supportive and encouraging of Angeleno designers in the recent past, making Los Angeles a possible alternative in the future.
Image credits: Indigital.tv, Getty Images, Slaven Vlasic, J’Dee Allin, Rodarte
