There’s no such thing as a typical look from Rodarte, the independent fashion label founded 11 years ago by sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy and beloved by critics and celebrities for its dark, romantic sensibility. Each garment is a unique mix of hand-altered fabrics, materials, and embellishments, offering a glimpse of the Mulleavys’ seemingly limitless imagination. This month, they’re bringing that same ingenuity to the big screen in Woodshock, a fantastical thriller written and directed by the Mulleavys and starring Kirsten Dunst. Here’s how they are expanding their brand into new mediums.
Lean Into Your Inexperience
The Mulleavys were recent college graduates with no ties to the fashion industry when they started Rodarte in 2006. Instead of being a liability, the Mulleavys’ outsider status has helped them preserve their unconventional aesthetic, which is the key to their success. One of their early collections, inspired by Death Valley, featured fabrics that were painstakingly shredded, torn, and burned around the edges. In their naïveté, the Mulleavys underestimated how difficult it would be to replicate the look for production. But they made it work, and the collection was ultimately a hit with buyers and stood out in stores. Today, although they’re more attuned to production demands, the Mulleavys continue to prioritize inspiration. “That lack of knowledge leads to something you’ll never have again,” says Kate. “It’s like a strange magic.”
Set Your Own Expectations
When they started writing Woodshock in 2011, the Mulleavys kept the project a secret out of fear that speculation about the film would hinder their storytelling process. “In any industry, there are a lot of rules and guidelines telling you how to do things,” Kate says. “And at the end of the day, we knew we couldn’t subscribe to any of those rules.” It was only after they had established their own vision for the film that they began talking about the project with others. They’ve taken a similarly insular approach to the fashion industry: Despite pressure to move closer to hubs such as New York or Paris, the Mulleavys continue to operate Rodarte out of their hometown of Pasadena, California. “The only way to survive in a creative industry is to have a personal and unique voice,” says Laura. “Realizing that early was important, because it meant that when we had doubts, we knew to follow our instincts.”
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