Anticipating Rodarte

One must step back to examine a label that premieres on the cover of WWD and rocks New York Fashion Week with their very first collection. From 2005 onward, Rodarte boasts an assemblage of highly-regarded design awards, found its place in the permanent collections of both the Costume Institute of the Met and the F.I.T. Museum, and joined the ranks of some of the most enduring fashion houses of the twentieth century. Rodarte, the tour de force of Kate and Laura Mulleavy, will be on view at Cooper-Hewitt starting February 11 to kick off New York Fashion Week.

What is most compelling about the line is the sisters' incredible ability to communicate ideas, interests and stories on the runway. Laird Borrelli-Persson writes of the spring 2010 line, "Forced to scavenge for existence in a barren, war-torn landscape, she pieces together her attire from rags that, as Laura Mulleavy pointed out, only serve to expose her wounds." A look from the collection, below, exemplifies the couture nature of the RTW line arranged by a duo that certainly has the intensity of gaze to convince us the stories come from within their own Hitchcockesque minds, further below.

Photo courtesy of insidesocal.com/rose

Photo courtesy of target.com

According to the Cooper-Hewitt design blog, the Quicktake: Rodarte exhibit will feature the sisters' "most deconstructed and destroyed pieces." Based on the adeptly conveyed spring 2010 story told through tribal body art, gothic spikes and zippers, swirls, and color, we look forward to what story will be told for fall 2010 and beyond.

Over-the-Knee Boots?

Let's not and say we did over-the-top instead. Gladiators? We'll admit we don't miss them, but we are looking at the bright side: They left in their violent wake the ballerina version of warrior footwear. Some variation of this style from Fendi, below, wrapped up every ankle in their spring/summer 2010 show.

Photo courtesy of fendi.com

And, look what turned up in the Valentino spring 2010 couture line last week, left, and Vera Wang s/s 2010 RTW, right.

Photos courtesy of style.com and verawangweddings.com/fashion, respectively

Well, that's a wrap...almost. Okay, Mafia Materialist couldn't resist these winners from the Daniele Michetti s/s 2010, below, which share DNA with the Valentino pre-fall 2010 dress, far below, a sure sign all things wrapped up are here to stay. We think a Twelfth-Night-esque sibling reunion is in order:

Photo courtesy of michettidaniele.com

Photo courtesy of style.com

Found in Translation: Feathers and Draping

Never underestimate the power of evolution. Trends are limiting, but the evolution of fabrics from one season to the next, from one look to another, and from what works on one person to what's right for another can mean the difference between wearing what's now and wearing what's next. For example, fur is cropping up in literally every single pre-fall 2010 line. Personally, the Mafia Materialist thinks fur will come and go, but the truly forward can and will don feathers. We agreed when we saw this pre-fall look from Celine, below, inspired by Manx label Preen by Thornton Bregazzi's 2006 look, further below.

photo courtesy of style.com

photo courtesy of preen.eu

Not for you? What both permeates and transcends looks for spring/summer 2010 and fall 2010 is draping. This look is refreshingly simple and beautiful while ranging in intricacy, which the Mafia Materialist loves because it can dress up or down. See the look from Chloé, below.

photo courtesy of chloe.com

UPDATE: Women's Wear Daily did an article on feathers on January 25, 2010. We're glad to see someone's taking cues from the Mafia Materialist. See it here.