Embellishment
Embellishment: Rodarte
Few contemporary designers ornament garments as beautifully or as artfully as the sister duo
known as Rodarte. Early examples of Rodarte’s work illustrate their remarkable handling of
delicate fabrics — not to mention the quaint charm of their beginnings — as each garment
was hand-made by the sisters at the dining table of their parents’ home in Pasadena.
The early sweetness of the Rodarte oeuvre has grown ominous
in more recent collections. Arresting examples include a gown,
covered in layers of hand-dyed silk netting made to look like
rivers of blood, and a marbled leather tunic paired with thigh-
high, fetishistic boots. Their work is a perfect blend of the
gruesome-made-beautiful and craftsmanship elevated to art —
a seamless marriage of aesthetics and innovation.
