Rodarte
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The Label
Almost unbelievably, sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy came from Pasadena, California, to New York in the spring of 2005 with nothing more than a few dresses and coats stuffed in their suitcase. A week after arriving, they had shown their collection, tagged Rodarte after their mother's maiden name, to almost every major fashion-magazine editor and upscale retail buyer. What got them through the door? Tenacity and talent. The Mulleavys pore over every small detail in their smart, meticulous yet romantic, and downright pretty dresses. They pile on soft flutters of pinked chiffon and intricate hand-stitching that brings to mind couture. After just three seasons, Rodarte scored the Mulleavys a CFDA Perry Ellis Award nomination and quite an industry following including Old Guard lions Karl Lagerfeld and Christian Louboutin.
The Look
Dresses dripping with the sort of sophistication expected from Paris, not Pasadena.
The Designer
Self-described nerds, the sisters both graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, where Kate studied art history and Laura majored in English literature. The two still share a bedroom in their parents' Pasadena cottage and have no immediate plans to move out.
