The story of the fashion house Rodarte began with two cinephile sisters, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, living in a sleepy California suburb, waitressing and selling their record collection to finance their dream of becoming fashion designers. What followed is an extraordinary, shot-out-of-a-cannon success story. The sisters would go on to be anointed by the Editor in Chief of Vogue, win a CFDA award, see their work exhibited in museums, create costumes for the opera and for Natalie Portman for the film “Black Swan,” and develop a loyal following in Hollywood which led to stunning red carpet moments at the Oscars, Cannes, and the Met Gala.
Kate and Laura reflect back on the story of their rapid rise, the importance of independence, and the difficulties female designers contend with in a male-dominated industry. They also discuss how film has been an essential source of inspiration and why their work with actresses is so rewarding, even as they pull back the curtain on what it’s like to create an Oscar dress and the heartache that is sometimes part of the process. And they reveal how Coach Monica, of the Netflix show “Cheer,” and her problem-solving savvy inspired their own trouble-shooting when it came to their most recent show.