Rodarte designers Laura and Kate Mulleavy took us on a trip to Mexico's border with their dreamy, yet ghostly fall '10 collection that was inspired by Mexican factory workers' early morning commutes to their outposts in Juarez. To accompany the collection, they've teamed up with cosmetic brand M.A.C. to put out a line of makeup. Although most of us were struck by the ethereal beauty that we saw from Rodarte's runway show, the literal translation to makeup has sparked some controversy. Nail polish names like the mint green Factory and frosty pink Juarez seem ignore the dangerous conditions faced by a number of women in the impoverished, factory town. To recognize the contentious source of inspiration, M.A.C. has decided to donate a portion of the proceeds to those in need in Juarez. Some say that condensing the issue down to a commercial line of makeup products discounts Juarez' plight, but we're big believers that provocative political subjects like these have a place in fashion and beauty brands. Addressing the issue, and then attempting to redress the situational like M.A.C. has done is far more commendable than ignoring it altogether. (Styleist)
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