Rodarte Pares Down For A Sophisticated Spring 2011 Collection

Manhattan is undoubtedly the place to be during Fashion Week, but that doesn't mean New Yorkers never get a bout of nostalgia for the open outdoors. Perhaps that's what hit sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the powerhouse pair behind Rodarte, when designing for spring 2011. The collection conjures images of the countryside with its array of rich browns, golds, and pastoral white and blue patterns, not to mention models rocking wood-paneling better than the walls of a '70s ranch-style loft. The Mulleavys manage to modernize the look with artful touches, such as cut-out shoulders, structured silhouettes, and a beautiful golden gladiator get-up. And gone are the ultra-superfluous tacked-on fabrics—we love this new, nearly minimal direction that Rodarte is heading in.