Long Skirts My Ass: Rodarte Wins CFDA Award

Nary a day goes by lately without another store closing, one more report of plummeting sales figures and a bright glint of hope that Crocs may finally go under due to massive losses. Some economists and fashion analysts are even saying that these tough times have resulted in Depression-era style having a resurgence (not always a bad thing), like muted color palettes and longer skirts. But while the tanking economy is forcing some of us into Ramen dinners, ankle length sack skirts and boring colors, others are telling all economic indicators to screw themselves and sticking with bright, hot little dresses. And they’re doing better than most.

Case in point: sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the design team behind last night’s CFDA award-winning womenswear label Rodarte. Rather than shying away from all things bright, short and daring, the Mulleavy’s presented a fall collection crawling with crotch-length dresses, rich colors and even some straps and chains. And yet even as other designers fail around them, they continue to succeed both in sales and in magazine coverage, despite their utter unwillingness to ditch the badassness in favor of something a little more recession-friendly and demure.

Know what we’re thinking? This mysterious public we hear so much about isn’t actually all that into longer skirts and boring things just because times kind of suck right now. Now, more than ever, is the time for all things bright and exciting. Central St. Martin’s fashion design students just proved this with a handful of over-the-top, awesomely spirited collections, and Rodarte won one of fashion’s biggest awards for being uncompromisingly creative. Thank goodness, because we are thoroughly sick of all the doom and gloom.