Fashion designer and co-founder of Rodarte
Fashion designer and co-founder of the fashion brand Rodarte, based in Los Angeles, California
PROFILE
Laura Mulleavy
Guest
FROM Laura Mulleavy
Design and Architecture
The Fashion of Illusion Oscar-nominated actress Natalie Portman wears a Rodarte-designed tutu for Black Swan As fall collections hit the runways this week in New York, one of the hottest shows will be that of Rodarte , a Los Angeles-based fashion brand known for its unique melding of conceptual art and material science. Drawing inspiration from eclectic sources ranging from the ethereal quality of the California wilderness to the fantastical set design of sci-fi movies, the Pasadena natives Kate and Laura Mulleavy launched their fashion brand six years ago to almost immediate critical acclaim. The Mulleavys are also in the spotlight for designing the ballet costumes for Black Swan , the Oscar-nominated film directed by Darren Aronofsky. At their studio in downtown L.A., the sisters talk with Frances about creating frilly-yet-menacing tutus for the psycho-sexual thriller, and about the show Rodarte: States of Matter , which opens at MOCA Pacific Design Center next month. Racks of tutus made for Black Swan await their ballerinas Natalie Portman gets fitted for a tutu by Laura Mulleavy Rodarte gowns take their cues from pop culture and nature, like this dress inspired by slime A Rodarte piece inspired by horror films Models wearing unique Rodarte creations before strolling the runway How challenging is designing fashion for the movies? To find out, Frances heads to the opening of The Art of Motion Picture Costume Design at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. There she talks to fashion designer, FIDM instructor, and Project Runway alumnus Nick Verreos, who shows the artistry behind some of the costumes from over 20 films released in 2010, including Oscar-nominated films Alice in Wonderland and The King's Speech. Author Cathy Whitlock, who writes the blog Cinema Style , explains why production designers and art directors are essential to the art of illusion on film. Costumes from the Oscar-nominated Alice In Wonderland, designed by Colleen Atwood Helena Bonham-Carter's regal outfit in The King's Speech, designed by Jenny Beavan
Recommended
Design and Architecture
Securing Public Spaces, Super Wealthy Asians Vehicles are increasingly being used as weapons, as seen in the London Bridge attack over the weekend and in New York’s Times Square last month. The Compton-based company Calpipe is designing security bollards to help make public spaces safer. And novelist Kevin Kwan satirizes the “crazy rich” Asian jet set and their luxurious tastes in his latest book, “Rich People Problems.”
The Business
Revisiting showrunner Steven Bochco on his memoir Steven Bochco, the writer-producer behind record-breaking Emmy winners Hill Street Blues, LA Law and NYPD Blue, fought battles with everyone from out-of-control actors to network censors in his long career. He isn’t afraid to tell those tales in his memoir, Truth Is a Total Defense. This week we revisit the conversation where he shared some of his favorite stories with us.
The Treatment
Guy Ritchie: King Arthur EXCLUSIVE PODCAST: Director Guy Ritchie stops by to discuss retelling lore his way in King Arthur.
Design and Architecture
Farewell LA freeways, Peter Shire is back Angelenos don't want more freeways but we seem not to want mass transit either. Metro has killed the 710 freeway extension, and bus and train ridership is down across the region. What's the future of getting around in LA? And, Peter Shire is having a comeback. What attracts a new generation to his playful ceramics and furniture?