Rodarte was founded in Pasadena, California in 2005 by sisters, Kate and Laura Mulleavy. Kate and Laure received liberal arts degrees from the University of California, Berkeley in 2001. Kate studied art history with an emphasis on the 19th and 20th centuries, while Laura focused her studies on literature and the Modern novel. Following graduation from university, both Kate and Laura returned to their home in Pasadena where they launched Rodarte.

Rodarte is now stocked globally by more than 40 of the world’s premiere retailers including Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Beams, Harvey Nichols, Colette, Ikram, Nordstrom, Villa Moda, Tsum, Jeffrey, Holt Renfrew and 10 Corso Como.

Rodarte has appeared on the cover of more than 20 international publications including VOGUE. International icons including Cate Blanchette, Natalie Portman, Keira Knightly, Kirsten Dunst, Michelle Obama, Chloe Sevigny, Tilda Swinton, Reese Witherspoon, and Dita von Teese have worn Rodarte.

Timeline:

The first Rodarte collection, comprised of 10 hand-finished pieces, appears on the February 3, 2005 cover of Women’s Wear Daily within days of Kate and Laura’s first trip to New York. Shortly thereafter, Rodarte presents its first complete runway collection to accolades during New York Fashion Week.

In Fall 2005, Rodarte is awarded the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Award.

In Fall of 2006, Rodarte is awarded runner-up in the CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund competition.

Rodarte was nominated for the CFDA Swarovski Emerging Womenswear Designer in both 2006 and 2007.

Rodarte’s Fall 2008 collection, presented in February 2008, is named Top 10 by Style.com, New York Times and Women’s Wear Daily. Soon after, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute acquires its first Rodarte gown into the permanent collections and features the gown in its Blog.Mode exhibition in April 2008.

In Summer 2008, Rodarte is selected as a finalist in the ANDAM Competition.

Rodarte is awarded the CFDA Swarovski Emerging Womenswear Designer award in June 2008.

Rodarte’s Spring 2009 collection is named Top 10 by Women’s Wear Daily and VOGUE.com

Rodarte is awarded the Swizz Textiles Award in November 2008.

Rodarte is nominated for the 209 CFDA Womenswaer Designer of the Year Award

Rodarte is Cooper Hewitt’s 2009 National Design Awards Fashion Design Finalist.