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DESIGNER: Kate and Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte
INSPIRATION: A mix of 70s-inspired suburban funkiness and golden warrior princesses
TOP LOOKS: Brown embossed-leather cropped jacket and three-quarter skirt; wood-panel-print long dress; chartreuse plaid linen and rust striped silk chiffon skirt, denim jacket with cut-out shoulder and denim halter top; white backless dress with blue Ming print; gold lamé gown with full sequined skirt
ACCESSORIES: Glorious carved wood heels and wedges by Nicholas Kirkwood for Rodarte, worn with white bobby socks; hand-carved wooden barrettes
WHO WAS THERE: Elijah Wood, Kanye West, Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore
WHAT WE THOUGHT: The sisters Mulleavy truly think like artists. In seasons past, they have created esoteric offerings that bordered on unwearable. For spring/summer 2011, they kept their creative impulses in check to produce a smash collection of cool indie-spirited separates. While the Doors' The End blared in the background, models sashayed past in silk dresses with subtle wood-panel prints reminiscent of your father's rec room walls back in the day.
Muted upholstery-like shades of moss green and rust brown also combined in guipure-lace pants and tops, and draped skirts. Chinese Ming-print silk dresses were minor diversions but refreshing nonetheless. The closing gold lamé gown with hammered-sequinned full skirt was so retro it looked ancient Roman, yet gave the collection some welcome sparkle.