Like many other fashion bloggers, I keep my eye on the big spring and fall shows in New York to see where trends are going. Looking at the shows gives me some kind of zeitgeist for where fashion is headed, and an occasional longing for some fabulously expensive item that can’t be purchased by mere mortals.
But every now and then I see a designer who really does something different. The Rodarte Fall 2008 collection is a work of art. The looks are beautifully constructed and, I think, offer a fresh perspective on the goth aesthetic. Goth has been really overdone as of late, to the point where you can buy baby clothes at Wal-Mart with skulls on them. This Rodarte collection, by contrast, is a far cry from “mall goth” and convincingly dark. Who would have thought that red and white chiffon could look so sinister?
I commented to my husband that this shouldn’t have surprised me at all. I see too many women walking around with their underwear showing through their skirts and sunlight outlining every curve and dimple. The variety of examples available on