Roland Mouret
Encyclopedia
Roland Mouret
Roland Mouret (born 1962 in Lourdes
, France
) is a French fashion designer.
ian fashion college in 1979. In the 1980s Mouret worked as creative director with Gai Pied Hebdo, a Paris-based gay publication, and was an Act Up activist. When he left school to begin designing, he lacked skill in garment construction yet had "a native awareness of sensuality" that allowed him to create "irresistible" clothing. Sharai and André Meyers bought his line in 1998. After seven years and a move to New York, Mouret introduced his Galaxy dress in his Spring 2006 collection. Called the "dress of the season" by many, its ubiquity was such that Vogue magazine
would later write that "for weeks you [couldn't] open a newspaper or magazine without seeing another young Hollywood A-lister wearing" it. Less than two months after the dress's runway debut, Mouret split with his backers in a move that shocked the fashion world. Mouret cited "managerial differences", but neither he nor the Meyerses has ever elaborated on the cause of the break-up.
and launched a comeback under the name RM by the designer Roland Mouret. (His previous backers had retained the rights to the Roland Mouret brand.) Under the new partnership, Mouret owns 50% of the business and is allowed creative freedom. Before the bona fide launch of his new line, Mouret undertook small design engagements to pique public interest. He partnered with Bergdorf Goodman
for a one-time-only consignment in which he personally signed each of the 36 dresses. He escorted Jacquetta Wheeler
to the Met Costume Institute ball; she wore a long version of the Bergdorf dress. Mouret also designed a limited-edition dress line for the Gap.
The launch of RM by the designer Roland Mouret was designed as a global interactive event. Its inaugural fashion show
was held on July 4, 2007 in Paris and featured 21 "easy-chic", geometric dresses. The next day, the show was available on the internet, and consumers could pre-order the garments on a website. As Mouret explained to Vogue, "[Women] see shows the day after they happen. Why should they have to wait?" The collection was an enormous success, with some pieces selling out within hours.
Mouret bought back the rights to his own name on 9th September 2010, with plans to open his first standalone store, on Carlos Place opposite the Connaught in London by 2011. The new premises will include 2 floors of retails space for Mouret's womenswear, menswear, atelier, design workshops and sales showroom.
Roland Mouret (born 1962 in Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) is a French fashion designer.
Training and early career
His fashion training consisted of three months in a ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian fashion college in 1979. In the 1980s Mouret worked as creative director with Gai Pied Hebdo, a Paris-based gay publication, and was an Act Up activist. When he left school to begin designing, he lacked skill in garment construction yet had "a native awareness of sensuality" that allowed him to create "irresistible" clothing. Sharai and André Meyers bought his line in 1998. After seven years and a move to New York, Mouret introduced his Galaxy dress in his Spring 2006 collection. Called the "dress of the season" by many, its ubiquity was such that Vogue magazine
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
would later write that "for weeks you [couldn't] open a newspaper or magazine without seeing another young Hollywood A-lister wearing" it. Less than two months after the dress's runway debut, Mouret split with his backers in a move that shocked the fashion world. Mouret cited "managerial differences", but neither he nor the Meyerses has ever elaborated on the cause of the break-up.
Hiatus and return to fashion
After Mouret left his label, he took a two-year hiatus. He found a new backer in Simon FullerSimon Fuller
Simon Fuller is a British artist manager, television producer and creator of the Idol franchise, first seen as Pop Idol in the UK. Fuller is also the co-creator and executive producer of the Fox TV reality show So You Think You Can Dance and other U.S...
and launched a comeback under the name RM by the designer Roland Mouret. (His previous backers had retained the rights to the Roland Mouret brand.) Under the new partnership, Mouret owns 50% of the business and is allowed creative freedom. Before the bona fide launch of his new line, Mouret undertook small design engagements to pique public interest. He partnered with Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman is a luxury goods department store based on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The company was founded in 1899 by Herman Bergdorf and was later owned and managed by Edwin Goodman, and later his son Andrew Goodman....
for a one-time-only consignment in which he personally signed each of the 36 dresses. He escorted Jacquetta Wheeler
Jacquetta Wheeler
Jacquetta Wheeler is an English model. Her father, Stuart Wheeler, is an entrepreneur and political activist to UKIP, and mother Tessa was a photographer....
to the Met Costume Institute ball; she wore a long version of the Bergdorf dress. Mouret also designed a limited-edition dress line for the Gap.
The launch of RM by the designer Roland Mouret was designed as a global interactive event. Its inaugural fashion show
Fashion show
A fashion show is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase his or her upcoming line of clothing during Fashion Week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter seasons. This is where the latest fashion trends are made...
was held on July 4, 2007 in Paris and featured 21 "easy-chic", geometric dresses. The next day, the show was available on the internet, and consumers could pre-order the garments on a website. As Mouret explained to Vogue, "[Women] see shows the day after they happen. Why should they have to wait?" The collection was an enormous success, with some pieces selling out within hours.
Mouret bought back the rights to his own name on 9th September 2010, with plans to open his first standalone store, on Carlos Place opposite the Connaught in London by 2011. The new premises will include 2 floors of retails space for Mouret's womenswear, menswear, atelier, design workshops and sales showroom.
Victoria Beckham
Roland created a storm around his now legendary moon dress made famous by Victoria Beckham. Such is the popularity of the design that the first batch at Harvey Nichols in London sold out within days. In March 2008 it was announced that Roland would start working with Victoria Beckham on a limited edition capsule collection of little black dresses.External links
- Official RM by the designer Roland Mouret site
- Interactive RM by the designer Roland Mouret catwalk show site
- Roland Mouret's debut runway show as RM at net-a-porter.com
- Photo of the Galaxy dress
- Telegraph on RM (07/2007)
- New York Magazine (2006)
- Telegraph interview (2005)
- Roland Mouret Meets Natalie Imbruglia
- Profile of the Fashion Designers career on Mahalo