Roland Mouret
Roland Mouret is a French luxury womenswear designer whose namesake business was founded in 1998 and is based in London. For his Spring 2006 collection, Roland Mouret launched the Galaxy Dress for which he became globally renowned, worn by vast numbers of celebrities and women worldwide. Roland Mouret has since branched out into accessories and perfume, alongside his womenswear collections.
Roland Mouret | |
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Born | 1961 Lourdes, France |
Occupation | Fashion designer |
Early Life
Roland Mouret was born in Lourdes, France in 1961. Mouret was the son of a butcher and first learnt about cutting and folding fabric while working in his father’s butchers’ shop – he watched his father fold his apron to hide stains and reveal only the clean white linen[1].
Roland Mouret moved to Paris in 1979 where he spent three months training in a Parisian fashion college before dropping out to work as a model, artistic director and stylist. [2]By night, he spent his time outside the front door of the nightclub of that era; Le Palace. “I told myself if I can get inside, when there are so many people waiting, hoping, in line outside, I can succeed. I made myself a blue suit, kind of “Zazou”. I stood under a streetlamp. Every time the door opened, I was lighting a cigarette. I was a poser and I got invited in. I know what it is to be an outsider. The women I dress often feel like outsiders, even those who are well-known. I identify strongly with that.”[3]
“I consider my years in Paris—modelling styling, being part of the social scene—all a key part of my make-up,”[4] said Mouret.
After many years of living in Paris, Mouret moved to London and began his career in fashion design.
Career
Roland Mouret began working on his first collection in 1997 after his move to London. His first collections inspired the course of his career – with no formal training, the clothes had very few cuts to the fabric and instead were draped directly onto the female form, becoming the essence of his signature style.
A business partnership with Sharai and Andre Meyes in 2000 helped the brand expand, but when the partnership floundered in 2005, Roland Mouret lost the rights to his own name.[5]
The Galaxy dress, launched in 2005 and still available today, proved both a timeless signature and a signpost; the latter to entrepreneur Simon Fuller, who backed the label’s relaunch as RM. The brand relaunched in 2006 in partnership with Simon Fuller’s XIX entertainment and in September 2010, the rights to the ‘Roland Mouret’ name were acquired by the venture.
Renowned for his iconic dresses, known by a single name – Galaxy, Moon, Titanium and Pigalle – the designer is also celebrated among his clients for tailored separates.
Recent expansion has included the perfume “Une Amourette”, the result of a collaboration with the Parisian perfume house, Etat Libre d’Orange. Other categories include shoes, bags, accessories and bridal.
Celebrating Roland Mouret’s 20 years in fashion and design, his first book ‘Provoke Attract Seduce’ was published by Rizzoli in 2018.
Partnerships
- Banana republic - 2014
In 2014, Roland Mouret collaborated with the American retailer Banana Republic. Creating the Roland Mouret for Banana Republic Collection[6] – a limited edition, 30 piece capsule highlighting the designer’s keen understanding of the female form, through the use of Banana Republic’s signature Sloan fabric.
- Woolmark – 2014
Roland Mouret partnered with The Woolmark Company to develop the eight-piece ready-to-wear Australian Merino Wool Collection exclusively for Australian retailer Myer. The Roland Mouret Australian Merino Wool Collection[7] consisted of Mouret’s utmost signature silhouettes including dresses, tops, trousers and skirts.
Roland Mouret’s first foray into fragrance is aptly named “Une Amourette”[8]. The designer collaborated with esteemed perfume house Etat Libre d’Orange. Mouret worked closely with the famous nose Daniela Andrier to create the scent.
In September 2019, Roland Mouret collaborated with Arch & Hook to support the launch of the BLUE® Hanger. The Blue Hanger provides a sustainable alternate to the billions of ‘factory-to-retail’ transport hangers which end up in landfill each year. The Blue hanger is made from marine plastics, creating a 100% recycled, fully circular, modular hanger.
Roland Mouret and the British Fashion Council have issued a letter of intent to apparel companies in the UK. The letter invites them to “Switch to Blue” and join Arch & Hook’s BLUE® fully circular hanger program.[9]
Galaxy
Roland 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.
The Galaxy has been worn by many celebrities including Victoria Beckham, Halle Berry, Rachel Weisz, Cameron Diaz, Naomi Watts and Dita Von Teese.
Notable Clients
Roland Mouret has been worn by actors and models worldwide including Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain, Laverne Cox, Cameron Diaz, Sabrina Elba, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gigi Hadid, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lawrence, Blake Lively, Jennifer Lopez, Arizona Muse, Joely Richardson, Daisy Ridley, Rachel Weisz and Reese Witherspoon.
In addition, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex have worn the brand on several public outings. Notably, The Duchess of Sussex wore the Roland Mouret Navy ‘Barwick Dress’ on the eve of her wedding at Cliveden House Hotel in Windsor.[10]
Stockists
The Roland Mouret flagship store, with an atelier on the premises, is located at 8 Carlos Place, in London’s Mayfair. It is an historic couture setting, having formerly been the showroom of two Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers members – Michael of Carlos Place and Peter Russell.
Roland Mouret is also available through its website and a network of wholesale clients including Net-A-Porter, Matches Fashion, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Lane Crawford.
References
- https://theline.com/blogs/stories/the-art-of-the-cut-meet-roland-mouret
- "Q&A: Roland Mouret". the Guardian. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- "Roland Mouret Biography". Roland Mouret. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- "The Art of the Cut: Meet Roland Mouret". The Line. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- "ROLAND MOURET QUITS". British Vogue. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- Codinha, Alessandra. "Exclusive: Roland Mouret Unveils His Collaboration With Banana Republic". Vogue. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- "Roland Mouret x Woolmark". fashionunited.uk. 4 July 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- "Roland Mouret's Fragrance Is To Be Worn Between Your Thighs". British Vogue. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- "Subscribe to read | Financial Times". www.ft.com. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- "MEGHAN MARKLE WEARS THE BARWICK DRESS". Roland Mouret. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
External links
- Official RM by the designer Roland Mouret site
- Interactive RM by the designer Roland Mouret catwalk show site
- Roland Mouret collections at style.com
- 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