I have to admit, my feelings for Rodarte are not very consistent. But when their latest collection was revealed in New York Fashion Week 2011, I fell in love with it faster than you can say ‘Van Gogh’.

The Mulleavy sisters are dreamers, and combined with Vincent van Gogh as inspiration, their work resulted in a mesmerizing Spring 2012 collection. Originally, the sisters were roused by the greens and purples that were used in the 1959 animated Disney classic, Sleeping Beauty. But then they found out that Van Gogh also uses colors like that.

Homage to the Dutch painter was implemented in the form of rich hues and prints inspired by Van Gogh’s paintings, such as Starry Night and The Sunflower. As a result, the clothes were a concoction of intriguing and dreamy silhouettes, and also vibrant, powerful colors.

And those shoes! Perfect clunky heeled sandals in reflective-mirror silver.

However, I question the oldies flavor of some of the silhouettes. Some gowns have that old-fashioned prom dress aura, and the exaggerated layered peplums and winged sleeves also add some ‘80s superhero touch. Hmmm.

But there were also plenty of wearable items, such as the tiered georgette skirts paired with color-blocked hand-knit cable sweaters.

The Mulleavys have created a large fan base, represented by a variety of celebrities on the front row, including Taylor Swift, the enchanting Fanning sisters, Rooney Mara, Saoirse Ronan, and Beyoncé-Solange Knowles. The front rows are (almost) as gorgeous as the runway!

Photo credits: Kevin Tachman, Imaxtree, Matteo Volta