Rodarte’s holiday collaboration with Starbucks

We don’t know about you, but one of the only things that gets us through the winter here at The Upcoming are Starbucks’ Christmas drinks.

But this holiday season, there’ll be more than just the heavenly Toffee Nut Latte.

Indie fashion design duo Rodarte are to collaborate with Starbucks for the holiday season.

Yes, you read that right.

The everywhere-you-look coffee giant has snapped up sisters Laura and Kate Mulleavy to design a series of limited edition products.

Laura Mulleavy said: “We like the idea of collaborations and putting our thought process somewhere else.”

Most famous for designing the tutu Natalie Portman wore in Black Swan, their signature “holiday” pattern consists of a pixelated checkerboard of grey, white and silver against varying shades of green.

Come November, Rodarte-designed gift cards, tote bags, cup sleeves and mugs will be available for style-obsessed caffeine addicts to purchase.

Laura Mulleavy said designing the products came fairly easy, as they are daily coffee drinkers. However, it was a challenge to adapt to the small surface of the card.

The duo said the look had to appeal to both men and women, unlike Rodarte’s usual focus on womenswear.

Typically, Rodarte creations are niche, edgy, conceptual and not exactly designed to appeal to the masses.

Samie Barr, vice president of category brand management, said this project was Starbucks’ first foray into fashion. 

He said the company sees it as “putting us on the map as a true inspirational gifting destination.”

“We look for unique and differentiated, not necessarily looking for ‘mainstream’…People buy with their eyes.”

The range will be available online and in select Starbucks’ stores on 13^th November. 

Khaleda Rahman