What Universal Standard And Rodarte Got Right That Most Collabs Get Wrong

When it comes to designer collaborations, we’re often left feeling like something is missing, be it a lack of inclusive sizes in store or ― more commonly ― a lack of inclusive sizes in general.

That’s part of the what makes this new collection from Universal Standard and Rodarte so exciting. The function and fit-focused brand teamed up with the fantasy-focused red-carpet brand — a favorite of celebrities like Kirsten Dunst and Tracee Ellis Ross — on a range four pieces, all available in Universal Standard’s broad range of sizes from 00-40. 

Items available from the collection, which launched Tuesday, include a blouse, a skirt, a jumpsuit and a dress that each come in four colors (red, white, black and rose), feature ruffles and ruching aplenty and range in price from $150-$240. 

The only thing that could make this whimsical collection better would be if there were more options. But in fact, a typical release for a capsule on Universal Standard features even fewer items. Alexandra Waldman, co-founder and COO at Universal Standard, explained what made this one different in an email to HuffPost.

“This was originally meant to be part of our Tria capsule collection in which we introduce three original design pieces, but Rodarte’s designs were so beautiful we had to add a fourth!” she said. “That is how we came up with the dress, the skirt, the blouse and the jumpsuit. It felt like we covered most bases.”

A release from Universal Standard states that the two brands coming together is much more than a design collaboration, pointing out the increasing demand for democratization of fashion. It’s another step by the brand toward focusing on high fashion, and Waldman told HuffPost this is just the beginning. 

“From the beginning, we wanted to set an example to the industry by showing that unifying fashion could be done beautifully across all categories,” Waldman said. “We are determined to bring a ‘new normal’ into being ― one that is inclusive of all of us, as we are ― and we want to do it alongside brands that align with our vision.”

The collection is available for purchase on the Universal Standard website and at the brand’s New York City pop-up ― both of which will stock every single size.