Ensemble

All Rhodes’s textile patterns are developed from research, travel, and the inspiration of daily life. The resultant fashions are imbued with a unique autobiographical element and collectively function as a type of visual memoir. This dress from the “Cactus Cowboy” collection of 1976 features the “Cactus Everywhere” print, which documents a road trip the designer took across the American West. The gossamer quality of the silk chiffon and the dramatic wing-like sleeves of this caftan silhouette easily evoke comparisons to a “butterfly,” the name Rhodes ascribes to all her garments. This metaphor characterizes several aspects of her expressive designs, including their function as vehicles for prints and patterns, her tendency toward mirrored layouts, and her consistent use of vivid color.