FRENCH CONNECTION I

March marks the debut of the first Rodier store in Dallas at Berkshire Court at Preston Road and Northwest Highway. Rodier stores are located in forty-two countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and New Zealand, If the name Jacques Rodier (Ro-de-aye) isn’t familiar to you, just ask your mother or grandmother. The designer first became prominent in the early part of the century, when he, along with Coco Chanel, found new uses for jersey material. His early designs were blueprints for easy care mix-and-match separates, the favorite togs of the jet set of the time.

But the Rodier legend really began with the fabrics he supplied to all of Europe’s top designers. The rich Rodier colors and textures were quickly recognized by the leading design houses. Today, his company carries on this legacy in the manufacturing of fine fabrics (brilliant colors woven in fine wools, linens, and cottons) used in Rodier’s finished designs. Company spokesman Jean Accad explains the longstanding Rodier commitment to fabric control: “The company maintains dye lots from year to year so that wardrobes can be built through the seasons without hesitation of color contrast.”

Rodier offers collections for both sexes. For women, there are nautical navy blue and white separates and Third World ethnic designs on pure cotton in camel, brown, and black. Ensembles such as jackets with shorts or with over-the-knee skirts come in a variety of colors.

Rodier’s men’s collection also features an assortment of separates, including lined lightweight jackets with trousers in several summer colors, and lightweight cotton jackets, sweaters, and shirts.