Rodarte channels "Star Wars" at New York Fashion Week

The force was with Rodarte when they presented their latest collection at New York Fashion Week.

Sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy ended their runway show Tuesday by showcasing five gowns emblazoned with artwork from the "Star Wars" films -- including Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, Yoda, the Death Star and the dual suns of the planet Tatooine.

Was it high-end fashion, or pop culture kitsch? As always, the verdict was a study in subjectivity.

Growing up in California, "Star Wars" was a "big obsession" for the Mulleavys, according to Kate.

"Growing up when we did, I think that's kind of one of the huge things that really influenced our culture and I just thought it was an important thing to put in it," she added. "I also feel like those films are all about imagination ... so I felt like it was a kind of a really beautiful way to end what the collection was for us."

In a nutshell, the sisters said, the collection was about childhood nostalgia.

"It's kind of all our memories coming together in something that's expressive," Kate said. "So it wasn't about a specific place, 'cause I think memory is so disjunctive. It was more about kind of piecing together the things that we wanted to build this world out of."

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Mulleavys said they approached Disney (which owns "Star Wars" maker LucasFilm) about using images from the classic films, and the studio suggested they visit the archives.

"But we already knew the images we wanted," Laura added, "and we were afraid we'd go into the archives and never come out."

Another Rodarte garment destined to result in seriously divided opinions: the shoulder-less coat, which is exactly what it sounds like -- coats with cutouts where the shoulders would be. It came in gray and black wool, but also in fuchsia glitter.

On the subtler side, there were some truly lovely striped lace gowns in appealing colors, demonstrating the Mulleavys' talent for craftsmanship.

Rodarte perennial fan Dakota Fanning was in the audience. "I thought it was amazing ... I'm happy for Kate and Laura," she said.