A bite-sized glimpse into why these fashion designers deserve all the accolades that are bestowed upon them.
Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren became friends in 1988 when they both studied at the Arnem Academy of Art and Design in Holland. They founded their company in 1993 and debuted their first collection – a couture collection no less – in 1996. Since then, they have proved themselves as fashion innovators. The amazing range of ideas that emerge throughout their collections are truly thought provoking and always brilliantly executed.
Here are 10 reasons to love them and all they stand for:
Their image:
- Physical – Although not related, they look very similar, so much so that it can be nigh on impossible to tell them apart. They are very close and operate as one, as Viktor Horsting says, "If we hadn't done it together we would never have done it."
- Fantastic Website – ‘Welcome to the House of Viktor & Rolf,’ with its music-box music playing as you enter, this site captures the essence of their whimsical yet elegant creations, a brilliant and informative representation of the brand.
- Retrospective Exhibition – In 2008, Viktor & Rolf curated their first retrospective in London’s Barbican Centre. The key piece of the exhibition was a stunning 6 metre high, 3-story dolls house accommodating 55, 2ft high dolls, all wearing tiny replicas of the duo’s greatest designs (pictured.)
- Upside-Down Boutique – In Milan, you can enter into the surrealist world of Viktor & Rolf via their boutique store. As you walk in chandeliers sprout from the floor and the parquet flooring is on the ceiling. It is truly an amazing, mind-warping piece of architecture.
- Atomic Bomb – Their breakthrough couture collection from Spring / Summer ‘98, was aptly named as it announced their explosive entry into the fashion world. The collection was shown twice during the show, once with balloons under the garments to give them the abnormal ‘atomic bomb’ look and then without, post explosion, showing the garments as they would be worn.
- Russian Doll – From Autumn / Winter '99, this show consisted of Viktor and Rolf actually on the catwalk, dressing model Maggie Rizer in ALL the pieces from the couture collection, layering them on top of each other until only her head poked out of a huge, embroidered, hessian gown. Hence the Russian doll effect.
- One Woman Show – after befriending Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton, she became the designers muse for Autumn / Winter ’03. She opened the show and all the models were made up in her image, with short red hair and porcelain skin. A striking sight.
- Flowerbomb – to coincide with the launch of their first perfume of the same name, the Spring / Summer ’05 show was the contradiction of aggression and femininity that the name suggests. The first half of the collection was black, with the models in motorcycle helmets, the second was pink with huge bow detailing on the garments.
- Collaboration with H&M – In 2006 Viktor & Rolf designed a collection for the high street store H&M. Along with the aforementioned perfume, by doing this they were focusing on adding a more commercial strand to their growing business. They created an affordable yet stylish collection featuring mens and womenswear, without compromising their exciting design ideas.
- Costumes for German Opera – Viktor & Rolf put the theatrical element of their work to good use when they agreed to design fantasy costumes for Robert Wilson’s version of romantic German opera, Der Freischütz. The costumes were suitably dramatic and debuted in May 2009 .
Sources:
- Barbican Exhibition - The House of Viktor & Rolf
- www.viktor-rolf.com
The copyright of the article 10 Reasons To Love Viktor & Rolf in International Fashion Designers is owned by Jennifer McNulty. Permission to republish 10 Reasons To Love Viktor & Rolf in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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