Models wearing scaffolding, music played backwards and Commedia dell'Arte, nothing is off limits for the eccentric duo from the Netherlands. It's time to throw ourselves down the rabbit-hole and into the weird and wonderful world of Viktor & Rolf.
A highly advised visit to their website gives you a brief glimpse into just how bizarre and beautiful the minds of Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren are. The fairy tale elements, romantic decadence and the overall surrealism that you'll find there is just the tip of the iceberg. The two met at Arnhem art school, in the Netherlands and after unassumingly winning the top prize at the Festival d'Hy�res, decided that they could be onto a winning combination. Their avant-garde designs were at first more attractive to art galleries and museums than the fashion world, but their first haut-couture show which turned out to be a clandestine affair during Paris Fashion Week 1998 would make them one of the most talked about design labels of the past two decades, a position they undoubtedly hold to date. With shows like L'Apparence du Vide � a scathing attack at unfounded hype surrounding supermodels and designers � and Bells � an allusion to the elusive nature of fashion � Viktor and Rolf use haute couture as a self-confessed �laboratory' and a way to look reflect on the fashion industry, which is probably what makes them so terrifying and inspirational for members of the fashion community. In 2003 V&R obtained a coveted contract with L'Or�al and were able to develop their signature female fragrance Flowerbomb, and later the male scent, Antidote. The label began to gather more media and celebrity attention, and Rufus Wainwright and Tori Amos would soon become avid fans. 2006 saw an unexpected collaboration with H&M and the revelation to a wider audience that the kooky couple's pr�t-a-porter- could be more practical but just as beautiful as their haute-couture designs. Last year Viktor and Rolf returned to the world of the museum as the Barbican opened there doors to the pair, commissioning �The House of Viktor & Rolf', hand-crafted Belgian dolls wearing miniature versions of the label's signature outfits from the previous 15 years. It proved to be very successful, quirky and a little bit creepy, but nothing you wouldn't expect from a pair of Dutch guys who dress in matching attire. In the same year Renzo Rosso, owner of the Diesel empire would buy a substantial share of the V&R show, a move towards more publicity and wider availability. Their show at Paris Fashion Week 2009 was no less surprising than expected, with stunning dresses that seemed to defy logic and the laws of physics. Whether it's squeals of delight or shrieks of horror, Viktor and Rolf will always inspire a reaction and encourage us to question what we consider fashion to be, which is what the best kind of fashion does.
Image credits: V&R mirror, doll, perfume, shoes, dress
...submitted by LKH
Tags: paris fashion week 2009 history viktor & rolf perfume dolls
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