FASHION STATEMENTS: VIKTOR&ROLF

VIKTOR&ROLF EXHIBITS THREE DECADES OF BOUNDARY-PUSHING WORK IN ITS FIRST US RETROSPECTIVE.

By Thierry-Maxime Loriot

As the first dedicated exhibition of Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren’s work in the United States, Fashion Statements is a contemporary installation about the Dutch designers’ passions and obsessions, not in chronological order, but more as a thematic approach. It features more than 110 of Viktor&Rolf’s most daring and avant-garde works, alongside videos, sketches, dolls, and photographs that bring their process to life.

Their collections often begin with an abstract idea, and from there, each step of the conceptual and technical development considers the final presentation: the fashion show. Rather than straightforward catwalk presentations, their shows tend to be true performances in which they act as storytellers, directors, and often participants. Thinking outside of the box, combining elements that do not relate to each other, and pushing the boundaries of the imaginable—this is what makes Viktor&Rolf’s designs so unique. For more than 30 years, the brand’s founders have explored the connections between the worlds of haute couture and art. They are the one and only true Fashion Artists.

In the next slide, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren speak on the show’s conception. Fashion Statements is on view at the High Museum of Art through February 8.