Enter the world of Viktor&Rolf, where defiance against conformity is met with the same determination as a child stubborn enough to wear a dress but absolutely refusing to do so the ‘right’ way. Think upside down and tilted askew – a rejection of the established order. You have long until October 6th to visit the Kunsthalle München museum in Germany, featuring the first major retrospective on the Dutch fashion artists.
Alongside the dresses that mirror youthful disobedience, the stunning scenography showcases one hundred of their most remarkable creations, many exhibited for the first time, along with a wealth of videos, sketches and even fragrances. Porcelain dolls will don the designer’s creations, while works by acclaimed visual artists such as Ellen von Unwerth, Andreas Gursky and Herb Ritts will also be featured.
Partnering with the Kunsthalle München, the showcase gains further depth through the expertise of Canadian curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot, the mind behind acclaimed retrospectives on Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler. Rest assured then, given the calibre of the designers, curators and the hosting museum, attendees can expect nothing short of a state of mouth-agape awe that extends far beyond the walls of the exhibition.
“Renowned for their experimental and conceptual runway presentations and performances, their exquisite craftmanship, innovative and dreamy silhouettes, sometimes made from tulle or canvases, red carpet or tinkling bells, Viktor&Rolf have been creating unique and ground-breaking wearable art for the past three decades in spectacular style,” in the words of Thierry-Maxime Loriot.
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Rolf Snoeren and Viktor Horsting (Viktor&Rolf). Viktor&Rolf. Fashion Statements, 23.2.–6.10.2024 © Brauer Photos / S.Brauer für Kunsthalle München
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Rolf Snoeren and Viktor Horsting (Viktor&Rolf). Viktor&Rolf. Fashion Statements, 23.2.–6.10.2024 © Brauer Photos / S.Brauer für Kunsthalle München
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Surreal Shoulders Haute Couture, S/S 2022, with animated shadows, created by Rodeo FX Studio © Marijke Aerden
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Wearable Art Haute Couture, A/W 2015 © Philip Riches
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Zen Garden Haute Couture, A/W 2013–14 © Peter Stigter
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Viktor&Rolf, Costums for Der Freischütz, directed by Robert Wilson, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, 2009 © Kunsthalle München
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Suite Haute Couture, Paris, Town & Country, 2023 & Late Stage Capitalism Waltz Haute Couture, S/S 2023 © Ellen von Unwerth