Viktor & Rolf Fall 2005 Women RTW Paris

[kimair]

here's the review from wwd...

Breathtaking. Yes, the underlying idea was a bedtime story revealed in fantastical bedding-cum-headgear. And yes, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren treated their guests to an enchanting performance by Tori Amos. But the heart and soul of their fall Viktor & Rolf collection was fashion, period. Fashion with the proverbial capital “F,” that is — the kind we all long for when boarding the plane, the kind that fuels the industry, the kind only a very few designers can deliver. This show was a joy to watch, filled with clothes that should be a joy, as well, for retailers to sell and for women to wear.

The theme sprung from the designers’ desire to work with Amos and to stage a show antithetical to fall’s fragrance-launching extravaganza. “After last season, we saw the need to do something intimate, private,” Horsting said. “The idea was a bedtime story because bed is the ultimate safe place. Good things happen in bed. You rest, heal, make love.”

Touché. But it takes rare multitiered talent to translate touchy-feely nighty-night into a stunningly chic fashion event. Horsting and Snoeren spun the fittings of a lady’s bedchamber, all lacy, frilled, down-filled and quilted, the trance-inducing romance of Amos’ crimped red locks and a wealth of amazing tailoring into a magnificent moment. A comforter’s stitching emerged in quilting on a skirt, and the comforter itself in a dreamy ingenue bridal gown, with embroidered red script radiating “I love you.” Strands of pearls made their way from jewel box to shoes, and a bedside rose became the lone color on an alluring corseted gown.

But make no mistake. The real brilliance here was the transformation of an out-there theme into a foil for beautiful, remarkably wearable clothes. So, while some girls were done up with the mood-setting pillow accoutrement, others wore gorgeous shirts with varying degrees of frills, always with simple black pants. And there were fabulous coats, parkas, suits, a back-draped trench. (Ditto, by the way, the song Amos wrote just for the occasion. It may have been based on the Book of Solomon, but she managed to work in the line, “I need this potion, this flower bomb.”) It all played like the kind of dream you don’t want to end. Only waking up is even better, because then you can get dressed.

 

[Tinuviel]

Looked like a fun show.

 

[agathe]

i like it a lot, very good

 

[valerie]

Perfection!

i could not agree more!!!

 

[scandinavianchic]

i could not agree more!!!

I'm going to have to get that jacket... Can't wait for it to hit the stores! It will be the splurge of the season!

 

[nqth]

I agree with you Scott and M-o-M that this has nothing to do with "bed time story", dreaming, sleeping, being unconscious... or even having sex:-P There were some pillows and pillows-pattern clothes. That's all.

The clothes look good, but nothing conceptual or artsy or exceptional technically to write about. In fact, the flying things above your breasts look good if you don't have them at all:-) The breast rose looks just like a bad joke.

 

[Mr-Dale]

Whatever.
If you wanna make a black pantsuit, just do it. But don't try to lay some sort of artistic claim to it.

Why not? Is that not the purpose of shows, especially in Paris, to raise the bar, to raise fashion to art. Isn't it about making it more than just a price-tag and actually making it special and perhaps even, a bit artistic. About giving it a sense of mistery that is held in the underlining thought of the whole collection? Are shows like these not the ones that keep it interesting to stay online all day, or go out shopping? I think they are...Stop the J-Lo discussion and look at these collections, it's more worth my energy at least...

 

[Scott]

Whatever. I'm not amused by their silly gimmicks anymore. Like someone else said, things like that pillow idea are ways to make it seem like their bland clothes still have an avant-garde sensibility behind them. Which they don't. And that would be perfectly fine if they would just leave accept it and move on. If you wanna make a black pantsuit, just do it. But don't try to lay some sort of artistic claim to it.

Exactly. Have you ever seen such an obvious state of hypocrisy and disgusting contradiction? I agree,if you want to be global,be global...stop trying to force the most inane,avant-garde,pretentious dross down our throats with the most commercial looking clothes.

Just like antlers thing,it makes no sense with these kinds of clothes.

 

[AlexN]

^While I basically agree, in regards to this collection, I still enjoy all that stuff.

 

[softgrey]

thx for the review kimair...

 

[Deleted member 1957]

very original concvvept and the clothes arent bad when you look beneath!!

 

[Deleted member 1957]

love the concept and i have to say the clothes arent also that bad!!though i see some few similarities with stella mcartney. maybe thats the trend

 

[scandinavianchic]

Does any of you know of any stores in Europe, preferrably Scandinavia that carries V&R? Can't find them anywhere! Grrrr...

ps - I have tried to contact them and looked at their web site.

 

[urd]

I adore this collection these are some of my favourites. (style.com)

 

[Jacque Marcel]

I don't think they are trying to be avant garde or art as fashion. It doesn't look premeditated, it's just Viktor & Rolf...and I love it

 

[urd]

^I'm love everything they have ever made. I think I'm obsessed

 

[scandinavianchic]

I do too, they're fantastic!

 

[Asha123]

/\ I swear I saw that show on Fashion TV ages ago!

 

[Asha123]

Karen Elson looks Dead