Viktor & Rolf: Fashion Statements

A dedication to craftsmanship and a love of the absurd have guided Dutch design duo Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren since the launch of their eponymous fashion house more than 30 years ago. Bringing together some 100 objects, this major retrospective bears witness to this commitment (23 Feb–6 Oct). It also charts the pair’s rise, after a rocky start, in an industry where traditionalists spurned their irreverent and avant-garde approach. The exhibition, celebrating Viktor & Rolf for the first time in Germany, brings the designers back to their roots. It was fact art institutions, such as the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands, that recognised their creative prowess and purchased their designs before they were taken seriously on the runway. Among the display will be several pieces that attracted global attention; technicolour tulle frocks adorned with sardonic ‘social media caption’-style statements and gravity-defying ballgowns that blur the lines between high fashion and art and embrace the beauty of the bizarre. Find out more from Kunsthalle München’s website.

Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary here

From the Fashion Statements collection, Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2019 by Viktor & Rolf. Photo: Peter Stigter

From the Wearable Art collection, Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2015 by Viktor & Rolf. Photo: © Philip Riches

From the Surreal Shoulder collection, Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2022 by Viktor & Rolf. Photo: Marijke Aerden

From the Performance of Sculptures collection, Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2016, Viktor & Rolf. Photo: © Philip Riches