Viktor & Rolf

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Viktor & Rolf
Type Private Company
Industry Fashion
Founded 1993
Headquarters Amsterdam, Netherlands
Key people

Viktor Horsting & Rolf Snoeren (Co-founders and Partners)

Renzo Rosso, Only the Brave, Partner
Products Apparel and Accessories
Website www.viktor-rolf.com

Viktor & Rolf is an Amsterdam-based fashion house. The company was founded in 1993 by designers Viktor Horsting (born 1969, Geldrop) and Rolf Snoeren (born 1969, Dongen).

Contents

History [edit]

Viktor Horsting (1969) & Rolf Snoeren (1969) met while studying fashion at the Arnhem Academy of Art and Design in The Netherlands.[1] They began working together upon graduation, relocating to Paris in 1993 to launch their careers. Their first collection 'Hyères' (1993) based on distortion, reconstruction and layering won three prizes at the Salon Europeen des Jeunes Stylistes at the Festival International de Mode et de Photographie. The subsequent presentation of four collections in experimental art spaces led them in 1998 to show their first Haute Couture collection (Spring/Summer 1998).

Viktor&Rolf returned to ready-to-wear in 2000, with 'Stars and Stripes' (Autumn/Winter 2000-01). The menswear line 'Monsieur' was added in 2003 (Autumn/Winter), modelled entirely by Viktor & Rolf in a mirrored performance. The Viktor&Rolf range has since grown to include shoes, accessories and eyewear.

In addition to their own lines, Viktor&Rolf have collaborated with a number of other well-known brands, including Samsonite (2009), with whom they produced a luggage line, Shu Uemura (2008) for a range of couture false eyelashes, Piper Heidsieck (2007) for the iconic upside-down bottle and, in 2006, the line for high street chain H&M, which greatly extended their appeal to the general public.[2]

With the desire to expand, in 2008 Viktor&Rolf entered into a partnership with Italian clothing magnate Renzo Rosso of Only the Brave (OTB), allowing the company to develop new product ranges, extend distribution and open further boutiques.[3]

Fashion [edit]

Viktor & Rolf coat from fall winter collection 2008

Women’s wear collections

  • March 2013 - Ready-to-Wear, A/W 2013, collection 41, Rebellious Sophistication
  • January 2013 - Pre-Fall, A/W 2013, collection 40
  • October 2012 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2013, collection 39, Mirror Image
  • June 2012- Resort S/S 2013, collection 38
  • March 2012 - Ready-to-wear A/W 2012, collection 37, Moonlight Shadow
  • January 2012 - Pre-Fall A/W 2012, collection 36
  • October 2011 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2012, collection 35, Dolls
  • June 2011 - Resort S/S 2012, collection 34
  • March 2011 - Ready-to-Wear A/W 2011, collection 33, Battle for the Sun
  • January 2011 - Pre-Fall A/W 2011, collection 32
  • October 2010 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2011, collection 31, Shirt Symphony
  • June 2010 - Resort S/S 2011, collection 30
  • March 2010 - Ready-to-Wear A/W 2010-‘11, collection 29, Glamour Factory
  • January 2010 - Pre-Fall A/W 2010-‘11, collection 28
  • October 2009 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2010, collection 27, Cutting Edge Couture
  • June 2009 - Resort S/S 2010, collection 26
  • March 2009 - Ready-to-Wear A/W 2009-‘10, collection 25, Statues
  • January 2009 - Pre-Fall A/W 2009-‘10, collection 24
  • October 2008 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2009, collection 23, Shalom
  • June 2008 - Resort S/S 2009, collection 22
  • February 2008 - Ready-to-Wear A/W 2008-‘09, collection 21, NO
  • October 2007 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2008, collection 20, Pierrot ("Violin collection")
  • February 2007 - Ready to-Wear A/W 2007-‘08, collection 19, The Fashion Show
  • January 2007 - Pre-Fall A/W 2007-‘08 collection 18
  • October 2006 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2007, collection 17, Ballroom
  • July 2006 - Resort S/S 2007, collection 16
  • March 2006 - Ready-to-Wear A/W 2006-‘07, collection 15, Silver
  • January 2006 - Pre-Fall A/W 2006-‘07 collection 14
  • October 2005 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2006, collection 13, Upside down
  • July 2005 - Resort S/S 2006, collection 12
  • March 2005 - Ready-to-Wear A/W 2005-‘06, collection 11, Bedtime Story
  • October 2004 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2005, collection 10, Flowerbomb
  • March 2004 - Ready to-Wear A/W 2004-‘05, collection 9, The Hunt
  • October 2003 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2004, collection 8, Red Shoes
  • March 2003 - Ready-to-Wear A/W 2003-‘04, collection 7, One Woman Show
  • October 2002 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2003, collection 6, Flowers
  • March 2002 - Ready-to-Wear A/W 2002-‘03, collection 5, Long Live The Immaterial ("Blue Screen")
  • October 2001 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2002, collection 4, White
  • March 2001 - Ready-to-Wear A/W 2001-‘02, collection 3, Black Hole
  • October 2000 - Ready-to-Wear S/S 2001, collection 2, Tapdance
  • March 2000 - Ready-to-Wear, A/W 2000-‘01, collection 1, Stars and Stripes
  • April 1993 - "Salon Européen des Jeunes Stylistes", Hyères, France

Men’s wear collections

  • January 2013 - A/W 2013-’14, Monsieur 21
  • June 2012 - S/S 2013, Monsieur 20
  • January 2012 - A/W 2012-’13, Monsieur 19
  • June 2011 - S/S 2012, Monsieur 18
  • January 2011 - A/W 2011-’12, Monsieur 17
  • June 2010 - S/S 2011, Monsieur 16
  • January 2010 - A/W 2010-11, Monsieur 15
  • June 2009 - S/S 2010, Monsieur 14
  • January 2009 - A/W 2009, Monsieur 13
  • June 2008 - S/S 2009, Monsieur 12
  • January 2008 - A/W 2008-09, Monsieur 11
  • June 2007 - S/S 2008, Monsieur 10
  • January 2007 - A/W 2007-08, Monsieur 9
  • June 2006 - S/S 2007, Monsieur 8
  • January 2006 - A/W 2006-07, Monsieur 7
  • June 2005 - S/S 2006, Monsieur 6
  • January 2005 - A/W ’05-’06, Monsieur 5
  • June 2004 - S/S 2005, Monsieur 4
  • January 2004 - A/W 2004-05, Monsieur 3
  • June 2003 - S/S 2004, Monsieur 2
  • January 2003 - A/W 2003-04, Monsieur 1

Haute Couture collections

  • July 2000 Defile Haute Couture, Winter 2000-01, Bells
  • July 1999 Defile Haute Couture Winter, 1999–2000, Russian Doll
  • January 1999 Defile Haute Couture summer 1999, Blacklight
  • July 1998 Defile Haute Couture Winter 1998-99, Atomic Bomb
  • January 1998 Defile Haute Couture summer 1998, 1st Couture show

Fashion Presentations [edit]

In 1998, Viktor&Rolf put on an unauthorized, underground fashion show during Paris Fashion Week designed to attract members of the press.[1] Ready-to-wear and their menswear label 'Monsieur' were to follow over the next five years.

An early fashion presentation was titled ‘Russian Doll’ (Autumn/Winter 1999-2000). A lone model, Maggie Rizer, was positioned on a revolving platform to be dressed by the designers in nine garments, one on top of the other as a Russian doll in reverse. .[4]

Further presentations saw models act as blue-screens in ‘Long Live the Immaterial’ (Bluescreen) (Autumn/Winter 2002-03) a parade that used chroma-key techniques to project moving images onto the garments. .[5] Other collections such as ‘Atomic Bomb’ (Autumn/Winter 1998-99) and ‘Black Light’ (Spring/Summer 1999) have been presented twice. In both cases, models paraded the catwalk twice, first as a performative spectacle, and again to display the wearable collection.

Presentations have also featured several performers including Tilda Swinton on whom ‘One Woman Show’(Autumn/Winter 2003-04) was based, Tori Amos who performed in ‘Bedtime Story’ (Autumn/Winter 2005-06), Rufus Wainwright who performed in ‘Ballroom’(Spring/Summer 2007)[6], Róisín Murphy who presented the singles ‘Demon Lover’ and ‘Royal T’ during ‘Cutting Edge Couture’ (Sring/Summer 2010) and the french duo Brigitte who performed in ‘Dolls’ (Spring/Summer 2012).

In 1993, Viktor&Rolf won the Festival d'Hyeres prize.[1]

In 2003, the Fashion Museum in Paris presented a 10-year retrospective of the designers' work.

In 2005 they opened their first shop in the Golden Quadrilateral (Quadrilatero d'Oro) in Milan (which closed in 2008), and were contracted by L'Oréal to develop their first perfume, called Flowerbomb.[7] In 2006, their first men's perfume, Antidote, was introduced in the United States.

In 2008 an exhibition entitled "The House of Viktor & Rolf" [1] was presented at the Barbican Art Gallery[2], celebrating the duo's 15-year anniversary. Key pieces from 1992 to 2008 were remade as detailed miniatures and presented on hand-made porcelain dolls, in a large doll house.

In 2008, Viktor&Rolf announced that Renzo Rosso —owner of Diesel, chairman of Only the Brave (OTB)— had taken a controlling stake in their company.[3] Viktor&Rolf stated that this deal is meant to allow their company to put out a wider range of products and to open more stores.

Coming this June, Luminato presents the Canadian premiere of Dolls by Viktor&Rolf. The catwalk installation, created exclusively for Luminato Festival, will be unveiled at the Royal Ontario Museum’s (ROM’s) Thorsell Spirit House at the Festival’s inaugural fundraising event, the Big Bang Bash, on Saturday, June 8, 2013.

Shows [edit]

Viktor&Rolf have gained attention for their artistic, concept-driven catwalk presentations. In a show called "Babushka" they dressed model Maggie Rizer in layer upon layer of couture dresses, piled on top of one another.[4] They have also used a collection of International Klein Blue clothes as a chroma-key blue-screen to project video.[5] In their Fall 2007 collection, each model wore scaffolding with her own lights and music, carrying their own fashion show as it were. For the presentation of their first menswear collection, they themselves modelled the clothes, changing outfits on the stage. Their collections have featured several performers, like Tilda Swinton, Tori Amos, Rufus Wainwright, Róisín Murphy and Brigitte.[6] Another longtime cooperation is with internationally known photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, who made the photographs for all three of their fragrance campaigns.

Fragrances [edit]

Viktor&Rolf’s first fragrance ‘Flowerbomb’ was released in collaboration with L’Oreal in 2005. According to Dana Thomas' book "Deluxe - How Luxury lost it's Luster", the 'juice' that would come to be known as Flowerbomb was first created by L'Oreal in response to a brief given by another perfume house. After the initial perfume house rejected the proposal, L'Oreal sat on it for three years before Viktor&Rolf chose it for 'Flowerbomb'. Talk of the designers having creative input into the actual fragrance are, therefore, nothing more than marketing hype. Flowerbomb was L'Oreal's first collaboration with a fashion designer for seventeen years, when they worked with Giorgio Armani. Although they had no creative input into the composition of fragrance itself, Viktor & Rolf invented the name, and were given creative freedom to design the grenade shaped bottle and gift wrap printed packaging. Flowerbomb’s official launch coincided with the collection of the same name (Spring/Summer 2005). Several variations of the fragrance and packaging have been released since including a lighter summer version and Flowerbomb Extreme. ‘Petite Flowerbomb’, a travel sized version was released 2009.

‘Antidote’ the first fragrance for men was released in 2006. Like 'Flowerbomb', 'Antidote’s' launch accompanied a fashion collection ‘Ballroom’ (Spring/Summer 2007) with a performance of Rufus Wainwright. Of the fragrance, Viktor & Rolf state it is "all about the power of transformation. The power of every individual to turn anything into something positive”.

'Spicebomb', the second fragrance for men was launched in January 2012, again in collaboration with L’Oreal. While 'Flowerbomb' is an explosion of flowers, 'Spicebomb' is a combustion of spices made up of strong olfactory contrasts.

Partnerships [edit]

  • Viktor&Rolf for Bugaboo - My First Car, a stroller designed by V&R in partnership with (RED) (2012)
  • Viktor&Rolf for KLM - Amenity kits exclusively for KLM World Business Class (2011)
  • Viktor&Rolf for De Bijenkorf (2009)
  • Viktor&Rolf for Swarovski - Jewelry line (2009)
  • Viktor&Rolf for Samsonite - Travel collection (February 2009)
  • Viktor&Rolf for Shu Uemura - Couture eyelashes (July 2008)
  • Viktor&Rolf for Piper-Heidsieck - Design limited edition (January 2007)
  • Viktor&Rolf <3 H&M - Design special collection (November 2006)

Exhibitions [edit]

View of the exhibition 'The House of Viktor & Rolf' at Centraal Museum, Utrecht, 2008-09

Viktor&Rolf have been included in numerous exhibitions including, ‘Viktor&Rolf par Viktor&Rolf, Première Décennie’, Musee de la Mode et du Textile, Paris (2004) and ‘The House of Viktor&Rolf’ at both the Barbican Centre, London and the Centraal Museum, Utrecht (2008–09).

Solo exhibitions

  • DOLLS by Viktor&Rolf, Luminato Festival, Toronto, Ontario (June 2013)
  • The House of Viktor&Rolf, Centraal Museum, Utrecht, The Netherlands (November 2008)
  • The House of Viktor&Rolf, Barbican Art Gallery, London, United Kingdom (June 2008)
  • Fashion in Colors: VIKTOR & ROLF & KCI, The Kyoto Costume Institute and Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan (April 2004)
  • Viktor&Rolf par Viktor&Rolf, Premiere Décennie, Musee de la Mode et du Textile, Paris, France (October 2003)
  • Viktor&Rolf, Visionaire Gallery, New York, USA (May 1999)
  • Viktor&Rolf: 21st Century Boys, Aeroplastics Contemporary, Brussels, Belgium (April 1999)
  • Launch (Fake perfume, miniatures), Torch Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (October 1996)
  • Viktor&Rolf: Le Regard Noir, Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam, The Netherlands (April 1997)
  • Collections, Galerie Analix, Geneva, Switzerland (December 1995)
  • L’Apparence du Vide, Galerie Patricia Dorfman, Paris, France (October 1995)
  • France Le Cri Néerlandais, Institut Néerlandais Paris, Paris, France (March 1994)
  • l’Hiver de l’Amour, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France (February 1994)

Select group exhibitions

  • Art & Fashion: Zwischen Haut und Kleid, Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg, Germany (March till August 2011)
  • The Art of Fashion: Installing Allusions, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (September 2009)
  • Archeology of the Future – 20 years of Trend Forecasting with Li Edelkoort, The Institut Néerlandais, Paris, France (January 2009)
  • Skin + Bones, Somerset House, London, United Kingdom
  • Form + Volume, Design als Strategie, Designhuis, Eindhoven, The Netherlands (April 2008)
  • Picture House, Belsay Hall, Northumberland, United Kingdom (May 2007)
  • Fashion Show: Paris collections 2006, Museum of fine arts, Boston, USA (November 2006)
  • Skin + Bones: Parallel Practices in Fashion and Architecture, The Museum of contemporary Art, Los Angeles, USA (November 2006)
  • Women from Tokyo & Paris, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (July 2006)
  • Dutch at the End of Design: Fashion and Textiles from the Netherlands, The Museum at FIT, New York, USA (September 2005)
  • Spectres: When Fashion Turns Back, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom (February 2005)
  • Fashination, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden (September 2004)
  • Spectres: When Fashion Turns Back, Modemuseum, Antwerp, Belgium (September 2004)
  • Skin Tight: The Sensibility of the Flesh, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, USA (June 2004)
  • Goddess, ModeMuseum, Antwerp, Belgium (May 2004)
  • Installation: The Fashion Designers Muse, Yokohoma 2001: International Triennale of Contemporary Art, Yokohama, Japan (September 2001 )
  • Mohri Color and Space Part 5 [Sayoko], Kobe Museum, Kobe, Japan (March 2001)
  • Viktor&Rolf Haute Couture, Groninger Museum, Groningen, The Netherlands (November 2000)
  • Heaven: An Exhibition That Will Break Your Heart, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany (June 1999)
  • Creative Time in the Anchorage: Exposing Meaning in Fashion through Presentation, Brooklyn Bridge Anchorage, New York, United States (May 1999)[8]
  • Visions of the body: Fashion or Invisible Corset, The Kyoto Costume Institute, and Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan (April 1999)
  • Visioniare The first 25, Colette, Paris, France (July 1998)

Theatre [edit]

  • "Grace for Grace", Opera produced by Robert Wilson, Costume Design, Monte Carlo, France (September 2011)
  • Der Freischutz, Opera produced by Robert Wilson, Costume Design, Baden- Baden, Germany (May 2009)
  • 2 Lips and Dancers and Space, Production by Robert Wilson and Nederlands Dans Theater III, Costume Design, The Netherlands (November 2004)

[9]

Awards [edit]

  • ELLE China Style Awards, International Fashion Designer of the Year Award, Shanghai (October 2012)
  • amfAR, Aids Research, Piaget Award of inspiration, Paris (2011)
  • Wallpaper Design Awards 2010, Best in Shows (2010)
  • MODINT, Grand Seigneur award, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (July 2009)
  • UK Elle Style Awards, H&M Style Visionary Award, London, United Kingdom (February 2009)
  • Marie Claire/Fragrance Foundation Grand Prix du Parfum, Meilleur Parfum Masculin (Best Masculine Perfume) for Antidote (October 2007)
  • Scottish Fashion Awards, International Designer of the Year (May 2006)
  • Telva Magazine, International Designers of the Year, Madrid, Spain (October 2005)
  • La Kore, Oscar della Moda, Taormina, Italy (June 2005)
  • Dutch ELLE Style Awards, International Designers of the Year, Amsterdam, Nederland (September 2004)
  • Stelle della Moda, Avant-garde Designers, San Remo, Italy (September 2004)
  • ELLE Sweden Style Awards, International Designers of the Year, Stockholm, Sweden (January 2004)
  • Viktor & Rolf were honored as Fashion and Design Honorees by The Fashion Group International's 19th Annual Night of the Stars. The Night of the Stars evening, held in New York, was dedicated to honoring THE PROVOCATEURS: THOSE WHO DARE. (October 2002)
  • Prix de la Presse, Prix du Jury, Grand Prix de la Ville de Hyères, Salon Europeen des Jeunes Stylistes, Hyères, France (April 1993)

Publications [edit]

  • Fairy Tales - International publication of "Sprookjes" (2011)
  • Sprookjes - fairy tale book (2009)
  • The House of Viktor&Rolf(German Translation), Collection Rolf Heyne, Germany (2009)
  • The House of Viktor&Rolf, Merrel Publishers Ltd, London, UK (2008)
  • COLORS: Viktor&Rolf & KCI, The Kyoto Costume Institute, Japan (2004)
  • E-Magazine, Artimo Foundation, The Netherlands (2003)
  • Viktor&Rolf, Haute Couture Book, Groninger Museum, The Netherlands (2000)
  • Viktor&Rolf 1993-1999, Artimo Foundation, The Netherlands (1999)

Quotes [edit]

"For us, fashion is an antidote to reality."[10]

[Our fragrance Flowerbomb is] "all about the power of transformation. The power of every individual to turn anything into something positive."[11]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c Icon Magazine Profile
  2. ^ Jones, Dolly (May 11, 2006). "H&M's New High Fashion Partner". Vogue.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-03-10. 
  3. ^ a b Renzo Rosso takes control of Viktor&Rolf label - International Herald Tribune
  4. ^ a b Index Magazine interview
  5. ^ a b "Viktor & Rolf: concept to concrete" (International Herald Tribune)
  6. ^ a b Style.com review of spring 2007 RTW collection
  7. ^ "Flowerbomb: A Bouquet by Viktor&Rolf". L'Oréal. April 6, 2005. Retrieved 2007-03-10. 
  8. ^ Preece, R.J. (1999) "Exposing meaning in fashion through presentation at Brooklyn Anchorage". World Sculpture News / artdesigncafe. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  9. ^ http://www.giocondabarbuto.com/performance.html
  10. ^ Simmons, Cari (November 3, 2006). "Swedish H&M takes the catwalk to the sidewalk". Swedish Institute. Retrieved 2007-03-10. 
  11. ^ "Viktor & Rolf". Harpersbazaar.com.au. September 9, 2006. 

External links [edit]

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