“Acknowledging the beauty of imperfection is a positive reinforcement, which ultimately renders the original into something more beautiful and more valuable.” these words by Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren sum up their latest couture show which was aptly called ‘Bolevard of Broken dreams.’. They used collages made of dresses from the past decades (some even going back to the 40’s) to create their latest collection. And, gave, up-cycling, a beautiful and an innovative interpretation.
The idea behind this collection stems from, Kintsugi, Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with seams of gold. The term Kintsugi finds it’s relevance in Kintsukuroi, which means “golden repair.” In ancient Japan where this practice flourished, the idea was to make the most of the waste material. Hence, the broken pottery was joined using lacquer and the joints were covered in real powdered gold, thus transforming it into a work of art.
Through their latest show, Viktor and Rolf took their search for ‘conscious fashion’ a little further by using the method of up-cycling. The practice has been popular with the designers since 1980’s, when Martin Margiela filled catwalks with upcycled butchers’ aprons.
The designer duo showcased cocktail dresses and floor-sweeping voluminous gowns made of collage assemblages. They experimented with tulle in the hues of delicate pink and pastels. Old fabric pieces were patched together, with imperfections highlighted in gold lurex, to give every outfit an exquisite look. The show climaxed with a series of multi-layered tulle gowns decorated with découpage-effect. Don’t be fooled by the morbidity of the title ‘Bolevard of Broken dreams.’ The ensemble consisted of a cheerful color palate with skirts and tops fit for a couture connoisseur’s closet.
When it’s high fashion one can always count on Viktor and Rolf, who might not abide by the global trend cycle but surely know how to explore different facets of art through fashion. Where else would you find actual paintings being transformed into runway pieces or Vincent van Gogh’s depiction of the countryside through A-line baby doll dresses and straw hats?
