Text and imagery courtesy of Louise Daniel
Couture comes in many shapes and forms, but for Viktor and Rolf, that is (literally) the point.
“Haute Abstraction” dominated the runway at Viktor and Rolf’s Fall/Winter 2024 show, held in a purple-carpeted ring at the Grand Hôtel during Paris Fashion Week. Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, the visionary duo behind the avant-garde Maison, continue to redefine Haute Couture's boundaries by breaking their own rules.
For the past 26 years, they have consistently explored the concept of silhouettes. From the nuclear bomb shapes of "Atomic Bomb" Fall/Winter 1998 to the distorted, elongated shoulders of “Surréal Shoulder” Fall/Winter 2022, the creative duo’s ongoing quest for couture that breaks its own rules can be strikingly observed in their latest collection – which delves into the limitless possibilities of abstraction.
Freedom in Abstraction
The collection invites its viewers to step out of their limitations and immerse themselves in the endless possibilities of abstraction. With that in mind, Viktor and Rolf set out to introduce a new silhouette – one that cleverly blends the avant-garde principles of cubism and constructivism with the playful essence of a child's building block set. Cubes, spheres, and triangles were seamlessly integrated into the human silhouette. Uniform elements, such as the '80s power dresses, were given geometric distortions, liberating the limits of what a neckline and shoulder shape can be.
Juxtaposition Between Fluidity and Structure
The core elements of this collection were more intentional than one might think. Although abstraction remains the central theme this season, the geometric structures of each unique ensemble also indicate a sense of stability, reflecting the confidence of the duo in their design philosophy. It was all about sticking to bold choices.
Paired with a mysterious soundtrack and unpredictable lighting direction, the loud graphics and color scheme of the collection created an artful effect that demands to be recognized. It wasn’t about sticking to one end of the couture spectrum; it was about ‘haute liberation.’ Shapes and silhouettes should be reinvented if done with conviction and unbound creativity.
One can always learn something new from a Viktor and Rolf collection. “Haute Abstraction” brought us to a child-like state, where everything is possible. The collection's invitation to explore the limitless boundaries of couture through abstraction, geometry, and playful reinvention is a testament to Viktor and Rolf’s unyielding creativity and vision in the world of high fashion.
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