PFW AW18: Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood

PUNKY and powerful, the Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood show channelled the punk styles that made Vivienne Westwood’s name in the 1970s. With a runway draped in the red white and blue colours of the Union Jack, a signature print for the design house, it was hard to ignore the many references to Vivienne Westwood and her history. Keeping in line with Westwood’s adoption of fashion as a vehicle to discuss and promote combatting climate change and the mass extinction of life on earth, Andreas Kronthaler included sustainable fabrics and encouraged the audience to think about how they can reuse items from their past to build a style for today. From faux fur to sparkly catsuits to ethnic headwear – anything went.

Kronthaler made sure the show challenged conventional style. With three male models gyrating on podiums as the stage decoration, the show stood out on its performance alone. Although blurring genders has always been a cornerstone for Westwood in her designs, since collaborating with Kronthaler, Westwood’s message has been taken to a new level.

Kronthaler said the inspiration for this show was entirely Westwood and her life in fashion. References were made to the very clothes Vivienne she herself has worn; to the clothes she designed; to the vintage floral wallpaper and carpet in Westwood and Malcolm McLaren’s shop. One model seemed to have even been dressed to look exactly like Westwood. An ode to his collaborator, friend, partner, teacher and muse, Andreas Kronthaler put on a marvellous celebration of all things Vivienne Westwood.

Westwood’s chaotic design history was told through clashing prints, bold textiles, and avant-garde draping that created large folds and volume. Dresses were made entirely out of feathers, industrial straps were used instead of sleeves, and one dress covered the entirety of the model from head-to-toe, except for two nose holes.  Scarfs were tied around heads, across the face, and around the neck. With an array of textiles and fabric manipulation, the Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood show had a lot to say. And using fashion to say it all showed Westwood’s years in the industry have not gone to waste. Kronthaler, as a close confidant in Westwood, is the perfect person to step into her shoes.

by Lily Rimmer