Viktor and Rolf

Since the time they met in Arnhem Academy of Fashion & Arts, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren have been inseparable. From their matching glasses, suits and moustaches to their pet dogs, you can’t help but wonder if Viktor & Rolf’s motivation for success is in their love of dressing up and playing pranks on the industry.

The House of Viktor and Rolf pays homage to the design duo’s 15 years in fashion. This retrospective proves why and how the two have become one of Holland’s biggest exports. Come in, have a peek and you will understand why.

When Viktor and Rolf were invited to create this exhibition, they did it by injecting a surreal slant to the traditional fashion exhibition.  It is quickly apparent, once you walk through the gallery, why they are fashion’s favourite duo. The two have literally built a fashion house. And it is an artistic and conceptual installation.

The massive dolls house is built by Siebe Tettero who also designed their upside-down boutique in Milan. In an interview Rolf said he hoped that they’d built the biggest dolls house in the world. Whether or not this is true,  it is certainly the most fashionable.

The dolls house revisits the miniature collections from when they first started; it is filled with hand made dolls, made to resemble the real models. They are dressed in miniature versions of the key outfits from their 15 years in fashion. Walk around the three-storey house, look up and peep through the windows. Climb upstairs onto the platform or stand on the second level and view the outfits through the binoculars. You can’t help but feel the smug satisfaction of being a voyeur when you look at the magnified dolls in the house.

Fashion exposes and exploits. That is the nature of the industry. Looking at the clothes through the binoculars also creates a beautiful moment of intimacy between you and the outfits. In today’s world fashion is cheap, quick and gratuitous, so it is good to be reminded that clothes should be enjoyed like wonderful food. S l o w l y.

The exhibition begins with Hyerès Viktor & Rolf ‘s first collection after their graduation. Designed and made in their Paris apartment, this collection was the duo’s reaction to moving to the fashion capital. Here you can see how their experimentation with layering started,  and is something that continues to be a feature of their designs.

Viktor & Rolf very quickly captured the attention of the art world with their contribution to a group exhibition, L’Hiver de L’Amour. The pieces were based on period costumes and were shown on headless figures trapped in glass. With Launch, they showed their sense of humour by encapsulating their dreams and aspirations in an installation at the Torch Gallery.

Here they also launched a fictitious perfume, simply named Le Perfume. The pranking duo produced this “scent” in 250 bottles that were sealed shut.

The highlight of the exhibition is the Russian Doll from their Autumn/Winter 2000 collection. This was the collection in which Viktor and Rolf dressed a model layer by layer as she stood like a doll in a musical box in front of the audience. A piece of performance art emerged: from the first layer- a simple shift dress made from jute – though eight more layers to the final, dramatic result. A regal, princess – like vision in a grand cape.

As the exhibition unfolds it’s clear that Viktor and Rolf remain true to their art sensibilities despite a glittering 15 years in fashion. It is very difficult to step back, comment and make ripples on the industry, whilst very much remaining in  it, and it’s remarkable that Viktor and Rolf are able to marry the two.
Each catwalk show has been a commentary on the industry: from Viktor and Rolf on Strike to their recent No collection. They are designers with an intelligent conscience. They want their views to be heard and they know that the best way is to comment from within.

Every single collection is filled with a wonder, trimmed with ruffles and frills. Yet, it is not all Mushroom Clouds because each show is conceptual and many involve collaborations with other artists and intellectuals. My favourite is the Bells collection where 13 dresses were named by Douglas Coupland.

The beauty of Viktor and Rolf is that they turn ephemeral ideas into truly fashionable and wearable pieces.
And with this exhibition, they also remind us that to be truly fashionable, you can’t be too frivolous.

Audrey Khew


The House of Viktor and Rolf, Barbican Art Gallery, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS, until 21st September, www.barbican.org.uk