#PFW: Vivienne Westwood pairs Mozart with Rock'n'Roll and Environmental Activism
One would imagine Andreas Kronthaler's latest collection for Vivienne Westwood would have Mozart's stamp of approval. Inspired by the composer and the era, hats piled up in the style of the hairstyles of the eighteenth century, while corsets and skirts with flounces also made an appearance on the catwalk en masse. Kronthaler skilfully paired it all with punk elements for which the house of Westwood is famous. The son of a Tyrolean blacksmith and husband of Vivienne Westwood let the audience know the title of the show was "Rock me Amadeus." And that he did. As 50s pin-ups also served as a historical reference which resulted in a collection that reminded more of a rock concert than a waltz.
The versatility of the garments and the possibility of wearing them in different ways was also a concern of Kronthalers: So the shirts can be worn backwards and the sleeves of the sweaters are so long that they can be used like belts. Andreas spoke of the explosion of shapes, shoulders, padded hips, large hats and umbrellas, layers upon layers. The final look, worn by Bella Hadid, can only be described as cloud-like. The masculine look seems simplified compared to that of the woman: with simple mesh pullovers, trench coats and pirate trousers. In any case, the gender fluidity of the era which served as inspiration is very "now", Kronthaler said. Boys "can be as beautiful as women in a dress," he emphasized.
One T-shirt dress in particular made an important statement: the print of a tiger referred to the mission of Fauna and Flora International to protect the endangered Sumatran tiger, of which less than 400 can still be found in the wild. The fabrics came from Wastemark, an initiative that collects excess fabrics. And thanks to a collaboration with the Ethical Fashion Initiative, the fabrics were dyed naturally by hand or left untreated. The Westwood-Kronthaler couple has always been committed to environmental protection, with a constant, real commitment to making the brand more sustainable and ethical.
