March 8, 2026 |
At Vivienne Westwood, Andreas Kronthaler titled his latest outing Catch the Rhythm! Let’s Go! – the 21st collection he has designed for the house and, as ever, a mix of mischief, memory and a little erotic chaos.
Three muses set the tone. First was Romy Schneider, the Austrian screen legend whose fearless, shape-shifting career echoed through a cast of characters on the runway, their glittering make-up hinting at her many on-screen faces. Risk showed up in the clothes too: experimental dresses with rough, open seams twisted and draped unpredictably around the body, sometimes hanging loose as if mid-construction.
Then came a dose of cinematic costume via Danilo Donati and his work on The Canterbury Tales. That influence surfaced in looks that felt half medieval, half anarchic – smock dresses tied with ribbons, raw-cut fabrics wrapped and left trailing, and a closing bridal moment crowned with a sculptural headpiece.
Elsewhere the wardrobe veered knowingly offbeat. College blazers, dinner jackets and winter coats clashed with stripes and unexpected colour mixes, never quite coordinated. Shoulders were padded to the extreme beneath sweaters and coats, while flashes of erotic underwear – garter belts, bras and stockings – peeked through.
Set to a soundtrack by Boy George and Kinky Roland, the show felt like Kronthaler doing what he does best: keeping things playful, even while carrying the weight of the house’s past.
Photography courtesy of Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood.
