October 1, 2016 |
Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood was epic, in the extravagant, bombastic, grand sense. It was big, larger than life. Rescue 112, the collection was titled. Why? Francois Boucher’s Rape of Europa reads 112, the European emergency number. But much more than that, the painting was deeply intertwined into the collection that was Mediterranean inspired. The Westwood ladies and gentleman were on a sensual holiday. Destination ITALY, one of the t-shirts read. Swimwear was twisted under loose, thin cottons and light knits. Elasticated drop crotch high waisted pants gave a sense of relinquishment. The men wore high waisted leather short shorts. The ladies, metallic mini bodysuits. Now for the hats. Clearly Andreas Kronthaler wanted his guys and girls to keep out of the sun. Excessive oversized straw hats, Rococo style – one made up of five – colossal. Our favourite? The bucket that sat on top of a pile of hay. A literal bucket hat. But it wasn’t all drama drama. Demure ribbed dresses, clean bomber jackets and that old school English punk Vivienne Westwood DNA was still there in checked suit jackets and matching shorts. It was total androgyny, kicking against the system as the Vivienne Westwood label has always done. In a celebration of the human form, they wore ropes that attached to material that just covered their parts. Very Europa. And risky business. It was all barely there, but when it was, it was there, not just on the women but around them. Off the shoulder tops transformed to off the body, as pieces were sculpted to sit around them, their own personal Westwood bubble. A live band smashed that piano and drums, so anarchically. And that was exactly what was going on here. Controlled unruliness that stemmed from Kronthaler’s love for the sea, the Mediterranean and Boucher with the Vivienne Westwood ‘fuck the establishment’ vibe. It can be done.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
