Hacksaw Splendour

I've been completely in awe of the work of Viktor & Rolf lately. Actually, I've been in awe of a lot of designers lately, but for this post, I am talking about them. I borrowed a very lovely book from the library at college called 'The House of Viktor & Rolf' before half term, with the intention of looking through properly. Alas! It has been sitting on my shelf waiting for me to snap out of my I-need-a-break-from-thinking-about-fashion-otherwise-i-might-just-explode mood, so I've only glanced through thus far.

Anyway, their SS10 collection photographed for Dazed & Confused was I must admit, one of the reasons I actually bought the issue (well duh you're thinking, that's why magazines include stuff readers would like). I know a lot of people shun high fashion as being unwearable, but looking at these dresses simply in terms of wearability misses the point surely? There is something strangely powerful in these creations.

In terms of craftsmanship (big on well-made things - I think it's often my downfall when it comes to my own work because I don't feel I have the necessary skills yet to execute ideas effectively) you can only marvel. Layers upon layers of tulle hark back to the decadence of yesteryear, yet the masterful hacking essentially destroying any idea of perfection. The first dress actually reminds me of this photo, in this large red fashion book I have, of a Dior (I think it was Dior anyway) dress. The number of layers of fabric in that dress I remember just staring at that page for ages thinking about how extravagant and stunning it looked, but also how heavy it must be. This V+R dress is less perfect and perhaps more extreme, but in a weird way, that makes it all the more pertinent and brilliant for this day and age.

I like the way, particularly in this red dress above, it seems as if model, Magdalena Frackowiak, is floating in mid-air. Perhaps it is due to the placement of the cuts (which I have no doubt have been painstakingly thought out, not simply haphazardly cut) which contributes to the overall effect. And is very good at making you stop and stare. You'd be fooled into thinking the entire collection was in this vein, but actually the majority of the pieces are tame - and very wearable - in comparison. But perhaps, therein lies, an underlying statement on our notions of luxury.

And I'm going to end it there because it's late, I'm tired and I'll start trying to be funny (and failing) and ruin what in my brain seems to be a vaguely articulate post on why I liked this collection.

Images via Fashion gone Rogue