Viktor&Rolf co-curate new exhibition exploring the notion of wearable art

Fashion house Viktor&Rolf is to co-curate its first exhibition together with the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Australia. The show, titled Viktor&Rolf: Fashion Artists, will explore the designers’ notion of wearable art.

Featuring some of the Dutch duo’s most innovative works from the last 20 years, the exhibition will include 35 haute couture pieces alongside earlier designs from the studio’s archive and other international museum collections. Also on display will be a selection of their work-in-progress Dolls, replicas of antique dolls dressed in Viktor&Rolf’s best-known looks.

“Viktor&Rolf stretches the definition of both fashion and art,” the NGV’s director Tony Ellwood said in a statement. “Their boundary-pushing designs challenge the way fashion is developed, presented and disseminated with masterful craftsmanship, intellectual rigour and an ironic sense of humour.”

Working with founders Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren will be guest curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot, who also curated the NGV’s exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier.

The house is known for its avant-garde runway shows, such as 2003’s One Woman Show where actress Tilda Swinton appeared on the catwalk with a group of models all made up to look like her.

Viktor&Rolf: Fashion Artists will be at the NGV from 21 October 2016 – 26 February 2017.