The duo have become renowned for their experimental runway shows, including their 1999 ‘Russian Doll’ runway show in which model Maggie Rizer was progressively dressed by the designers in nine different layers and 2003’s ‘One Woman Show’ fashion collection inspired by actress and muse Tilda Swinton, in which the actress herself appeared amidst a runway of models made up in her likeness.
The exhibition will feature some of the most show-stopping and innovative works by the Dutch design duo. These will include over 35 haute couture pieces from the designers’ collections, presented alongside earlier designs from the Viktor&Rolf archive and international museum collections. Also on display will be a selection of their work-in-progress ‘Dolls’: replicas of antique dolls dressed in miniature versions of the designers' most iconic looks. 

The exhibition will feature some of the most show-stopping and innovative works by the Dutch design duo. These will include over 35 haute couture pieces from the designers’ collections, presented alongside earlier designs from the Viktor&Rolf archive and international museum collections. Also on display will be a selection of their work-in-progress ‘Dolls’: replicas of antique dolls dressed in miniature versions of the designers' most iconic looks. 

The exhibition has been developed in close collaboration with Viktor&Rolf and international guest curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot, curator of the NGV’s blockbuster exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier.
 
Of the upcoming exhibition, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren jointly state, ‘We are extremely excited to be working in collaboration with the National Gallery of Victoria on this exhibition and highlighting the craftsmanship involved in creating our wearable art. It is an honor for us to bring our designs to the Southern Hemisphere.’
‘Viktor&Rolf stretches the definition of both fashion and art,’ said Tony Ellwood, Director, NGV. ‘Their boundary-pushing designs challenge the way fashion is developed, presented and disseminated with masterful craftsmanship, intellectual rigour and an ironic sense of humour. This exhibition will be a rare opportunity to experience the unconventional creativity and technical brilliance of this innovative Dutch duo.’ 

NGV KIDS
Atelier: Viktor&Rolf for Kids
A FREE kids exhibition will also open on from 21 October 2016 – 26 February 2017 at NGV International, developed by the NGV in collaboration with Viktor&Rolf especially for children and families. Central to the Atelier is the presentation of the stunning wedding dress Viktor&Rolf created for the royal wedding of Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau and Prince Friso in 2004. Inspired by the magnificent bridal gown and the fashion artists’ preference for white in a number of their collections, children are invited to construct a fashion accessory using different paper folding and layering techniques. Then, to strike a pose in a diorama setting and have their fashion moment captured in a portrait that can be shared with friends and family.
 
PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Viktor&Rolf: In Conversation
October 2016
Since founding their label in 1992, Dutch duo Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren have been creating work that bridges the gap between couture and art. Hear directly from these influential, irreverent designers in an evening conversation, celebrating their practice and work within the NGV exhibition Viktor&Rolf: Fashion Artists.
 
See the Agenda>

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