It’s happening! The first names of the Amsterdam Fashion Week Edition 2022 are revealed. Ronald van der Kemp has been an AFW regular and will be part of the line-up once more. This year will also mark the first presentation of Dutch designer duo Viktor & Rolf during Amsterdam Fashion Week. Ahead of the September event, the two couture designers head over to Paris to reveal their FW 2022 collections during Paris Haute Couture Week.
Ronald van der Kemp
After a couple of digital presentations including the SS22 collection video “Can You Feel It?”, van der Kemp finally returns to the catwalk with a much-anticipated physical show. The 27 looks walked out of a chamber reminiscent of the décor of Hotel de L’Europe, where the designer held multiple presentations during his “ARMY OF LOVE” project. Each look featuring a myriad of fabrics and treatments, from lace flower cut-outs on a black fitted gown to an asymmetric skirt layered with frayed scraps of denim, the designer aimed to give each model its own unique personality. “For me, it’s about eccentricity. If people know who they are, they become a more sustainable person, because they build a wardrobe around their personality.” Never has there been a designer that challenges the idea of couture as much as the Dutch designer. Recontextualising sustainability as both prestigious and individual, Ronald van der Kemp once again showed the possibilities of reworking garments with the highest level of craftsmanship.
Viktor & Rolf
Half a year has passed and we’re still thinking about the vampire-like constructions Viktor & Rolf sent down the catwalk in January. Symbolising society’s fear of change, this FW22 couture collection shows the process of breaking free from the distress we have encountered these past few years. As a continuation of the previous show V&R’s first looks feature the elevated shoulders we saw before incorporated in classic workwear ensembles. The second half of the looks however, shows Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren free the models of their rigid components to softer more romantic silhouettes. Long white blouses with frilled edges and Renaissance inspired high collars are combined with pinstripe suits and closures made out of silk bows. “We liked the idea of men’s clothes that don’t fit, a masculinity that doesn’t fit,” the duo elaborated. Continuing to add a layer of political commentary to their designs, Viktor & Rolf creates a perfect balance of craftsmanship and conceptual upheaval.
