Viktor & Rolf S/S 2010: Frills and Lace and Roisin Murphy

Oct 4, 2009 | Fashion

Viktor & Rolf is one of my favorite big-name designers; with each successive collection they always push the envelope; their clothes border on the theatrical, the jaw-dropping…but always feature amazing details that separate them from the pack.

They say: “We are attracted and inspired by what we call mega-women: strong women who follow their own path and are uncompromisingly themselves.
“[Irish singer-songwriter] Roisin Murphy is a source of inspiration for us. We share with her the need for theatricality and performance in our work. Roisin personifies a power of transformation. On-stage she easily morphs into a beautifully fierce character, while off-stage she is the counterpart of her theatrical self: soft-spoken, modest, even quiet.

“Apart from the innovative and terrific music she makes, she has a unique sense of style that is fearless and uncompromising. She wears theatrical pieces with the ease of a t-shirt, making them her own. It is an honour for us that Roisin will be performing live at our show!“For us, fashion is more than the trend of the season. A fashion show is a way to communicate with a bigger audience, not just the inner fashion circle. Music plays a powerful part in this communication as does the internet. To exemplify this, our show, including Roisin’s performance, will be available on our website the very same evening”.

Roisin says: “I am a huge fan of Viktor & Rolf, their designs encapsulate futuristic techniques and wry surrealism, the clothes are literally a thrill to wear. I have been known to go to some extremes in my fashion choices but the Viktor & Rolf dress that I wore for my ‘Overpowered’ promotion had it’s own sound and lighting rig incorporated which tops them all.

“I find levels of story and concept in their work and have road tested many of their designs on stage. For my performances I am looking for clothing to amplify the often conflicting emotions in my own work. I want nothing to box me in as a performer , any notions of “chic” must be counterbalanced with humour and wit, intelligence comes with fearlessness and joy comes with the memory of pain. Being human is a complex business and that is exactly what I wish to reflect, even in the way I dress. These ideas are timeless and so are Viktor & Rolf”.

At the moment of the show, Roisin is highly pregnant, which gives an extra symbolic layer to her performance. It expresses a feeling of hope and positivity for the future, starting right now and with the Spring/Summer 2010 Collection.

Viktor & Rolf have posted the live performance to their website- viewable below.