Andreas Kronthaler presented his Fall Winter 2016 womenswear collection called Sexercize for Vivienne Westwood during the recent Paris Fashion Week. The collection is a mixture of the punk influences and Buddhist monk uniforms. Kronthaler tried to blur gender codes. The show featured male models wearing platform heels and skirts and female models wearing masculine cuts, with an idea that man and woman should change their clothes.
FALL WINTER 2016 WOMENSWEAR COLLECTIONS
This Collection Sexercise is a summary of what happened over the last few months. I built it as I went along. Sharon triggered my first impression. She has been Vivienne’s friend for years. She was her assistant at the time of Buffalo Girls and then she became a Buddhist nun. She visits us at Christmas. She was coming down the stairs when I realised that she had been sewing and dying one or two new garments and accessories for her London visit. I said, “oh Sharon!” and she went red. I laughed, I was so amused to think that after all these years of meditation you never lose your vanity. I’m very drawn to her and what she’s doing. I love her clothes and the glow of colour- which is very much present in the collection. The invitation is the cover she doodled on, of an exercise book she used to send Vivienne a long letter. She is a born writer. Another experience – a once in a lifetime experience –was when I went home to help move my father from the family house to something smaller. An enormous task – under the roof- all these clothes from my mother- she had many of them made. Jewellery. Clothes for special occasions, festivals, my school records and books, my sports clothes. Since the 60’s! Bags and bags of bin-liners, for 3 days. I disposed of them only with the help of my nephew, Gregor. Memories. What I threw away! Bruegel. Vivienne is reading Rabelais and he is the literary equivalent of Bruegel’s visual regarding their interest in country customs and festivals. I was particularly attracted to the colours in Bruegel’s painting of a wedding feast with serving men handing out bowls of soup which they carry on an unhinged door by way of a giant tray. I was meticulously checking the colours of my fabrics to make sure they were correct according to the painting. I was also led to Bruegel via Hieronymus Bosch whose 500 year anniversary it is. My friend Iris who helped with pattern cutting brought the Christmas tree costume she made for her younger son, Hatto, and we made it into a dress. I want to thank and to dedicate this collection to all the people who helped and supported me, and my friends who inspire me and especially Vivienne. – from Andreas Kronthaler
See all the looks from the new collection after the jump:
All images courtesy of Andreas Kronthaler
