Someone turned off gravity for the Viktor & Rolf runway show at Paris Fashion Week. On Jan. 25, the fashion house showcased its spring 2023 couture collection, described as “a parade of dreamlike yet surrealist constructions.” The line, called “Late Stage Capitalism Waltz,” featured floating dresses and dramatic ballgowns that were upside down and inside out.
One model, sporting a bouffant-style ponytail, walked the runway in a structural corset attached to a cream-and-honey gown laid horizontal across the bodice. The peculiar design created the illusion that the dress was defying gravity.
The rest of the collection was equally mesmerizing. One model strutted past awe-struck audience members with her body piercing the skirt of a lavender ballgown. At first glance, it appeared as if the dress had been digitally rotated away from her body by 90 degrees. The final visual effect was a collage-like copy-paste moment come to life. Another model braved the stage in a fully upside down ensemble. The Cinderella blue skirt completley covered her face as she walked.
The abstract sense of surrealism from the show combined haute couture with the avant garde. Additional outfits in the collection were equally whimsical: a shimmering silver corset over a tiered skirt, watercolor ballgowns, and a dress that appeared to walk alongside the wearer, taking on a life of its own.
Will shoppers be expected to step out with tulle in our faces and corsets around our knees? Probably not, but the optical illusion dresses will remain front of mind as we look back at this season. Ahead, enjoy the mind-bending Viktor & Rolf runway show from home.