Viktor & Rolf turns Van Gogh artworks into sculptural haute-couture garments
The expressive landscapes of Vincent van Gogh provided the visual cues for giant 3D flowers and enormous straw hats in Dutch fashion house Viktor & Rolf's Spring Summer 2015 haute-couture collection (+ slideshow).
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During the Paris Fashion Week show yesterday, Viktor & Rolf presented A-line dresses with floral patterns and appliquéd petals that were inspired by the Dutch impressionist's paintings.
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"The essence of the countryside is translated into unexpected, sculptural looks that combine abstract graphic volumes with organic elements," said the designers.
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The show began with the most demure outfits, featuring black flowers outlined on white babydoll dresses. These were worn with straw boater hats with stalks extended from their brims.
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Every outfit shown in the Van Gogh Girls collection was more elaborate than the one before, with silhouettes becoming more dramatic and pastel tones introduced.
![Viktor&Rolf haute couture Spring Summer 2015 Paris Fashion Week](http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/01/Viktor-and-Rolf-spring-summer-2015-haute-couture-Paris-Fashion-Week_dezeen_468_4.jpg)
The hats also gained size and volume, with longer strands arranged into different splayed forms or woven into intricate patterns.
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Gradually the two-dimensional flower motifs were turned into 3D adornments on the edges and shoulders of the dresses.
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For one design, the dark outlines extended out of the skirt into a delicate open lace that joined the horizontal lengths of straw emanating from the hat.
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The headgear and dresses continued to merge, as colours became more intense and the decorative fabric flowers reached further from the garments.
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White hems interwoven with thick black ribbon accompanied the floral embellishments, paired with sandals in matching prints.
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Bright summer hues gave way to earthy autumnal tones, culminating in a final look where the dress itself curved out to become integrated with the giant straw headpiece.
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All of the fabrics were wax-dyed and block-printed using a batik technique by Dutch fabric company VLISCO.
![Viktor&Rolf haute couture Spring Summer 2015 Paris Fashion Week](http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/01/Viktor-and-Rolf-spring-summer-2015-haute-couture-Paris-Fashion-Week_dezeen_468_18.jpg)
"This ensures an unique high quality print with craquelé indigo lines and intense vibrant colours on both sides of the cloth," the designers said.
![Viktor&Rolf haute couture Spring Summer 2015 Paris Fashion Week](http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/01/Viktor-and-Rolf-spring-summer-2015-haute-couture-Paris-Fashion-Week_dezeen_468_17.jpg)
After the show, art collector Han Nefkens acquired three of the pieces for the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in the Netherlands.
![Viktor&Rolf haute couture Spring Summer 2015 Paris Fashion Week](http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2015/01/Viktor-and-Rolf-spring-summer-2015-haute-couture-Paris-Fashion-Week_dezeen_SQ01.jpg)
This year's season of haute-couture shows also saw the return of disgraced fashion designer John Galliano, who debuted his comeback collection for Maison Martin Margiela in London.