• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.64 no.7
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• pp.97-113
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• 2014

The study aims to determine the significance and characteristics of self-similarity inherent in natural objects or phenomena, the existence of self-similarity in design created by fashion designers, and the traits and internal significance implied in self-similarity and their effects on fashion. The subject of the study is Viktor & Rolf, and the scope of the study is the collections created from 2001 to 2014, which include designs implemented in their early years and those unveiled in the media. Self-similarity means attributes of a fractal structure appearing without change in the original form, even after modification of scale or direction in terms of shape or phenomena. As self-similarity is applied to the arts and design sectors, it leads people to pay attention to fundamental characteristics and intrinsic forms as a factor of expressing a unique creative world. Analysis of Viktor & Rolf collections generated ribbons, overlapping/juxtaposition, side decorations and exaggerated design elements as basic units of self-similarity. These factors had self-similarity rates as high as 84%. Self-similarity was established as design elements formed in the incipient stage were repeated in a certain form, and continued for a long period of time. It served as an element that recognizes design and a fashion designer at the same time. Characteristics of self-similarity appearing in Viktor & Rolf collections can be summarized as homeostasis based on an equivalent relationship, balance based on self-organization, reducibility into essential elements, and uniqueness based on odd shapes. These characteristics influenced the pursuit of consistent brand image, the maintenance of a fashion designer's creative world, the formation of styles and the expression of a fashion designer's identity.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.15 no.2 s.67
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• pp.352-367
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• 2007

Viktor and Rolf, despite their short career in the field, has been continuously giving a fresh impact on fashion design by grafting a surrealistic approach to their design works. As a basis of this study, we review the features of surrealistic drawing and the surrealistic features expressed in surrealistic clothes. The purpose of this study is to analyze the surrealistic features detected in the clothes designed by Viktor and Rolf on the basis of the above standard and review and predict the future trend in fashion. As for the research method, we review the previous researches and analyze the drawing works by some representative surrealistic artists, in particular, Schiaparelli's clothes in the 1930s, the clothes of surrealistic trend since 2000, and Viktor & Rolf's clothes. The result of the analysis is as follows. The surrealistic features of Viktor & Rolf clothes can be found in the movement of natural objects, the movement of everyday materials, the movement of clothing items, and visual illusion on clothes. As a whole, the surrealistic features clearly stood out in their clothes. High technology will rapidly change the modern society and we humans are likely to resort to something fresh or different as our emotion and feelings are getting tired and weary. Something that stimulates our feeling and emotion hidden behind our reason or logic will be reflected in design far more than something complex and functional. For this reason, as it reveals human imagination inherently, surrealism is expected to establish itself as a mega trend in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.60 no.10
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• pp.47-64
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• 2010

This study was to define the factors of inspiration and expression methods of Viktor & Rolf known for distinctive works in order to find the ways of creative fashion designing. For the research method, the literature reviews were done by designer's books, collection reviews, and related articles. To find the ideas of design inspiration, interview data with Viktor & Rolf were used. The results of this study were as follows. Their conceptional attitude and the fashion shows like performance indicated that the designer's introspection became the origin of the concept and the ideas expanded the fields of expression. The expression of surrealistic fantasy was done by free imagination and daydreams, which was appeared as fantastical world beyond the everyday life. The expression of paradox and contrast overcame stereotype views with inversion, paradox, and ironical expression. The distortion of shape and the extreme exaggeration by overlap and repetition had a intention that magnity the miserable self-images on purpose, which had started from the debut and appeared ever after on collections and which sought the practicality, infinity exceeding the standard of ideal beauty. The harmony between classicism and avant-guard originated from the insights of tradition demonstrated the wits of designers showing the unique ideas with the base of classics.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.717-729
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• 2019

This study defines critical fashion designs and investigate its critical messages on fashion itself. The critical messages on fashion are categorized into two major issues of a fashion industry system and fashion consumer culture. This study contributes to the understanding of meaning and value for critical fashion messages that match critical art. As the research method, this study combines a literature review and case studies and the research scope focuses on cases that have appeared in fashion media since the 2000s when social critical messages in fashion began to emerge. The results of the study are as follows. Critical designers such as Viktor & Rolf, Elisa van Joolen, Issey Miyake, and Mary Ping have delivered messages challenging the nature of fashion industry system that criticize the cycle and limitation of a fashion system and pursues changes in perception of sustainability. The critical message on fashion consumer culture articulated by designers such as Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Hussein Chalayan, and Ricarda Bigolin & Nella Themelios insist on the formation of community while delivering a critical message on social, political, and cultural problems that raise the mechanism of social awareness through fashion design.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.13-25
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the concept and characteristics of 'grotesque,' examine the aesthetic characteristics of grotesque reflected in arts and dress, and modern fashion. The findings are as follows: 1) Grotesque indicates unnatural, unpleasant, and exaggerated that it upsets or shocks person. The characteristics of grotesque include terror, abnormality, unreality, amusement, disgust. 2) The grotesque art represented terror, abnormality, unreality, amusement, disgust by disordered form, nonnatural things, evil world, unorthodox methods, unrealistic image, strange dreamland. 3) The grotesque dress represented terror, abnormality, unreality, amusement, disgust by exaggerated silhouette, exaggerated adornment, excessive decoration, incroyables, using exaggerated silhouette, crinoline silhouette, bustle silhouette, surrealist style, extraordinary materials, glam rock style, unique silhouette, cyber look. 3) Terror was implied in the punk look suits of Junya Watanabe, and exaggerated outers of Viktor & Rolf. Abnormality was shown in the atypical suit of John Galliano, Junya Watanabe's dress decorated with the extreme ruff, Thom Browne's suit of abnormal proportion. Unreality was reflected in the architectural dress of Gareth Pugh, Mermaid dress of Giles, the surreal suit of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Amusement was represented in the amusing suit of Gareth Pugh, John Galliano's dress of sexual perversion. Disgust was reflected in the decadent dress of Thierry Mugler, Undercove's suit, and the ensemble of shocking details.