Backstage at Viktor + Rolf's at Fall 2016 Couture • DreaminLace

Step backstage as the final touches are put on Viktor and Rolf’s Fall 2016 haute couture collection.

Atop my dresser sits a wooden box. Inside? A wide assortment of buttons, accumulated from countless garments through the years. Rip the tag off, put the button in the box. Never think of it again? Well, if you’re Viktor & Rolf the answer is no.

I wager, no one defines the statement ‘fashion is walking art’ quite like Viktor & Rolf. For the Fall 2015 haute couture collection, Viktor Horstin and Rolf Snoeren brought to life the very essence of walking art with models in contorted framed pieces of art on the runway. Now one year later, Viktor and Rolf’s Fall 2016 couture collection takes an eclectic walk down memory lane.

Using mementos from collections past, the power duo repurposed fabric, embroideries and buttons to craft altogether new masterpieces for the fall season. Mixed fabrics are ripped and woven by hand. Buttons, beads and crystals are designed into beautiful collages that make me want to dig into my personal button collection and get sewing, pronto. It’s an imaginative collection that celebrates the longevity of fashion and how what is old can always be made anew.

Thank you to Viktor & Rolf’s team for sharing this exquisite imagery, taking us behind-the-scenes as the final touches are put on the collection. When I think about all the Fall 2016 couture collections shown this week in Paris, there’s no question the fine detailing of Viktor & Rolf is among the very best. In a world where everything is ‘insta’, seeing such beautiful craftsmanship behind each garment is truly something to cherish.

I love also the concept of repurposing elements from previous collections to build something new. It’s an inspiring way to approach design and has me itching to grab some buttons and transform a standard pair of trousers into something much more special. Also striking is the volume and shaping of the garments, weaving layers upon layers of fabic and layering ruffles of tulle. From molded embellishments to full voluminous skirts, the silhouettes are certainly grand.