A true fashion artist, Henrik Vibskov never disappoints his fans when it comes to a runway production. Often theatrical, and always highly conceptual, his presentations are nothing short of spellbinding season after season. His Fall 2017 collection, which was shown at Østre Gasværk Teater, an abandoned gasworks substation turned 850-seat theater, was definitely no exception. Upon entering the theater, the audience saw a gathering of strange 'bodies' (see photos below- click on any image to launch light box mode for best viewing.) on a circular stage. Percussion-driven music began, and the bodies rose and began performing a series of movements as models entered the scene and walked around the circular runway.
Images: Alastair Philip Wiper
What did it all mean? An excerpt from the official show notes explains:
"Listen up! In the twisted and surreal set-up of Vibskov, deformed yogis are aligned to perform series of synchronized movements in a controlled rusty red temple. This area - between the balanced and unbalanced - is where The Five O' Clock Leg Alignment is set to happen.
The mind is filled with noise in today's fast paced and hectic world where people spend time and effort concentrating on the surface demands. Harmony in the mind and body is the key to ultimate wellness and happiness. Exercises are expressions of play which allow people to go beyond imagination through direct physical activity."
Sounds crazy, right? Well the crazy part was that somehow it all made perfectly weird and wonderful sense. Vibskov's work, even without the large-scale production, was flawless and the pieces were the perfect mix of sophisticated design elements, and unabashed creativity. The wide range of materials used in the collection, which included "bonded wool, coupé-jacquards woven in France, heavy unwashed and washed denim, waxed British cotton, printed plissé, Thermo-coats where the filling is made out of recycled plastic bottles and chunky knitwear produced locally in Denmark," worked seamlessly together to create true cohesion and a true sense of variety that made it seem possible that both women and men could shop only from this collection and have an amazing wardrobe to last all through the Fall and Winter seasons.
And the production? Well that just made it all even better. When you think about what most fashion weeks entail: the crowds, the stress, the exhaustion, the monotony of attending show after show after show, you can't help but truly admire and appreciate a designer that really goes all out to put on a SHOW, for the critics, the fans, and for the photographers packed into that tight riser space at the end of the runway.
Full run of show photos below, please click on any image below to launch light box mode for best viewing. (It's more than worth taking a minute to take it all in.)
Images: Cynthia Anderson for Style Wylde. For more from the Henrik Vibskov Fall 2017 collection check out our exclusive backstage photos in Beauty.