Andreas Kronthaler on the Inspiration Behind Vivienne Westwood’s Latest Collection

3 min read

Natasha Lyonne walked Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood’s spring/summer 2027 show today in Paris wearing an oversize leopard-and-floral-print chore coat and bejeweled platform gladiator sandals that could have been pulled straight from the glorious era of 2008 fashion—with a Westwood twist, of course. Bow-shaped mini gowns, earthy knits, and the designer’s signature checkered prints added to the lineup of unusual silhouettes with the brand’s rebellious spirit. The show took place inside the Palais de la Femme, a historic social residence and shelter in Paris managed by the Salvation Army that provides housing and support for vulnerable women and children and is now celebrating its 100th year.

The light-filled space covered with Art Deco tiles created contrast when it came to pieces like a crown that spelled out “chaos” or giant leaf hats. “My biggest point of reference was this summer,” Kronthaler told ELLE backstage, moments after the show finished. “I really, really tried to keep up with it and imagine the next one, because I think we will kind of probably remember this one as the one which was still okay.” Clearly, this is a topic that is on other designers’ minds as well this season. “Clothes, I just didn’t wear any. I wore a nightshirt. I kept on wearing it all day long, and I went everywhere. And we really liked it, and I felt comfortable and happy. I just wanted everything to be as light as possible.” The iconic 1980s French-Algerian muse Farida Khelfa opened the show and punk poet Stuart McKenzie provided the soundtrack.

Following the legacy of Vivienne Westwood herself, a fashion history lover and activist, Kronthaler merged the late-17th-century “cheat jacket” (expensive fabric in the front, scraps in the back) with his love of vivid, textural Bazan fabric (West African fabric made from hand-dyed cotton) that he sourced in northern Paris. “I bought as much as I could carry on my bike,” he says. “The cheat jacket…it’s a nice name, because it’s cheating. It only has good fabric in the front. I thought that’s a really nice idea. Sometimes I think the back is more important than the front. Because in the back, we are all the same.” Other Westwood-isms were present in the big, sculpted sleeves, Renaissance-esque skirts, asymmetrical draped gowns, and corset shapes.

Still, it’s only been less than four years since Kronthaler fully assumed creative leadership of the entire fashion house after Westwood’s passing and 10 years since the pair renamed her main runway line (formerly Gold Label) “Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood” to reflect his design contributions. At today’s show, as a little nod to the godmother of fashion activism, the brand also showcased a T-shirt collaboration to support the suicide-prevention charity Body & Soul. “Vivienne was a very different type of person, outspoken, a fighter, and so on,” Kronthaler says. “I do things in another way, and this is the first time I’m really comfortable doing this kind of thing. It’s about honoring life and not destroying it, and that’s the simplest step.” The rebel spirit of Westwood is still there, even if it’s quieter. Only time will tell how it’ll continue to evolve.

Kristen Bateman is a contributing editor at Harper’s Bazaar. Her first fashion article was published in Vogue Italia during her junior year of high school. Since then, she has interned and contributed to WWD, Glamour, Lucky, i-D, Marie Claire and more. She created and writes the #ChicEats column and covers fashion and culture for Bazaar. When not writing, she follows the latest runway collections, dyes her hair to match her mood, and practices her Italian in hopes of scoring 90% off Prada at the Tuscan outlets. She loves vintage shopping, dessert and cats.