Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/162519
Out and About with V&R PHOTOGRAPHY JASON ACTON B Rolf Snoeren Howard Rachofsky Steve Wrubel In an industry that isn't known for loyalty, you've maintained a long-standing relationship with photographers Inez & Vinoodh. RS: We've known each other for a long time and been friends for a very long time. But the reason we work with them is that we live in the same visual universe. We understand each other's work very well. We haven't encountered another photographer where the click is so 100 percent. VH: They shot the campaign for our new perfume. For some, your fragrance has been their introduction to your brand. VH: Fragrance is key to who we are. When we were both kids, perfume ads were our introduction to the fashion world. I knew more about perfumes than I did about fashion. It was so direct. The fragrance campaign you remember from childhood? VH: Saint Laurent, Dior Poison. RS: Shiseido. Chanel — there was a picture of only a knee and a hand spraying the fragrance. Because Chanel said you should spray … well, you know what Chanel said. Why Amsterdam and not Paris? RS: Being on the fringes is a conscious choice. Right from the beginning, we decided that Rob Dailey Todd Fiscus Suzanne Droese Kate Walsh Keith Schumann Matthew Simon Ceron Dwight Emanuelson Claire Emanuelson Kathrine Krylova Landen Kerr Sharon Young Deedie Rose Kira Kira Plastinina Plastinina Kary Brittingham Emilio Perez Thom Faust Tammy Cotton Hartnett Walter Van Beirendonck Dick Van Sacue Julie Hawes Two of a Kind They've sent blackface, wooden shoes and an army of Tilda Swintons down the catwalk. But, rest assured, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren are playing with a full deck. Over the years, Viktor & Rolf's high-concept approach to fashion has garnered lavish praise and, on occasion, a bit of head scratching. But over coffee at the T Room with the designing duo, Amy Adams realized that theirs is not genius born of madness. Granted, they are the selfsame team that launched their menswear collection by dressing and undressing themselves on the runway, but even their most over-the-top ideas are delivered with equal parts self-deprecation and intellectual expression. Given that they're also responsible for the bon mot "If you're overdressed, you feel ridiculous. If you're underdressed, you are ridiculous," they may well be the sanest men on the planet. wherever we lived, we would present ourselves in Paris because, for us, it's the capital of fashion. It doesn't matter so much where you have your studio. VH: We recently visited L.A. and loved it, but it's not the most logical move. Viktor & Rolf Spring 2008 ready-towear Rolf Snoeren, Viktor Horsting Viktor & Rolf Fall/Winter 2013-2014 Given that your work is very surreal are your dreams quite literal? RS: We're both quite controlling, so a dream I occasionally have involves the loss of control — it's 30 minutes before the runway presentation and we haven't designed a collection yet. How do you deal with the stress that comes from being at the helm of a fashion empire? RS: Meditation. Breathing is the most elementary function, and it provides a way to focus. But, honestly, you create the circumstances in which you work. And you have to acknowledge that not every collection can be better than the last. Describe your creative process. VH: It's like a Ping-Pong game. A constant back and forth. It feels like one brain. One thing you'll never compromise. VH: For me, beauty and quality have always been interlinked. In a world where things are copied and pasted on a daily basis, originality is the most important thing. RS: I have an intense desire for beauty. Viktor & Rolf's famed upsidedown store in Milan, 2005 Viktor & Rolf Spring 2010 PHILIP RICHES David Droese Viktor Horsting Andrew Weir rian Bolke has attracted a veritable who's who of fashion to Forty Five Ten over the last decade, giving his ever-so-loyal clientele the opportunity Dan to air-kiss some of the most Rothmann acclaimed designers of our time. He raised Bruce the bar with a private in-store reception Hoeksema for the avant-garde Viktor Horsting and Christen Wilson Rolf Snoeren, and the guest list proved equally stellar: Walter Van Beirendonck, Claire and Dwight Emanuelson, Kary Brittingham, Michelle Moussa, Yvette Ostolaza, Christen and Derek Wilson, and Stephanie and J.R. Roberts. John The lovefest continued at a Gustafson Anais Assoun champagne-fueled cocktail party at the Rachofsky House, hosted by Forty Five Ten Missy Rogers and Cindy and Howard Rachofsky. Revelling: Rob Dailey, Capera Ryan, Stephanie Roberts Meghan Looney, J.R. Gerald and Debbie Roberts Barnes, Jennifer Karol (sporting gold metallic toes), Thomas Mackie, Deedie Rose, Faisal Halum, Keith Schumann, Matthew Simon, Erin Mathews, Nasiba Adilova, Russ Davis, Brant McFarlain, Bruce Hoeksema, Lisa Brian and John Runyon, Justin Bolke Moon, Sue and Jimmy Gragg, Mary Katrantzou, and Julie Hawes. Jennifer Karol Cindy Rachofsky