At the Institut de France, light filtered through stained glass as a lone cellist played a haunting melody beside an upside-down umbrella and a carousel of dying sunflowers. The surreal scene marked the opening of Vivienne Westwood’s Spring-Summer 2026 show — a poetic mix of melancholy and rebellion.
Andreas Kronthaler’s Vision
Designer Andreas Kronthaler, who has led the house since Vivienne Westwood’s passing in 2022, leaned into the eccentric energy that defined her legacy. The collection mixed eras and attitudes: leopard-print men’s underwear, sheer ribbed tunics with medieval influences, and punk-inspired details such as jeweled veils and glittered lapels.
Models strode confidently in floppy 1970s boots, turning the scholarly venue into a celebration of chaos and creativity.
Controlled Disorder
The runway embodied Westwood’s signature language — draped silhouettes, deconstructed tailoring, and gathered dresses with layered skirts. Colors intentionally clashed: acidic greens met reds until the eye adjusted and harmony emerged from disorder. One necklace spelled the brand’s message clearly — CHAOS.
This blend of balance and disarray reaffirmed that Westwood’s rebellious DNA still beats strong under Kronthaler’s direction.
The Punk Legacy
Westwood first rose to fame in 1970s London, fusing tartan, corsetry, and ripped T-shirts into the spirit of punk. Decades later, that outsider edge continues to define the brand’s allure.
Her influence stretches from subculture to the mainstream — cemented when Sarah Jessica Parker wore an iconic Westwood bridal gown in Sex and the City, turning the designer into a global symbol of avant-garde elegance. Outside Saturday’s venue, hundreds of fans gathered to glimpse that enduring spirit.
Rebellion Refined
Kronthaler has made his name by twisting tradition — reshaping jackets, merging corsetry with knitwear, and turning tartan into romantic anarchy. The result is a vibrant tension between chaos and control.
Rather than preserving Westwood’s archive, he has evolved it. The collection combined historical references with new technical materials and body-conscious shapes, creating a dialogue between the past and the present.
A Poetic Finale
The show ended with a human touch. Heidi Klum closed the runway to loud applause, while Kronthaler appeared with an enormous bouquet of sunflowers. Too heavy to hold, he rested it on the floor before presenting it — a gesture that mirrored the opening’s revolving sunflowers and reflected the brand’s enduring romanticism.
Though the collection defied order, it radiated conviction. Few fashion houses can transform visual discord into something truly beautiful — but Vivienne Westwood still can, under stained glass light and a glittering emblem of chaos.
