Andreas Kronthaler, creative director of Vivienne Westwood, presented a theatrical autumn/winter 2026 collection at Paris Fashion Week, continuing the house's legacy of deconstruction and norm-defying style. The runway featured bold stockings, oversized headwear, and 1980s punk tailoring, with models emerging from dramatic lighting that created a stage-like atmosphere.
Singer Chappell Roan joined musicians Lola Young and Paris Jackson among the front-row guests. The collection fused historical references with exaggerated tailoring, including broad-shouldered silhouettes, plaid overcoats layered over ruched pencil skirts, and pussy-bow blouses. Peplum skirt suits reworked classic cuts into sculptural shapes that nipped at the waist before flaring outward.
Kronthaler incorporated Westwood's signature corsetry, layering sashes and strips of fabric twisted around the body in deliberately deconstructed arrangements. Platform heels and slouchy knee-high boots nodded to the punk era, while an oversized coiled headpiece wrapped around a model's head like a sculptural halo highlighted the label's bold styling.
The show questioned traditional gender norms, with male models appearing in suspenders, heels, and short skirts, while tailoring was worn across genders. This approach echoed Westwood's long-standing exploration of clothing as political and cultural commentary, born from the punk movement of the late 1970s.
The finale featured the Vivienne Westwood bride, wearing an enormous cylindrical headpiece and carrying a bouquet made from radishes. The outfit consisted of a tightly tailored two-piece with a cinched waist and long column skirt, capturing the brand's theatrical and eccentric spirit. Since Westwood's passing in 2022, Kronthaler has maintained her rebellious elements, ensuring the house's signature mix of history and rebellion remains intact.
