Andreas Kronthaler Talks Vivienne Westwood's Legacy and His Love of Art
Creative director Andreas Kronthaler discusses his vision for the future of Vivienne Westwood and the brand’s intrinsic connection to art and activism.
Andreas Kronthaler—an Austrian with training as a goldsmith—met Vivienne Westwood in 1988 at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, where he studied industrial design and she taught fashion design. He joined the British punk fashion icon in London, they marked the beginning of a long period of joint artistic collaboration with their Spring/Summer 1991 collection “Cut & Slash,” and they married in 1992. Following Dame Westwood’s death in December 2022, Kronthaler continued to execute her vision. The brand is much loved by new generations [over the past several years, the orb-pendant pearl necklace has become a big TikTok trend], and a series of international events this year, including "Vivienne Westwood: The Personal Collection" an auction with Christie's of 272 lots from Vivienne Westwood’s personal wardrobe which will be offered across a live auction (Part I) on 25 June, with an online sale (Part II) running concurrently from 14–28 June.
L’OFFICIEL spoke to Kronthaler about his vision for the brand’s future, his relationship with Vivienne, and how his passion for art connects to his designs.
L'OFFICIEL: What does art mean to you?
ANDREAS KRONTHALER: I struggle to talk about it… there are people who certainly know much more [about it] than I do. For me, art is essential, and I couldn't live without it.
L’O: How much time do you dedicate to it?
AK: I try to dedicate as much time as possible to art. I've just been to an exhibition in London at the Courtauld Institute. It's called Frank Auerbach: The Charcoal Heads and I found the way he portrayed his friends in charcoal incredible. [The exhibition of large-scale portrait heads was created by Auerbach in postwar London, and includes images of Auerbach’s friends and of one cousin who was his only remaining family following the Holocaust. Auerbach spent many months working and reworking each drawing, resulting in richly textured portraits.]
Vivienne was a courageous heroine. She said what she thought.
L’O: Is there a specific artist or period that you gravitate towards?
AK: This is difficult to answer. Perhaps I prefer painting, especially oil painting, and from all eras. There are some really lucky days when you look at something and it enters you: it touches you. Sometimes, however, during a visit you pass by things without paying attention. But even in that case, it is always good to spend time in a museum or gallery, because they are silent places where it is easier to calm down and get in touch with yourself.
L’O: How does art influence Vivienne Westwood?
AK: Many of the collections were inspired by the 18th century, a fundamental period much loved by Vivienne. The corset is a revisitation of the 18th-century ones, made current by the stretch inserts on the hips; she invented the first one in the 1980s. There have also often been references to the Elizabethan period. The historian Janet Arnold published a book at the end of the ‘80s called Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd [showcasing Elizabethan portraiture, clothing, and textiles] which was truly seminal for us.
L’O: Are there any references to art in the next winter collection?
AK: When I was in Milan, I visited an exhibition dedicated to Giovanni Battista Moroni, a Renaissance painter whose works I had seen in the past in London. Finding myself in front of Moroni, the mood of the season clicked. Until that moment I had been doubtful about how to develop the collection. Suddenly I understood that I had to return to the theme that arose from his works, but with a different approach: Moroni was important for how he dared to paint normal people, not just kings and queens.
L’O: What do you find daring in a modern context?
AK: Maybe today it's not so much about how you look, but how you approach life. Everything is so different compared to 20 years ago; people meet on social media, not face-to-face. We really move on another level. I pay a lot of attention to those who remain faithful to what they believe in.
L’O: Did you and Vivienne experience art together?
AK: We often went to museums. She was slow; she stopped for a long time to study what she had in front of her. I, on the other hand, was much faster, and at the end of each visit, we found ourselves discussing what we had seen. She always asked, “What work would you save if a fire broke out?”
L’O: You had an extraordinary relationship. What do you think you gave her, most of all?
AK: Vivienne said that she really appreciated my point of view, the unusual way I looked at things. She defined it as original, and I can say the same about her. She approached a topic from a completely different perspective. We were complementary: in many respects she was my opposite. At work she tended to add layers until she decided what to do. On the contrary, I make subtractions to get to the essence. If you meet halfway, the relationship is very fulfilling.
L'O: Is there any specific project you would like to tell us?
AK: Christie’s is currently selling a selection of pieces from Vivienne’s personal wardrobe to raise funds for charitable causes, including The Vivienne Foundation, Amnesty International and Médecins Sans Frontières. The online auction is open until June 28th. This is something I really care about, because proceeds are going to benefit the causes Vivienne supported throughout her life.
For me, art is essential, and I couldn't live without it.
L’O: What is the greatest legacy she left you?
AK: I would say her motto: Buy less, choose well, make it last a long time. That is everything about her, as an activist and a stylist.
L’O: Do you feel disheartened in carrying on Vivienne's battles for the environment and human rights in such a complex and dark international context?
AK: Honestly, yes, but I feel I have to move forward, become aware of the situation, and not ignore it. We must do our part as much as possible.
L’O: Why do you think Vivienne Westwood has become so appealing to young people?
AK: Vivienne was a courageous heroine. People perceive how she was not afraid to make her voice heard; she said what she thought.
L’O: What message can her legacy offer to new generations?
AK: She always talked about the importance of learning from history. She could go back centuries or even millennia, and she drew great inspiration from the past. It's just like she said, “What you put in is what you get out.”
