Marina Hoermanseder, Bubble Vase 1, FW 17/18, Model: Paulina King, Styling: Nina Petters, Hair and Make Up: Patrick Glatthaar, Art Direction & Graphic Design: Esther Schwarz, Postproduction: Maximilian Attila Bartsch, © Maximilian Attila Bartsch

Contemporary fashion designed/made in Austria is the focus of the first comprehensive major exhibition on Austrian fashion design. A time travel through fashion design in all its facets from the 1980s until today shows the wide spectrum of designers who are from Austria, work here, or were educated here in fashion. Embedded into a spectacular, spatial installation by architect Gregor Eichinger, SHOW OFF: Austrian Fashion Design makes the artistic work of creative disciplines tangible on multiple levels in the context of fashion.

Rani Bageria, Rani Boots 2013–20 © Rani Bageria

Arthur Arbesser, SS 19, LOOK 13 © Henrik Blomqvist / Arthur Arbesser, FW 19/20, LOOK 12 © Henrik Blomqvist

Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, Advertising Campaign, FW 18/19, © Juergen Teller

Fashion as an object in the form of an item of clothing is presented by significant fashion statements by approximately 60 designers from the past four decades. The exhibition begins with Rudi Gernreich’s late work, whose designs from LA in the late 1970s revolutionized the global approach to fashion, and Viennese U-fashion with its stars at the time, such as Ledea Muard, Marc Thomas Merz, or Schella Kann. Viennese cult labels such as Wendy&Jim and fabrics interseason, “big player” Andreas Kronthaler, for the past two years part of the label “Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood,” and the renowned younger generation – represented in the exhibition among others by Kenneth Ize – contribute to the formation of a multifaceted scene with an international standing. In her “Wiener Salon,” Susanne Bisovsky has been working on exceptional creations, which will be presented in the exhibition, since 1996.

Marina Hoermanseder, Hour Glass Vase 1, FW 15/16, Model: Irma Spies, Styling: Nina Petters, Hair and Make Up: Patrick Glatthaar, Art Direction & Graphic Design: Esther Schwarz, Postproduction: px1 Berlin, Location: GDR museum apartment, © Stefan Armbruster / Susanne Bisovsky, viennesechiccaoutchouc no. 2, August 2014 © Wolfgang Pohn

Helmut Lang, FW 03/04, © Inez and Vinoodh / Schella Kann, leather outfit, FW 92 © Rudi Molacek

Carolin Holzhuber, SYNCHRONICITY_SYNC 6, Synchronicity FW 19/20 © Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones / FEMME MAISON N° 10, Long Garden Dress, SS 18, © Sia A.P. Kermani / FEMME MAISON

Helmut Lang, FW 04/05, V-strap sandal in horsehair and suede © hl-art / Helmut Lang, SS 04 © hl-art

AND_I, Maximus Skull Mask, SS 16, 2015 © Felix Vratny / AND_I, Triangle dress, RAW SS 20, 2019 © Felix Vratny

Additionally, works by 30 photographers give insight into Austrian fashion photography. Documentaries on legendary and formative events, magazines, and interviews give an impression of the social and cultural perception of fashion as a phenomenon.

The unique education in fashion at the University of Applied Arts Vienna with its numerous international visiting professors completes the storyline of the exhibition. Starting with the innovation boost under rector Oswald Oberhuber in the early 1980s and the first “fashion professor” Karl Lagerfeld, followed by further top stars like Vivienne Westwood, Helmut Lang, Raf Simons, and currently Lucie and Luke Meier, the highlights of the internationally renowned fashion education at the “Angewandte” are presented.

Graphic design: brand unit, Photo © Henrik Blomqvist

Wendy & Jim (Helga Ruthner und Hermann Fankhauser), Portrait for Purple Magazine, 2018 © Luise Hardegg Brammertz / Carolin Holzhuber, SYNCHRONICITY_SYNC 2, Synchronicity FW 19/20 © Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones

FATEEVA – Season 2 Campaign, DEF04 Sneaker, 2018 © Lisa Edi and Daniela Trost, Art Direction – fondazione.biz

FATEEVA – Edition 1 Campaign, MEF02 Sweater/ MEF05 Scarf, 2019 © POTF – Picture On The Fridge

MAK Exhibition View, 2020, SHOW OFF. Austrian Fashion Design, MAK Exhibition Hall © Ditz Fejer/MAK

PARTICIPATING DESIGNERS

___fabrics interseason, AND_i , Andreas Kronthaler, Arthur Arbesser, ASSASYN, Atil Kutoglu, Awareness & Consciousness, Bless, BRANDMAIR, Carol Christian Poell, Carolin Holzhuber, Christoph Rumpf, Claudia Rosa Lukas, DEMIAN, Edwina Hörl, Eric Rainer, EVA BLUT, FATEEVA, Femme Maison, Flora Miranda, FLorian Jewelry, George Bezani, GON, Gregor Pirouzi, Hartmann Nordenholz, Helmut Lang, House of the very island’s, Jana Wieland, Karin Bergmayer, Kenneth Ize, Ledea Muard, Lena Hoschek, Leos, Ludwig Reiter, Macchu Picchu, Marc Thomas Merz, Marina Hoermanseder, Mark Baigent, Markus Strasser, Maximilian Rittler, meshit, Michaela Buerger, MICHEL MAYER, Modus Vivendi, Mühlbauer, Natalie Zipfl, ODEEH, pelican avenue, Petar Petrov, Peter Pilotto, Rani Bageria, Robert La Roche, rosa mosa, Rubin & Chapelle, Rudi Gernreich, SAGAN Vienna, Schella Kann, SEMI DEI, Sissy Pink, Sonja Bischur, SUSANNE BISOVSKY, Thomas Kirchgrabner, Ute Ploier, Wendy&Jim

Ute Ploier, MANMACHINE © Günter Parth

Ute Ploier, MANMACHINE © Günter Parth

Ute Ploier, MANMACHINE © Günter Parth

PARTICIPATING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Christian Anwander, Andreas H. Bitesnich, Bela Borsodi, Michael Dürr, Marina Faust, Lukas Gansterer, Peter Garmusch, Irina Gavrich, Mark Glassner, Yasmina Haddad, Gerhard Heller, Anaïs Horn, Raphael Just, Jakob Lena Knebl, Bettina Komenda, Rudi Molacek, Markus Morianz, Stefanie Moshammer, Elsa Okazaki, Günter Parth, Bernd Preiml, Rafaela Pröll, Hanna Putz, Peter Rigaud, Markus Rössle, Elfie Semotan, Daliah Spiegel, Udo Titz, Helga Traxler, Esther Vörösmarty, Jork Weismann, Erwin Wurm, Wolfgang Zac, Maria Ziegelböck

SHOW OFF: Austrian Fashion Design
Guest Curator: Ulrike Tschabitzer-Handler
Guest Co-Curator: Andreas Bergbaur
Scientific Advisor: Brigitte Winkler
Exhibition Architecture: Gregor Eichinger
February 14 – July 12, 2020 / MAK Museum of Applied Arts
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