The OTB Group announces the renewal of its collaboration with Dutch designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, who will continue to be creative directors of the luxury fashion brand. This strategic collaboration will enable the Dutch maison Victor&Rolf to continue pursuing its strategy of conceptual glamour in haute couture.
Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren
The OTB Group announces the renewal of its collaboration with the fashion designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, who will continue to lead the creative direction of Viktor&Rolf, the maison they founded in 1993 after graduation from the Arnhem Academy of Art and Design. Widely recognised for its provocative Haute Couture and conceptual glamour, Viktor & Rolf creates spectacular beauty through an unconventional approach to fashion.
A Strategic Collaboration That Shapes Luxury Fashion
OTB Group first invested in the luxury fashion brand in 2008 with a 51 percent stake and raised it to 70 percent in 2019. The remaining 30 percent stake is equally split between Horsting and Snoeren. In addition to Viktor&Rolf, OTB owns fashion brands Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, and Marni, production arms Staff International and Brave Kid, and has a stake in the Amiri brand.
“Viktor and Rolf are two unique voices in the world of international fashion, couturiers who have revolutionised the very concept of Haute Couture, and everything they do is art. I am very happy to continue the collaboration with them, their talent will continue to inspire and amaze the fashion world,” said Renzo Rosso, Chairman and Founder of the OTB Group.
“Within an ever-changing fashion landscape of brands and designers, we are proud to continue our singular artistic path of 30+ years.”, said Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, designers and creative directors of Viktor&Rolf.
Notable Collections That Redefined Fashion
For Spring Summer 2019 Haute Couture, Viktor&Rolf presented a group of exaggerated romantic tulle dresses. Volumes were grand but airy, with transparent ruffles, flounces and bows. The silhouettes, sculptural and extreme, ranging from A-lines to hourglass, were astutely expressive: each dress provided the backdrop for a bold text which was executed in layers of laser cut tulle. These texts were slogans with the kind of simplification typical of social media captions or souvenir t-shirts. The juxtaposition of these seemingly unrelated elements results in a typical Viktor&Rolf expression of surreal beauty.
Spring Summer 2023 Haute Couture witnessed a surrealist approach featuring garments worn upside down, sideways, and perpendicularly. Bodices were embellished with sparkling embroidery and bows and the pastel colour scheme was reminiscent of a painting by Boucher or Watteau. But dreams are deceptive. The mundane transformed into the absurd and vice versa. The body, while retaining the ‘dessous’ that sculpts its silhouette (traditionally an integrated part of the structure of a Couture dress), moved away from the garment. And the dress, while retaining its idealised shape, antagonises, alienates and frees itself from the body in a surreal way. In close collaboration with Hans Boodt Mannequins, lightweight 3D-printed structures were crafted to realise the gravity-defying optical illusions. The collaboration merges traditional and new techniques into bespoke ways of designing.
Spring Summer 2024 Haute Couture “Scissorhands” was a bold exploration of the creative possibilities of a tailor’s scissors. Viktor&Rolf Haute Couture SS ’24 proposes 28 all-black, signature silhouettes. The first look of each group – a flawless couture outfit, meticulously finished by hand – serves as a blueprint and starting point for consecutive iterations of the same design, each of which investigates the creative possibilities of a pair of tailor’s scissors. From minuscule holes in a rorschach motif to a ballgown hacked in half: holes and slashes are controlled and directed but also form instances of orchestrated chaos.
Viktor&Rolf try to control the chaos by meticulously hand-finishing each cut, slash and hole as well.
Viktor&Rolf Haute Couture SS ’24
From deconstructed gowns to meme-worthy slogan dresses (e.g., No Photos Please and I’m Not Shy, I Just Don’t Like You), Viktor & Rolf has consistently challenged conventional fashion aesthetics. On the brand’s 30th anniversary, one hundred of their most iconic pieces were showcased in the exhibit “Viktor&Rolf: Fashion Statements” at the Kunsthalle in Munich. Some of their dresses were also selected for the exhibition “Memorabile Ipermoda” in collaboration with the National Chamber of Italian Fashion.
How OTB Group Fuels Viktor & Rolf’s Global Ambitions
Global fashion and luxury group OTB Group provides Viktor&Rolf with the financial backing and global reach necessary to fully realise their artistic vision in haute couture. Per the website: “Our company name, “Only The Brave Only, reflects our mission to challenge established industry norms and redefine fashion and lifestyle. We achieve this by empowering creative talents from around the world and showcasing their innovative spirit and fearlessness, embodied also by our Founder and Chairman, Renzo Rosso.”
OTB Group plays a pivotal role in supporting Viktor&Rolf’s global ambitions by providing financial stability and facilitating brand expansion. With substantial resources at its disposal, the group enables the fashion house to undertake large-scale haute couture productions without commercial limitations. This backing allows Viktor&Rolf to focus entirely on artistic experimentation, reinforcing its position as an avant-garde luxury brand. Furthermore, OTB’s extensive global presence, with 610 stores across more than 100 countries, ensures that Viktor & Rolf can expand its reach while maintaining exclusivity within the luxury segment.
OTB Group also upholds a strong commitment to creative freedom, distinguishing itself from other fashion conglomerates by encouraging artistic autonomy. This approach ensures that Viktor&Rolf remains at the forefront of design innovation. Additionally, OTB integrates sustainability and digital innovation into its core strategy, aiming to challenge industry norms by empowering creative talents. This philosophy aligns with Viktor&Rolf’s dedication to experimental design, ethical fashion production, and artistic expression, reinforcing their shared vision for the future of luxury fashion.
Viktor&Rolf Haute Couture AW ’24
Viktor&Rolf’s Legacy: 30+ Years of Fashion Innovation
Founded in 1993 by Dutch designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, luxury fashion brand Viktor&Rolf is acclaimed for its avant-garde designs, conceptual artistry, and theatrical presentations. The duo met while studying at the Arnhem Academy of Art and Design, later relocating to Paris to establish their brand. Their early work blurred the lines between fashion and art, with collections such as Atomic Bomb (1998) and Russian Doll (1999) demonstrating their sculptural approach. Their boundary-pushing vision earned them the Hyères Fashion Festival Prize in 1993, propelling them into the high fashion scene.
In the early 2000s, Viktor&Rolf expanded into ready-to-wear, launching their first women’s collection in 2000 and a menswear line in 2003. However, financial struggles led them to discontinue ready-to-wear in 2015, refocusing on haute couture. The maison was renowned for its theatrical runway shows such as Bedtime Story (2005), where models wore duvets as gowns and Cutting Edge Couture (2010), featuring clothes that were seemingly sliced apart. This surrealist approach solidified their reputation as fashion’s avant-garde provocateurs.
Fragrances became a key part of Viktor&Rolf’s commercial success, beginning with the opulent floral fragrance Flowerbomb (2005) and Spicebomb (2012) for men. Their beauty empire expanded through collaborations with L’Oréal, which took over the fragrance division. These partnerships allowed the brand to balance its conceptual designs with mass-market appeal, ensuring financial stability while maintaining its creative independence.
The maison has engaged in notable collaborations, including a 2017 partnership with Zalando that fused haute couture with streetwear and a 2019 collection with H&M, making their artistry accessible. In 2018, they got widespread attention for their ‘Fashion Statements’ collection, where models donned oversized, slogans such as ‘No Photos Please’ and ‘I’m Not Shy, I Just Don’t Like You’. This resonated with digital culture and reaffirmed their status as innovators.
Viktor&Rolf Haute Couture AW ’24
Today, Viktor&Rolf remains at the forefront of haute couture, known for its dramatic silhouettes, whimsical narratives, and artistic vision. Although they maintain a selective presence in the fashion world, their impact is undeniable, with their work featured in museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum. As of 2025, their focus remains on haute couture and fragrances, ensuring that their legacy of avant-garde elegance continues to influence the industry.
Always working at the highest level of Haute Couture, Viktor and Rolf have brought artistic experimentation to womenswear with a demi-couture inspiration, to bridal wear collections with Viktor & Rolf Mariage, and to the eyewear collections with Viktor & Rolf Vision. In line with the positioning, Viktor&Rolf achieved global success in the fragrance segment, through the historic licensing agreement with L’Oréal Luxe for the production and commercialisation of fragrances, such as Flowerbomb, Spicebomb and Good Fortune.
The vision and the artistic creations of Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren have been celebrated in international exhibits including “Camp: Notes of Fashion” at the MET Museum, “Viktor&Rolf Fashion Artists” at the Kunsthal in Rotterdam, “Viktor&Rolf: MetaFashion!” at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center in Shenzhen, ”Viktor&Rolf par Viktor&Rolf: Première Décennie” at the Musée de la Mode et du Texile, “The House of Viktor&Rolf” at the Barbican Art Gallery, and “Viktor&Rolf: Fashion Artists” at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.
Viktor&Rolf’s Influence Beyond Haute Couture
Viktor&Rolf’s influence extends beyond haute couture, shaping multiple facets of the fashion and beauty industries. Their bridal wear line, Viktor&Rolf Mariage, redefines bridal fashion with avant-garde elegance, bringing their artistry to a new consumer demographic. In eyewear, Viktor&Rolf Vision merges architectural aesthetics with functionality. Meanwhile, their collaboration with L’Oréal Luxe has produced iconic fragrances such as Flowerbomb, Spicebomb, and Good Fortune.
Beyond their commercial ventures, Viktor&Rolf’s work has been celebrated in prestigious museum exhibits, reinforcing their impact on contemporary fashion. Their designs were featured in Camp: Notes on Fashion at The MET Museum, Viktor & Rolf: Fashion Artists at The National Gallery of Victoria, and Viktor & Rolf: MetaFashion! at The Sea World Culture and Arts Center in Shenzhen. With a 30-year legacy of challenging fashion conventions, the duo continues to be a cultural force, seamlessly blending conceptual artistry with commercial success.
Why This Partnership Matters for Luxury Fashion
The renewed collaboration between OTB Group and Viktor&Rolf strengthens the future of avant-garde couture by ensuring that the luxury brand continues to fearlessly push creative boundaries. It guarantees complete artistic freedom, allowing Viktor&Rolf to produce innovative collections without any commercial constraints. Additionally, with OTB’s extensive global reach, Viktor&Rolf can further expand its presence in key luxury markets, reinforcing its position as a leader in high fashion.
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Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
