It’s a sad day — and wake-up call — for fans of over-the-top, form-over-function vanguardism. Today came news that Viktor & Rolf will end its ready-to-wear line at the close of the fall 2015 season. They’ll forgo the runway in March in favor of a smaller presentation. Further, their standalone store in Paris, which opened less than two years ago, will be jettisoned, as well as the men’s line, presumably. However, the core of the business, couture and fragrances (Flowerbomb remains a global top-seller), will remain intact — so not a complete loss. 

The Dutch duo, whose company was acquired by Only the Brave’s Renzo Rosso in 2008, has seemed increasingly at odds with the accelerating pace and demands of RTW. “We feel a strong need to refocus on our artistic roots. We have always used fashion to communicate, it is our primary means of artistic expression,” Viktor Horsting told WWD, adding, “[We] started to feel creatively restricting. By letting go of it, we gain more time and freedom.”

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