W< Winter 1997/1998 from Walter Van Beirendonck on Vimeo.
On the occasion of the exhibition Dream the world awake, MoMu Library has digitalized all the available videos from the collection of Walter Van Beirendonck over the past three decades. As the exhibition advances, each week two new videos will be posted on the video page of the exhibition’s website and on the MoMu Blog!
The next two videos that are online:
W.&L.T. A/W1997-98 – Avatar
(See video on top of this post)
January 1997 at the Espace W.&L.T. at St. Denis, Paris, France
Setting: A simultaneous show on 3 parallel catwalks. behind a transparent gaze, the models could be seen moving from catwalk through catwalk. Each entrance had light journals with different slogans flashing by.
Styling: American Avatar: 40 models, strong but boyish, with transparent blindfolds like young superheroes. African Avatar: 40 models looking like W.&L.T. Warriors, with metal headframes and ‘projected’ war make-up. Asian Avatar: 40 girls introducing the first W.&L.T. Women’s collection, inspired by Ladybugs. All eyes were veiled with transparent gaze with applied sparkling sequins. 120 hats by Stephen Jones crowned this collection.
W< Winter 1995/1996 from Walter Van Beirendonck on Vimeo.
W.&L.T. S/S1997 – A FETISH FOR BEAUTY
July 1997 at the Espace W.&L.T. at St Denis, Paris, France
Setting: A red square of 17 by 17 metres, surrounded by stands for the audience. Four moods and light shows (straight white, white showers, white diffused and coloured starlite mirrorballs) were created for each part of the show.
Styling: 30 Wizzkids performed a line-dance, showing a brandnew Boyswear collection, the newly developed W.&L.T. monster-sneakers and funny ‘variation-on-cowboy hats’ by Stephen Jones.
30 Black Beauties dressed in black with accents of green, orange and pink, with Marilyn Manson-style make-up and posing with Godzilla grace.
White Trash: 30 models on high stilts (50cm.) walked with alien grace across the red square. Long white silhouettes with red and pink lighting accents.
Make-up: white transparent gaze masks and gloved catsuits with Swarovski rhinestones. The girls wore maxi red hair-hats by Stephen Jones, that made this ‘prototype for the future’ even more perfect.
Birds from Outer Space: 40 ballroom dancers, including 20 girls in dazzling evening dresses and classy hairdos, green-red masks and green rubber reptile gloves. 20 boys in black overalls with shiny numbers on their backs and rubber masks, performed techno-latino dances. They were joined by Walter and the entire backstage crew for a big party on the catwalk.