Chloe Wong gives you 10 essential insights into Kronthaler’s unique journey
Following the passing of his late wife and mentor, Andreas Kronthaler has taken over as the creative director of Vivienne Westwood. Vivienne Westwood brought modern punk and new wave fashion into mainstream media, serving as inspiration to many. Kronthaler has quietly become one of fashion’s most fascinating designers. The Austrian-born creative has developed his own distinct language while honoring the brand’s radical heritage.
1. From fine arts to fashion design
Kronthaler first attended Ortwein Art School in Graz, Austria, training to be a jeweler. He also studied industrial design at Vienna’s University of Applied Arts before switching to fashion design in 1986. Kronthaler knew he wanted a role in fashion, experimenting by making clothes at home the later selling them to his friend and local stores. His training in three-dimensional forms directly informs his architectural approach to clothing construction.
2. Fateful encounter with Vivienne Westwood
While still a student in 1988, Kronthaler met Westwood during her lecture at his Vienna fashion school, with Westwood being 25 years his senior. Their immediate creative chemistry led to him sending her his portfolio, which impressed her so much she invited him to London. By 1990, he had become both her design collaborator and life partner, marking the start of a 30-year creative and personal relationship that would redefine British fashion.
3. Three decades of creative partnership
For years, Kronthaler worked quietly beside Westwood, contributing significantly to collections while remaining out of the spotlight. Their collaborative process saw him handling much of the draping and pattern work while she focused on conceptual direction. This symbiotic relationship allowed him to absorb her punk ethos while developing his own distinct aesthetic language that blended historical references with avant-garde construction techniques such as his Renaissance-inspired gowns.
4. Master of historical reinterpretation
Kronthaler’s designs demonstrate encyclopedic knowledge of fashion history, particularly 18th century court dress and Renaissance tailoring. He frequently deconstructs historical garments – like panniers, corsets and crinolines – reworking them with modern proportions and unexpected materials. Vivienne Westwood’s Fall 2021 collection featured Elizabethan ruffs rendered in transparent vinyl, showcasing his ability to make archaic references feel contemporary and relevant.
5. The body as architectural canvas
His designs fundamentally alter the wearer’s silhouette through innovative structural techniques. The Spring 2022 collection introduced bubble skirts created through complex circular draping, while Fall 2023 featured exaggerated hip pads recalling 16th century farthingales. Such re-imagination of historically-influenced silhouettes were popular among the general public who held admiration for the opulence and extravagance of the time period.
6. Their married life together
Westwood and Kronthaler married in 1992, only 3 years after working together, and remained so until Westwood’s passing on December 29th 2022. At their wedding, Westwood reportedly wore a dress with graffiti application while Kronthaler wore a Scottish kilt-based outfit, both designed by the couple. During their time together, the couple l maintained a romantic and professional partnership, a well-meld scene journalists often saw when invited to the label’s Battersea studio.
7. Runway as performance art
In 2016, Westwood acknowledged his part in the house, renaming the Gold Label collection Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood after working as its creative director for 25 years. The Gold Label was reserved for custom-made couture pieces. The Gold Label definitely highlights Kronthaler’s signature characteristics, such as the overall avant-gardener style created by luscious silhouette of drapery and cinched waists.
8. The label’s first ever bridal show
Desired by every bride, Vivienne Westwood’s wedding gowns is every bride’s dream. In 2025, Kronthaler staged the label’s first-ever bridal fashion show in Barcelona. Kronthaler has been doing wedding dresses ever since the start of the label, for around 25 years now, so a bridal show only made sense. Its signature corseted style with timeless, elegant gowns has become a pillar of the label. The show saw a collection of classics, from the beautiful shimmery satin, to romantic lace and tulle, to a sleek and streamlined design.
9. Autobiographical design language
Collections frequently incorporate personal narratives, like his childhood memories of Austrian folk costumes reinterpreted through punk aesthetics. The label’s Fall 2023 show was a tribute collection to Westwood featured subtle nods to their life together, including reworked versions of works by Vivienne herself before her passing. The final look was Westwood’s granddaughter wearing a corset and bloomer wedding outfit, carrying a bouquet of white flowers down the runway.
10. Pioneer of sustainable practice
Long before sustainability became an industry buzzword, Kronthaler implemented eco-conscious methods instinctively. Westwood herself had the motto “Buy less, choose well, make it last a long time”, truly showing her side as an activist. This motto was the greatest legacy Westwood left Kronthaler, which manifests in his collections through versatile pieces meant to be worn for years rather than seasons. In our current world, Kronthaler emphasises the important of awareness and doing their part in maintaining sustainable practices.
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