Bernhard Willhelm & Jutta Kraus

The collections of Bernhard Willhelm & Jutta Kraus are markedly unconventional without degenerat¬ing into an anti-fashion statement, though they con¬stitute a break with traditional European notions about beauty and style. Their clothing is eclectic, humorous, a patch¬work of diverse influences and three-dimensional, organic forms.
With a well-nigh childlike spontaneity the designers introduce voluminous garments with wild patterns, vibrant colours, texts and contrast-rich prints. They seem to draw inspiration directly from the nursery: Pippi Longstocking, traditional Southern German lederhosen and dirndl skirts, and ‘Bratwurst culture’. A raft of other influences, such as Japanese martial arts, the medieval motif of the Dance of Death, sportswear and the pop star Michael Jackson are also clearly evident.
The radical intermingling and redefinition of popular culture and highbrow culture, of expensive and cheap, and of tradition and innovation typifies the way in which Bernhard Willhelm and Jutta Kraus bombard wearers and onlookers with an abundance of themes and motifs.
This unique lookbook documents Willhelm and Kraus’s ten-year partnership with an extensive selection of images that record not only their collections but also their frequent collaborations with other artists
Exhibition at the Groninger Museum from 13 December 2009 to 11 April 2010