Diane and I arrive early to watch the runway rehearsal and say hello to her old friend Henrik. In the calm stone courtyard of the prestigious lycee Henri IV, amongst Vibskov’s billowing marigold chiffon, this is the calmest I have felt in days. Diane has known Henrik for as long as he is celebrating presenting in Paris- 20 years. She tells me about a show he did in a circus tent, and afterwards they took the party back to hers. Diane laughs, “All those giant Danish men in my tiny apartment!”
The presentation is called “The Unboxing Waltz Tutorial”, a play on the idea of unveiling or unboxing, his latest collection in a literal boxing ring. Bookending the mainstage there are these sort of tents with a hole in the middle that are lifted up and down like a hula hoop around the models, framing them with the fabric. It has a video-game, pick-your-fighter effect. The set is managed by a team of Vibskov players wearing the same striking color reimagined into beautiful plisse dresses with taupe boxing-glove inspired headpieces and matching belts that are like canvas armor. The event is MC’d like a drag ball (hence, waltz?) by a performer who chants over dancy runway music, “Henrik. Vibskov. Vibskov. Henrik. Which one of these looks is not like the other one? Henrik. Vibskov. Prints. Colors. Prints. Which one of these looks is not like the other one?”, and so on. Diane reminds me- “First and foremost, Henrik is an artist.” She tells me about a show he did where models laid on the floor amongst a sea of breasts. It is an immersive fiesta of patterns, texture, and shape that feels a little sci-fi and almost like a religious ritual. So when he tells me his favorite movie is Jodorowsky’s The Holy Mountain, I am not surprised.
Afterwards I ask how many different patterns he thinks he has designed over the years. He responds, “Oh my god. I don’t know, each collection has maybe 40 prints, and there have been 40 collections. What is that? 40×40?” He is wearing about 6 different patterns himself and eating a bright yellow popsicle. I’ll do the math. That’s about 1,600 different prints. Wow.
Chin-chin, Henrik! To 20 years and 20 more of celebrating performance, color, and joy through fashion!
