In the twenty-first century, time seems to have radically sped up. This temporal acceleration is reflected in the dramatic increase in the production, circulation, and consumption of fashion, which must meet the commercial demands of an interconnected and digitally synchronized world. Nonstop “24/7” fashion and its aspirations of immediacy and instantaneity have had a detrimental effect not only on creativity but also on the environment. In recent years, the industry has begun to reappraise its temporal dimension and move toward slow fashion, with an emphasis on value, quality, integrity, and longevity.

Like several of their contemporaries, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of Viktor & Rolf have embraced conscious creativity in their practice. Since 2016, their haute couture designs have been produced with surplus fabric from their past collections. For spring/summer 2020, Horsting and Snoeren constructed a series of patchwork dresses from their archive of design swatches in simple, homespun silhouettes that recall the preindustrial era. This dress, with deep flounces at the neckline and hem, is made up of samples of floral and geometric lace. Celebrating handcraft and shared labor, its patchwork design serves as an apt metaphor for the future of fashion and the importance of community, collaboration, and sustainability.