Friday night saw the unveiling of Viktor & Rolf‘s Dolls exhibition at Studio Job in Antwerp, with the hand-crafted ceramic dolls wearing ‘miniature couture’ having their first outing since the original installation at London’s Barbican in 2008.

Spanning the entire retrospective of Viktor & Rolf’s work, the painstakingly finished garments are scale replicas of exact catwalk outfits, easily pinpointed from various iconic collections from the duo’s illustrious past. From 1999′s “Russian Doll” babooshka collection to the Tilda Swinton “One Woman Show” of 2003, all of their most outrageous statements have been immortalised in miniature form, complete with hair and makeup looks from each show.

Without the scale and grandeur of the designers’ giant dolls house, the focus switched from the spectacular to the artisanal – as a selection of twenty dolls took the spotlight on their own in Studio Job’s brand new gallery space. Housed within curved glass tubes on high cylindrical plinths, the dolls seemed to float in the white noise of the clinically bright space, as though in test tubes or rocket launchers about to be shuttled into space.

The significance of this new collaboration between Viktor & Rolf and Studio Job founders (Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel) stems from the long working relationship they have together, with Studio Job having created fashion scenography for their shows, including a 4m high Swarovski crystal globe for the Spring Summer 2010 show.

‘Studio job and Viktor & Rolf cherish a long friendship. When our creative paths cross,
we enjoy working together. jewelry, prints, furniture and now designs for a runway.’ – Studio Job.

The opening night saw all four creators in attendance, with Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren bedecked in coordinated suits, emblazoned with the “Industry” pattern by Studio Job, re-edited for Viktor & Rolf’s Fall Winter 2010 “Glamour Factory” show. Served champagne and diamond-shaped chocolates, guests mingled across the two levels of the gallery, with twenty dolls lined up downstairs and the showpiece doll spotlighted upstairs (replete with a scaffolding of personal lighting and mini-speakers).

The exhibition remains open until July 16th (Tuesday – Friday, 2pm – 6pm or by appointment), and we highly recommend a visit to see these exquisitely crafted pieces – up close and personal.

For sale enquiries, please contact gallery@studiojob.be.

Above portrait by Anuschka Blommers & Niels Schumm.

Above: “Industry” print by Studio Job for “Glamour Factory” Fall Winter 2010 show by Viktor & Rolf.

Above: Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel by Robert Kot.

Above: “Blue Screen” doll from the Fall Winter 2002 show, shot by Peter Stigter.

Above: “Bedtime story” doll from the Fall Winter 2005 show, shot by Peter Stigter.

Above: “No” doll from Viktor & Rolf Fall Winter 2008, shot by Peter Stigter.