I ran across these images of awesome costumes designed by Dutch designers Viktor & Rolf on Dazed Digital and got really excited. The lightning bolt costume has to be one of the best things I have seen for awhile. Costume design must be a ton of fun for the avant-garde designers. While creating their eponymous line, even though they are more artistic and conceptual than some, they still have to worry at least a little about the saleability of their designs. While designing costumes- like here for Der Freischutz (The Freeshooter)- their imaginations can run wild. Which is all the more fun for us voyeurs. Der Freischutz is a romantic opera by Carl Maria von Weber that will be playing at Baden-Baden’s Festspielhaus. According to Dazed Digital, the fairytale outfits have been painstakinly decorated with one million Crystallized™ Swarovski/mode=blog_chicshopper elements, which play with the light enhancing the exaggerated three-dimensional shapes. The stage design is kept to a minimum so the costumes and crystals play quite an important part in the aesthetic. Organza, silk, satin and lurex feature in rich tones with- in typical Viktor & Rolf fashion- type emblazoned on the chest and shoulders. Inspiration for the choir costumes comes from traditional Germanic dress, including Dimdl and Lederhose fashioned from black neoprene.

For a behind the scenes peek, check out this video:

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling the urge to go a little nuts crystallizing something in my closet with these Loose Genuine Swarovski Crystals. Perhaps the collar of a basic heather gray tee?

The opera staring Julian Banse and Steve Davislim debuts on May 30 at Germany’s largest opera venue, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden.

Source: Dazed Digital