Helmut Lang Fall/Winter 1998 Collection

“Perpetually ahead of his time modernist Helmut Lang, turned the entire fashion world on its head using technology to democratize the experience of seeing his collection in 1998. The presentation of his Fall 1998 collection on the Internet made perfect sense in terms of his aesthetic. Per Lang: “This was at the moment when I moved my company from Europe to the United States. As I was preparing for our next ‘séance de travail,’ which was highly anticipated, I felt that it was in many ways a new beginning for me, and also a new beginning for how to communicate my work. I sensed at the time that the Internet would grow into something much bigger than imaginable, so I thought it was the right moment to challenge the norm and present the collection online. It was a shock to the system, but a beginning of the new normal. In terms of the broader context of the industry, we made in the same season the entire collection available on a public platform, allowing consumers for the first time to get an unfiltered view of my work.” Beyond the innovation of the show itself, the clothes were instantly iconic. Layers upon layers, off whites upon off whites. Timeless yet futuristic — this collection birthed a million grails and lifelong fans.”