© Getty Images

Vivienne Westwood was unfortunately no longer there - but the fashion icon and wife of Andreas Kronthaler, who died in 2022 after 30 years of marriage, was incredibly noticeable at his fashion show during Paris Fashion Week in March. First and foremost through her love of historical clothing. It's incredible to listen to Tyrolean Andreas Kronthaler, who has lived in London since 1989 and became a British citizen some time ago. He speaks to us in an interview with Falstaff Travel.

What role does your background play in your work as a fashion designer?
First and foremost comes my love of craftsmanship, but also of tradition and the eccentric. That connected me a lot with Vivienne. For example, it was initially her idea to bring our original Zillertal Doggln, these traditional felt shoes, to the catwalk again and again with our wild designs; just like the dirndl, the cardigans and so on.

His parents' farm on the Lueg-Sternboden-Alm is now run by Andreas' brother, Martin Kronthaler, and his son Gregor. © Alamy

What makes Tyrol so appealing, what makes the people so appealing?
When you travel to Tyrol, you immediately realize that it's the most important province in Austria!

Has Vivienne changed your attitude towards Tyrol?
No, not because of Vivienne. Vivienne loved Tyrol. My attitude has changed as I've got older: I used to be happy when I was away from home, but that's quite normal for young people. I wanted to leave the nest as early as possible. But then you remember your roots again. The older I get, the more I appreciate Tyrol, its values and my roots.

The Tyrolean farming world is a constant source of inspiration. © imageBROKER.com GmbH

How did Vivienne feel about Tyrol?
After the concentrated days in London and the shows in Paris, we took the train from there to Tyrol to relax. Vivienne had an incredibly close relationship with nature and animals. Her father was a dog breeder and she grew up in the countryside. She read a lot, I worked around the house. She also liked going for walks in the woods with me. We hardly talked at all, we just enjoyed nature and relaxed. Vivienne also wanted to join my brother Martin, who is still a mountain farmer on the Lueg-Sternboden Alm, on the Saturday of the Rosary. After that, we even named some models in our collection after the lead cows Elegance and Soraya. Vivienne was also a good cook.

Can you tell us your favorite place in Tyrol?
The area where I come from, Inneralpbach, of course! I renovated my grandmother's farm there, which dates back to the 15th century. There's also a baroque chapel, which I still have to renovate.

© LukasKontakt / Alamy Stock Photo

What must you have seen in Tyrol
Everything!

Okay, that's a lot! But what are you bringing friends from Tyrol?
A good Tyrolean bacon.

About bacon: What's your favorite Tyrolean dish?
Food was something very important in our home. My grandmother had an inn and was very good at cooking. When the blueberries - we call them cranberries - were ripe, I would go into the forest to pick them with a riffle and bring them to my grandmother. She used them to make the best cranberry dumplings in the world. I still miss them.

After his show in Paris in March, Andreas Kronthaler walked the catwalk alone to the final applause © Getty Images

Let's move on from cuisine to clothing: How fashionable are the Tyroleans?
They can be fashionable, like Austrians in general. If they have it, they have it - if they don't, they don't.

"I dress really well when I'm traveling. I wear the best and newest clothes I have. You have to celebrate traveling."

What was your source of inspiration for the current collection? For all its usual eccentricity, it also evoked historical memories - which Vivienne loved as much as you did ...
I recently went to a Giovanni Battista Moroni exhibition in Milan - The Tailor! - costumes from the late Renaissance. It reminded me so much of the beginning of my work with Vivienne! Almost at the same time, I received some protective sports gear from a friend. I was surprised by the similarities and then thought about what these pieces had in common. Renaissance men's fashion in particular was so interesting: wearing clothes that were too revealing was forbidden; in Florence, a man was imprisoned because at some point the men really let it all hang out. That's how my codpieces came about. The abundance of black, especially in evening wear, is also a nod to the 17th century trend. Black is very practical, but also the most elegant of all colors.

After every fashion show in Paris, the couple Andreas Kronthaler and Vivienne Westwood walked the catwalk hand in hand. © Getty Images

How would you describe your personal style?
I already dressed extravagantly in my youth. Interestingly, that didn't upset anyone in Zillertal. You used to go to the seamstress or the knitter. You went to a store in town to buy the fabric and wool. Now I design my own clothes. In summer, I also like to wear leather trousers and a T-shirt.

"What's elegance? It has less to do with what you wear, but a lot to do with how you feel inside!"

You once said in an interview: "Fashion helps you to cope with life." What did you mean by that?
If you dress well, dress consciously, it makes for a better day. Then you can cope better with the day. Especially if you're not feeling so well mentally, that's the best medicine.