Greater Love

Andreas Kronthaler speaks about the lasting impact of the late, great Vivienne Westwood, what fashion means to an independent brand today, and his enduring, loving memories of the Grande Dame of fashion 

- Cherry Mui

Meeting Andreas Kronthaler, the creative director of the Vivienne Westwood fashion brand and husband of the woman herself, on the 116th floor of Hong Kong’s Ritz-Carlton was unexpected on many levels. It was Kronthaler’s first visit to Asia in five years, less than a year since Westwood died, aged 81. The view behind him—massive skyscrapers, azure harbour, solid traffic—could be seen as particularly Asian, but there was plenty that reflected the Englishness of Kronthaler’s brand and his late beloved: his navy blazer paired with checked trousers, a denim cap, a collar scarf, red socks and, lastly, a pair of Oxfords. Plus, of course, one could argue his drink order is typically British, although the six-foot-tall designer did ask for the local version as he sat down on the sofa and ordered for the signature Hong Kong-style milk tea. “I love it, Hong Kong tea,” he says with a smile. “But it’s better in that little [whiteand-orange paper] cup than this [fancy pot].”