Helmut Lang (born Peter Scepkahttps://wiener-online.at/2024/01/24/archiv-1991-lang-ists-her/https://vimeo.com/ondemand/helmutlang; 10 March 1956) is an Austrian artist and former fashion designer and mentor who lives and works in New York and on Long Island.

Career In 1986, Lang showed his first Helmut Lang runway collection in Paris at Centre Georges Pompidou. His first Helmut men's collection debuted in 1987 and a decade later he moved his label from Vienna to New York.

Lang used unconventional materials such as rubber, feathers and metallic fabrics and redefined the silhouette of the 1990s and early 2000s. He broke away from the runway show-as-spectacle in the height of the 1980s opulence and was the first to stream his collection online in 1998.

Lang's brand was known for its utilitarian, minimalist aesthetic, as well as for his prestige range of denim.

In 1999, Lang sold a 51% stake in his company to the Prada Group, with Prada handling distribution and manufacturing and Lang retaining control of design and advertising. Afterwards, Prada developed a line of Helmut Lang accessories such as shoes, belts and bags, and opened Helmut Lang stores in Hong Kong and Singapore. Sales under the Prada Group fell from $100 million in 1999 to $37 million in 2003. The brand's decision to cancel the licensing agreement with an external company to manufacture and market its profitable range of Helmut Lang Jeans was cited as one of the reasons for its revenue loss. In 2005, he left his label and retired from fashion. He has since been based in New York City and on Long Island as a practising artist. In 2006, Prada sold the Helmut Lang brand to Link Theory Holdings.

Lang has collaborated with artists Jenny Holzer and Louise Bourgeois. His recent works explore abstract sculptural forms and physical arrangements beyond the limitations of the human body. Lang had his first solo art exhibition ALLES GLEICH SCHWER at the Kestnergesellschaft in Hannover in 2008 and has since presented solo exhibitions internationally. Lang has published excerpts from his ongoing art projects Long Island Diaries and The Selective Memory Series in several publications, such as Purple, BUTT Magazine , Fanzine 137 , Visionaire and most recently The Travel Almanac .

2026 https://www.mak.at/exhibition/helmutlang

Work

This timeline outlines Helmut Lang's work in fashion and art up until 2021.

Solo Exhibitions 1986Viennese Modernism. Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou, ParisZahm, Olivier Langfroid, Artforum International, October 1995.2007Selective Memory Series, Purple Institute, ParisArticle title Purple Fashion , Purple Institute, 2007.2007Next Ever After, The Journal Gallery, Brooklyn hl-art "Helmut Lang Exhibitions".2008Archive, 032c Museum Store, Berlin Article title 2008Alles Gleich Schwer, kestnergesellschaft, Hanover2011Make It Hard, The Fireplace Project, East Hampton2012Sculptures, Mark Fletcher, New York 2015Helmut Lang, Sperone Westwater, New York 2016BURRY, Dallas Contemporary, Dallas2017new work, Sperone Westwater, New York 2017Various Conditions, Stradtraum, Vienna 2017Various Conditions, Sammlung Friedrichshof, Zurndorf 2019network, Tennis Elbow at The Journal Gallery, New York 201963, von ammon co, Washington, D.C.202041.1595° N, 73.3882° W, MoCA Westport, Westport 2025What remains behind, MAK Center at the Schindler House, West Hollywood, CA

Group Exhibitions 1997I Smell You on My Clothes, Florence Biennale, Florence Seabrook, John "The Invincible Designer" , The New Yorker, 18 September 2000.1997Art/Fashion, Guggenheim Museum SoHo, New York1998Louise Bourgeois / Jenny Holzer / Helmut Lang, Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna2009Industrial Light Magic, Goethe-Institut, New York2010Not in Fashion, Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt2011Austria Davaj!, Shchusev Museum of Architecture, Moscow2011Commercial Break, Venice Biennale, Venice2012Helmut Lang / Banks Violette / Dan Colen, Mark Fletcher, New York2013The System of Objects, Deste Foundation, Athens2015Space and Matter, Sperone Westwater, New York2018Wormwood, Ellis King, Dublin2019SMILE, Halsey McKay, East Hampton2020100 Sculptures, no gallery, Los Angeles2020FOCUS GROUP II, von ammon co, Washington, D.C.2020everything not saved will be lost, FF Projects, San Pedro Garza García2021WOOD WORKS: Raw, Cut, Carved, Covered, Sperone Westwater, New York2021ALIEN NATION, von ammon co, Washington, D.C.2021Punk Is Coming, MoCA Westport2021HOW DOES ONE THINK OF NOTHING?, FF projects, San Pedro2022FOCUS GROUP 3, von ammon co, Washington, D.C.2023FOCUS GROUP 4, von ammon co, Washington, D.C.

Helmut Lang fashion 1977–2005

This timeline outlines the developments in Lang's fashion as well significant attributes of key collections.

1977 Opens made-to-measure studio in Vienna.Boyd, Davis. "Helmut Lang" Fashion Windows . 2 March 2001 1980–84 Development of signature collections and made-to-measure service in Vienna. 1986 First presentation in Paris. Shown off the Paris fashion calendar as part of the exhibition "Vienne 1880–1939: L'Apocalypse Joyeuse" at The Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou.Cressole, Michel. “Une Lancinante Variation en Jersey Zippé" (Review: Helmut Lang A/W 86–87 Collection). Liberation. 1986 1987 Introduction of the first Helmut Lang Men's collection. Women and Men's collections are shown together on the Paris fashion calendar. Men's silhouette marked the return of the narrow and tailored suit shown with the white shirt, black tie, and made-to-measure shoes. 1988 Rejects the structure of the traditional fashion show. Introduces the concept of “Séance de Travail.” 1990 Introduces layering of transparent fabrics in new materials and textures. New approach towards the treatment of these. Introduction of Helmut Lang footwear 1991 Introduces wet looks, thermal fabrics, paper dresses and Native American influences. 1992 Introduces extremely shiny fabrics and textures. Thermal leathers, technical fabrics, padded clothing and body-conscious shapes.Menkes, Suzy. “The Avant-Garde’s Offensive”. International Herald Tribune. 18 Oct. 1993 A/W '93–'94. Street style / haute couture presented in wool knits, pure cashmere and velvet. Trademark slit and slashed sleeves first introduced.Menkes, Suzy. “The Avant-Garde Plunges Back To The Middle Ages”. International Herald Tribune. 16 March 1993 S/S '94. Introduces cuffed pants, holographic fabrics, holographic sterling silver jeans, lacquered silks, phantom prints, apron dresses, colored tuxedo stripes, stretch daytime smoking coats, raw denim and customized silk dresses. Introduces hand-sprayed shoes and customized dancing shoes. First separate Men's presentation. Men's S/S '94 shown as part of the Paris fashion calendar. Begins collaboration with Juergen Teller on backstage documentation and advertising. Lang accepted a professorship at 'Modeklasse', the famous department of fashion design at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. 1994 A/W '94–'95. Latex-bounded lace, lacquered silks, smoking coats and suits, nylon veil dresses, airbrushed silks and slash geometric patterns on candy-colored fabrics. Introduced reflective fabrics and nude as staple color.Spindler, Amy M. “Lang Points The Way to a New Elegance”. The New York Times. 7 March 1994 First show presented at 17 Rue Commines. S/S '95. "Hawaiian techno,” high-tech and air-tech. New nylon fabrics introduced. 1995 A/W '95–'96. “Couture customized”, camel and tweeds, bra holsters, chiffon and faille. Introduces two-color bloc paneling. Introduction of Helmut Lang underwear. S/S '96. New take on lace for men and women, delicate materials, electro vibe, visible bras, apron belts and contrast layering.Spindler, Amy M. “In Paris, The Outsiders Are Officially In”. The New York Times. 16 Oct 1996 A/W '96–'97. Techno jungle, covered sequins, floral patterns, cargo styles, Japanese Obi style tops and evening dresses. Introduces signature uniform outerwear. Presented with gold blanked covered audience.Spindler, Amy M. “Another Sure Step at Helmut Lang”. The New York Times. 15 March 1996 Introduction of Helmut Lang Jeans, featuring khakis, chinos, denims, work wear, casual wear, functionals and protective wear.Middleton, Sharon. “Jeans: The Lang View”. Women’s Wear Daily. 14 November 1996 S/S '97. Introduction of sashes, festive and ceremonial wear, dislodged lingerie, tuxedo accessories and colored denim.Spindler, Amy M. “The Wild, The Seductive, The Hip”. The New York Times. 12 October 2006. 1997 A/W '97–'98. Shift toward luxury with the use of classic and pure materials. Reintroduction of fine cashmeres, blended wools and silks. Introduction of funnel neck coats and pleated skirts. Silk tulle, cummerbunds and silk down coated duvet wraps. Definition of new Helmut Lang style with made-to-measure finishing.Prigent, Loic. “Ailes d’Ange et Bottines Rouge Sang” Liberation. 17 Mar Second separate Men's presentation. Men's S/S 98 collection shown as part of the New York fashion calendar. S/S '98. Introduction of A-line skirt and dresses. Usage of crinoline and pleats. Reintroduction of the classic white T-shirt. For men, introduction of the urban utilitarian. Vintage, painted and sanded denim. Introduction of fold-out clothes.“Helmut’s Angel”. Women’s Wear Daily. 17 March 2007. Introduction of “accessoire vêtements.”. Starts collaboration with Jenny Holzer on all Helmut Lang stores.Contemporary fashion Archive, "project: helmut lang flagship store new york with installation by jenny holzer" 1 January 1997 1998 Relocates company from Vienna to New York. First fashion house to make a transcontinental move.Foley, Bridget. “The Line From Lang”. Women’s Wear Daily. 17 July 1998 Presentation of the A/W '98–'99 collection over the Internet. First-ever Internet-based fashion show. Launch of helmutlang.com.’’White, Constance C.R. “No Crush: The CD-ROM Runway”. The New York Times. 1 April 1998 Moves the presentation venue from Paris to New York, beginning with the A/W '98–'99 collection. Introduction of Helmut Lang Eyewear. Helmut Lang advertises on New York taxi rooftops. ‘’First fashion house to use this advertising channel’’. Features photography by Robert Mapplethorpe and Bruce Weber. A/W '98–'99. Luxury sportswear translated to luxury eveningwear. Couture-sportwear, volume and silk-furs. Introduction of the signature parka and burnt denim. For the S/S '99 collection, Helmut Lang moves the presentation ahead of the European schedule (from November to September), having the impact of shifting the entire fashion calendar.’’ Foley, Bridget. “Lang Sets Early Date For His New York Show”. Women’s Wear Daily. 7 July 1998. S/S '99. Utilitarian motorbike pants and arm bags. Flower and phantom prints, washed silver platinum leathers, silk feather coats and peasant looks. Introduction of extensions as major detail.Menkes, Suzy. “Fast-Forward American Designers Show Their Colors”. International Herald Tribune. 22 September 1998. 1999 A/W '99–'00. Introduction of interior strap extensions. Introduction of shearing and colored leathers. Pure sterling silver fabrics and anti-stress materials. Introduction of the neck-rest. S/S '00. Electric colors, training gear attributes translated into haute couture cuts and fabric, silk organza, feather detailing and transparent layering.Menkes, Suzy. “European Designers Score on Creativity in New York:”. International Herald Tribune. 21 September 1999 Introduction of an extended luxury bag and shoe collection.Borgonovo, Carmen. “Lang’s New Angle.” Women’s Wear Daily. 13 September 1999 Introduction of the signature industrial rubber band as functional part of accessories and shoes. 2000 A/W '00–'01. Monochromatic uniforms.Armstrong, Lisa. “Enter Millennium Woman”. The Times. 22 December 2000.