Vivienne Westwood was a British fashion designer who recently died at age 81. Her fashion was considered to be punk and often seen as provocative; however, she is best known for her ability to make punk fashion couture. She was also known as the “Godmother of Punk” or the “Queen of Punk.” In Westwood’s memoir, Vivienne Westwood, she stated, “It’s not about fashion…it’s about the story. It’s about ideas.”
Vivienne Westwood, fall 1994 ready-to-wear collection
She started her fashion journey with her boyfriend at the time, Malcolm Mclaren, by opening a shop that sold clothes that envisioned her punk designs. As her brand continued to grow her designs were worn by many celebrities and models. Her clothes also began to influence mainstream fashion, such as corsets and platform shoes. She also designed the mini-crinis which was a cross of the Victorian crinoline and mini-skirts. Westwood’s goal was to break away from fashion norms and create something new which she was able to complete through her different punk rock designs.
Vivienne Westwood, Fall 1993 ready-to-wear collection
By crossing punk designs with couture fashion Vivienne Westwood was able to change the fashion industry and make it more than just the clothes. She was able to tell a story through her provocative designs and changing the norms for fashion. Additionally, her ability to cross over designs from the 17th century to the 20th and 21st century showed her amazing versatility and creativity. Westwood also used her designs to make political statements, for example, her spring 2006 collection featured T-shirts that stated “I Am Not A Terrorist, Please Don’t Arrest Me.” Westwood made a large impact on the fashion industry and changed what couture meant through her punk designs.
Author: Amber Ilyas
Sources:
https://therake.com/stories/icons/vivienne-westwood-rebel-with-a-cause/
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/29/fashion/vivienne-westwood-dead.html
https://www.vogue.com/article/vivienne-westwood-obituary
https://www.vogue.com/article/vivienne-westwood-unforgettable-runway-moments