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The Orb That Took Over Tokyo
Though the Vivienne Westwood brand is known on a global scale, it is the most popular in Japan . Starting in the late 1980s, fashion subcultures in Japan, dominated by the youth, took notice of the unique English clothing. In Harajuku (Tokyo) fashion is taken very seriously by the youth as a form of self expression and even as a medium of performance. Westwood's clothing would be (and is) worn by people which are part of the Lolita, gothic, and punk inspired streetwear fashi
emoroz16
6 days ago1 min read


The Provocations Continue
In 1994, Joseph Corré, the son of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, co-founded Agent Provocateur in London with Serena Rees (his wife). From the start, the brand was never meant to be quiet or conventional. Agent Provocateur challenged the soft, romantic image that dominated lingerie in the early 1990s and replaced it with theatrics and unapologetic female confidence. Corré grew up immersed in punk culture, rebellion, and fashion disruption, so it’s no surprise that his
emoroz16
6 days ago1 min read


Short Hemlines, Big Statements
In 1985, Vivienne Westwood redesigned the mini skirt. She combined the historical crinoline skirt with the modern mini skirt to create the " mini crini ". The crinoline skirt was a bell shaped skirt supported by hoop structures underneath which went down to the floor when worn. In Westwood's design, the skirt went above the knee and kept that historical bell shape. The crinoline skirt was restrictive of movement when worn due to the bell shaped structure keeping the shape o
emoroz16
Mar 21 min read


Tradition Meets Rebellion
Iconic fashion line from Westwood created in 1993 was called the " Anglomania ." The name itself meant obsession with everything English. It was similar to that of the Harris Tweed collection she helped design a decade before, but with a more edgy look than before. Harris Tweed was a more traditional brand, but here Westwood had unlimited creative freedom. Anglomania showed Westwood's rebellion through tailoring. It twisted tradition instead of rejecting it entirely. A plaid
emoroz16
Mar 21 min read


Historic Silhouettes
Few garments capture rebellion and romance quite like the corsets of Vivienne Westwood . While corsets were once symbols of restriction, Westwood reimagined them as tools of empowerment. Drawing inspiration from 18th century portraiture and historical tailoring, she fused aristocratic silhouettes with punk attitude, transforming structured bodices into bold statements of individuality . In the 1980s and 1990s, Westwood’s corsets became iconic for their playful prints and prov
emoroz16
Feb 251 min read


That's Dame To You
In 1992, Vivienne Westwood was awarded the OBE which stands for Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire . This award means that the person has made significant contributions to the nation, in this case to British fashion. The award is similar to being knighted, making Westwood's official title "Dame" (like you would call a professor "Dr."). Receiving the award is amazing already, but what happened when Westwood was met by the paparazzi outside is what made t
emoroz16
Feb 251 min read


Fashion Philosopher
Westwood was 36 when the punk movement began. She stated that her generation was raised by the hippie movement which aimed to bring attention and justice to how horribly mismanaged society was. This was a great influence in her work. Her earlier work in the 60s and 70s aimed to shock, but also create a sort of feminist statement through her fashion. She made shirts which sported slogans that urged to kill Nazis and other bold statements. In the 80s, her fashion became more ta
emoroz16
Feb 161 min read


Third Times The Charm
Vivienne Westwood was married a total of three times throughout her life. What is interesting is that each of her marriages marked a new era in her fashion design career and a change of style. Her third husband who she was married to at the time of her passing is named Andreas Kronthaler . He is an Austrian born designer whom Vivienne met in 1988 while she was visiting the school of fashion he was attending. Kronthaler is 25 years younger than Westwood, but their marriage las
emoroz16
Feb 161 min read


Great Fall
This post isn't about the season or brand downfall. Instead, this is about a literal fall that model Naomi Campbell had on the 1993 Paris runway while walking for Vivienne Westwood. This was an iconic moment for both the model, which sky rocketed her career and instantly had other designers asking if she could do the same for them ( CNN ). The heels were just above 8 inches tall and when Naomi fell over, the crowd didn't move a muscle seeing if she was alright. Then, Naomi sm
emoroz16
Feb 91 min read


Signature Squares
Vivienne Westwood, as a brand, can be spotted by its signature use of square lined pattern cloth on coats to anything like tights or shoes. This iconic pattern came from Westwood's collaboration with Harris Tweed, a brand known for their suits. Tweed fabrics are woven from 100% virgin wool in Scotland by skilled artisans. In the 80s, they had a competition between designers to design for the brand, Westwood ended up creating the fashion line for the brand in the 1987 fall sea
emoroz16
Feb 91 min read


The Orb
The orb used for the logo of the Vivienne Westwood brand is an iconic piece of design which separates it from others. The fashion brand acquired this logo by a combination of chance and inspiration. Westwood was designing a sweater which Prince Charles might like to wear in his spare time. On it, she added symbolism which had to do with royalty and Charles' life like crowns and four leaf clovers. At the same time, she had looked at books which pictured space and galaxies. She
emoroz16
Feb 31 min read


String of Pearls
An iconic piece which has been worn by popular style icons, like Bella Hadid and Dua Lipa , has been all over the internet the past couple of years from street fashion to red carpets. The iconic string of pearls with the brands logo of the sovereign orb in the center was created in 1987. Westwood started by selling jewelry at a market stall in the 1960s, yet her designs remain relevant decades later. The necklace itself, depending on the style, costs at least $200 while bein
emoroz16
Feb 31 min read


The First Stores
After being encouraged by her husband, Malcom McLaren, Vivienne begin to create jewelry she sold at the local bazaar, and suits for him. Using some connections, she was able to work at the back of a fashion store called "Paradise" to create her personally designed fashion wear. Vivienne would change the name of the store to "Let it Rock" then "Too Fast To Live Too Young To Die". Soon, she came to own the store created publicity by naming it "SEX". Her brand was built on punk
emoroz16
Jan 231 min read


Before the Beginning
Vivienne Westwood was born in 1941 in England. Her family were regular working class people who just made ends meet. Surprisingly enough, she knew nothing about fashion or art growing up. She enrolled into college to become a school teacher. On the side, Vivienne worked in a factory to make ends meet. She married, had a son and was living the most ordinary life as a civilian. However, her first marriage did not last long and she became divorced. The catalyst to Vivienne becom
emoroz16
Jan 231 min read
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