Vivienne Westwood - Design Museum Vivienne Westwood Posted September 11, 2014 -- Updated March 14 Campaigning designer who personifies the potent and subversive originality of British fashion. Share Vivienne Westwood Vivienne Westwood’s continual exploration and reinterpretation of history, combined with a tireless individualism, has cemented her reputation as the UK’s most culturally significant fashion designer. Her expansive body of work traces the socio-economic and cultural climate of Britain over the past four decades, and a cursory glance through her archive also highlights the paradox of her career: an ascent from teenage rebellion through luxury and decadence to global commercial success. Vivienne Isabel Swire was born in Glossop, Derbyshire, in 1941. Although she made her own clothes and experimented with her looks from an early age she had little access to the high culture of art galleries, art books and theatre which was to inform her later career. At the age of 16 she moved with her family from northern England to Harrow, Middlesex, where she embarked on a silversmithing and jewellery-making course at Harrow School of Art.

Impatient to earn a wage, however, she left Harrow abruptly, completed a typing course and found a job as a secretary. It was not until her mid-thirties that Westwood returned to fashion, by which time she had started work as a primary school teacher, married her first husband, Derek Westwood, and had her first child, Ben. In 1965 Westwood met Malcolm McLaren, with whom she had a second son, Joseph (who founded the underwear label Agent Provocateur) and who re-triggered her interest in fashion and experimentation with her image. McLaren, a dynamic and radical character who Westwood regarded as ‘fascinating and mad’, introduced her to a plethora of new political and artistic ideas, which continue to influence her work today. Their partnership flourished both professionally and as a romance: McLaren had his finger on the pulse of contemporary culture and Westwood the creative flare to translate his ideas into clothing. The continually evolving vision of Westwood and McLaren was brought to a wider public in 1971 when they took over a now legendary shop at 430 Kings Road, London.

The site was a work in progress with a frequently changing name and merchandise that switched style continually as it reflected and launched London’s subcultural currents. The first incarnation, Let it Rock, modelled itself on the 1950’s Teddy-boy aesthetic. In 1973 Let it Rock ceded to Too Fast to Live Too Young to Die in tribute to James Dean’s untimely death, and stocked fetish wear previously only available by mail order. Westwood and McLaren’s ambition to bring the dark world of sexual adventure and fetish to the streets of London was made explicit when they re-branded the shop SEX in 1975. SEX (later named Seditionaries) became synonymous with the most culturally significant street style of the second half of the 20th century, Punk. It was famous for its sexually crude and evocative garments: ‘bondage’ trousers and T-shirts emblazoned with provocative phrases like ‘Cambridge Rapist’ and ‘Paedophilia’ which caused controversy and outrage in the mainstream of British society.

One particular T-shirt, ‘Two Naked Cowboys’, got their friend, the artist Alan Jones, arrested; while McLaren’s newly formed Punk band, the Sex Pistols, were a highly effective promotional vehicle for the shop and its owners’ ethos. As Punk gradually began to influence the mainstream, the couple looked towards romanticism, heroism even, in fashion design. Westwood had dressed the Punks; now her Pirates collection (1979–1981) was adopted by musicians labelled the New Romantics. This work brought to the fore the habit for which she is renowned: raiding history for ideas. Adam and the Ants and Spandau Ballet wore billowing, lavishly printed gold, red and orange shirts inspired by Westwood’s study of 18th Century men’s clothing but flamboyantly fused with North American Indian and pirate styles. The collection released a rakish and androgynous sexual overtone that took 1980s Britain by surprise and was available for sale in the shop newly (and still) named World’s End. In 1981 Westwood and McLaren consolidated the Pirates collection, which had been evolving organically in the shop, and launched it on the catwalk in London.

This was Westwood’s first foray into the arena of established fashion. Although her work had featured in i-D and The Face, the UK’s leading street style bibles, Westwood continued to struggle for recognition in the mainstream press. In Italy, however, her work was hailed with reverence, and financial backing from business mogul Carlo D’Amario was secured. By 1983, with a second London shop, Nostalgia of Mud, the business ran into financial difficulties. Westwood broke ties with McLaren and continued to work from Italy with D’Amario who was now a lover as well as a business partner. D’Amario successfully negotiated a business deal with Armani which, alongside substantial financial backing, produced and marketed Westwood’s label. No longer constrained by McLaren’s vision, Westwood turned the subcultural inspiration of the street into a deeper relationship with historicism. It was during this time that Westwood pioneered ‘underwear-as-outerwear’, in collections that revelled in the corset and the crinoline.

Supported by meticulous research, the Mini-Crini collection of 1986 featured shortened 19th century-style crinolines with Minnie-Mouse prints, polka dots and stars and stripes worn with rocking-horse platform shoes. In a period when other designers empowered women with shoulder pads, Westwood placed the emphasis firmly on the hips. This collection exaggerated the feminine forms and accents of historical clothing to create a sexually-charged vision that was outrageous and almost absurd. Ten years later, the sexually confrontational Vive la Cocotte collection of 1996, which featured large bum-cushions and padded busts, again inspired by 19th century dress. By 1986, Westwood’s romantic relationship with D’Amario had come to an end, as well as her partnership with Armani. Although D’Amario continued to manage the business, as he still does today, she moved back to London and began to take an interest in the clothes and fabrics of the British establishment.

Her Harris Tweed collection of 1987 was named after the woollen fabric woven in the Western Isles of Scotland and took its inspiration from Savile Row tailors, incorporating a variety of tweeds, including the traditional Tattershall check and red barathea. Affectionately parodying the establishment, these clothes evoked the aristocracy, boarding school and country houses; hunting, shooting and fishing; and in Westwood’s interpretation, inevitably declared sexuality under the constraint of British understatement. Westwood was also inspired by 18th century paintings, ceramics and literature and spent time studying the paintings of the Wallace Collection and the Victoria & Albert Museum’s archive in London. In Portrait (1990–1), Westwood used a photographic print of Francois Boucher’s Shepherd Watching a Sleeping Shepherdess on corsets and shawls. Always On Camera (1992–3) contained the Gainsborough Blouse which mimicked the delicate brushstrokes of the 18th century British portraitist’s work. Her considered reinterpretation of tradition came through again in Anglomania (1993–94).

Westwood created her own clan (the traditional extended family and social unit of Scottish society) and tartan (the woven wool check identified with that unit), MacAndreas, named after her third husband and collaborator, Andreas Kronthaler. That McAndreas is displayed at Lochcarron Museum of Tartan in Scotland alongside time-honored traditional tartans is a very significant accolade to be bestowed on a contemporary designer. Today, Westwood is a global empire comprises the semi-couture line Gold Label, a ready-to-wear line Red Label, Vivienne Westwood Man and the diffusion line Anglomania. She has perfumes — Boudoir, launched in 1998, and Libertine, launched in 2000 — as well as successful ranges of knitwear and accessories. British Designer of the Year twice, in 1990 and 1991, honoured with the Order of the British Empire in 1992 and made Dame Vivienne Westwood in 2006, she has drawn uncommonly wide acclaim from the extremes of the street and the establishment.

In the 2000s, Westwood has become almost as well known for her political activism as for her designs, campaigning on a variety of issues including climate change, civil liberties and nuclear disarmament. However, whether she is ridiculing the ruling classes, shocking the public or drawing attention to her chosen cause, Westwood continues to sustain the ultimate design contradiction: producing the unexpected while defining the spirit of the decade. Timeline 1941 Born in Glossop, Derbyshire, to a father who worked as a shoe maker and a cotton weaver mother 1959 Moved with her mother and father to Harrow in North London where she briefly studied at the Harrow School of Art 1960 Studied to become a primary school teacher and worked in schools around South London 1962 Met her first husband, Derek Westwood, at a local dance hall 1965 Met Malcolm McLaren and began a romantic and business partnership with him. This marked the beginning of her experimentation with fashion design 1970 McLaren and Westwood took over a shop at 430 King Road, London, and called it ‘Let it Rock’.

The shop sold 1950’s Teddy-boy clothing 1972 The shop became known as ‘Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die’ and sold second-hand jeans, customised leather jackets and ‘Dominator’ and ‘Triumph’ T-shirts 1974 Once again renamed the shop ‘Sex’, became a mecca for the Sex Pistols and the punk-rock generation 1976 The shop is branded ‘Seditionaries’ and sells sexual fetish clothing 1977 Met Canadian painter, Gary Ness, who introduced her to literature, painting, and classical music 1981 Westwood designed her first collection, ‘Pirates’. 450 Kings Road is renamed ‘World’s End’ and remains so to this day 1982 Westwood and McLaren open a second shop, ‘Nostalgia of Mud’ in St Christopher’s Place, London and shows her collection of the same name in Paris, the first English designer to do so since Mary Quant 1983 Met Carlo D’Amario, her current manager and one-time lover 1984 ‘Nostalgia of Mud’ shop closed due to financial problems.

Moved to Italy, with business partner D’Amario and designed ‘Hypnos’ at his house in the Alps. ‘Hypnos’ was subsequently shown at Hanae Mori’s ‘Best of Five’ global fashion awards 1985 ‘Mini-Crini’ collection designed and shown at the Cour du Louvre, Paris, and the Limelight nightclub, New York. 1986 Westwood returns to live in London 1987 Designs ‘Harris Tweed’ collection inspired by the clothes of the British establishment 1988 Opens a second London shop in Mayfair 1990 Awarded Fashion Designer of the Year by the British Fashion Council 1991 Designs ‘Slash and Cut’ menswear collection Awarded Fashion Designer of the Year for the second year running Shows designs at the Tokyo Fashion Summit alongside Christian Lacroix 1992 Awarded an OBE.

as well as being made an Honorary Senior Fellow at the Royal College of Art Opens a shop at 43 Conduit Street, introduces wedding gowns to her collections and creates a watch for Swatch, called ‘Putti’ 1993 1994 Wins the first Institute of Contemporary Art Award for Outstanding Contribution to Contemporary Culture Marks the founding in 1783 of the carpet company Britons by designing Ancien Régime costumes in carpet 1995 Designs ‘Vive la Cocotte’, a collection that reworks the ideas from her last five collections; it particularly emphasises the interchange of fashion influences between France and England 1996 Launches ‘Man’, her menswear label, in Milan Designs all the costumes for the production of The Three Penny Opera by Bertold Brecht and Kurt Weill, performed at the Burgtheater, Vienna 1998 Launches ‘Boudoir’, her debut fragrance Awarded the Queen’s Award for Export in recognition of the company’s growing export market 1999 Launches the Red Label in the United States to coincide with the opening of her first shop in New York Introduces accessories lines, such as the Eyewear collection 200

0 The Museum of London holds the exhibition ‘Vivienne Westwood: the collection of Romilly McAlpine’ 2002 Opens a shop in Hong Kong 2003 Awarded the UK Fashion Export Award for Design Opens a shop in Milan and Liverpool 2004 Vivienne Westwood retrospective opens at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London 2005 Joins the board of trustees for Liberty and designs a T-shirt in defence of liberty and human rights 2006 Made Dame Vivienne Westwood.

The ‘Anglomania’ exhibition is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 2007 Presented with a Lifetime Achievement prize at the British Fashion Awards Launches her manifesto, ‘Active Resistence’ 2008 Returned to London Fashion Week to show her Red Label collection 2013 Dedicates one of her collections to US military whistleblower Bradley Manning Instagram Follow the latest snaps from the official Vivienne Westwood Instagram Twitter All About Vivienne Westwood World’s End | Fashion Pearls of Wisdom All About Vivienne Westwood World’s End Posted on by Pearl Who: World’s End is a tiny crooked looking shop on the Kings Road, Chelsea, London. Set amongst the High Street stores, bars and coffee shops it could be quite unassuming if it weren’t for the huge clock on the front, with the hands going backwards – time never stands still in World’s End. Climb the crooked steps, ring the bell – no riff-raff please and enter through the crooked door. Why all so crooked? Vivienne designed the shop to look like a Pirate ship, the floor is slanted just like the galley of a ship. Why like a Pirate ship?

Early on in Vivienne’s career whilst she was collaborating with Malcolm McLaren they first moved into 430 Kings Road when it was called Paradise Garage in 1970, they just rented the back room in those days selling Rock and Roll records. It was so successful they soon took over the entire shop selling Teddy boy clothing, the shop was fitted out to resemble a suburban Ted’s front room and in 1971 they changed the shop’s name to Let it Rock. Soon the duo bored of the Teddy boy fashion and became interested in Rock, the clothes became all about leather, zippers and studs. With the new fashion came another name for the shop Too Fast Too live Too Young Too Die, after James Dean. In 1974 another new look for the shop and the clothes being sold, SEX brought fetish gear into the main stream. It was in 1977 however when the shop became Seditionaries that brought about the fashion which most people know Westwood and McLaren for… Punk. Yet it was not until 1980 that the shop took the name World’s End. The galleon design came about with the Pirate collection, influenced by pirates of the high seas.

This was the last collection Vivienne worked together with Malcolm on and since she liked the design so much the shop remained that way ever since. What: Isn’t it just the same as the other Vivienne Westwood shops? Nope, it’s not just the name and look of the shop that is different but the entire philosophy: ‘Timeless Fashion, Recycling and the Best Price’ World’s End issues their classic designs and accessories, therefore they don’t have to add the cost of months of design and development work into the retail price of the garment. “Sell direct, which cuts out extra mark-up. Use our left-over fabrics; these were originally more expensive. Extract a new design out of the Gold Label collection and sell direct through WE. Samples, toiles, show jewellery and accessories. Political badges and artwork. Special WE designs, D.I.Y. items, boxers, towels, and hats. Never have a sale: Buy less ÔÇô Choose well ÔÇô Make it last!

” – Vivienne Westwood Cowboy hat ┬ú145, badge set ┬ú15 for 6, jewellery pin set ┬ú28 for 6, Liberty heart & key pin ┬ú5, babygrow ┬ú20, Belts ┬ú65 narrow /┬ú86 wide Why: Well if all that doesn’t make World’s End sound special enough here are a few more reasons you might want to take a trip down there, if only just to visit such a historical shop! Vivienne herself personally chooses her favourite pieces for the shop, one design she particularly likes is the ‘ Shirtwaister dress ‘. This dress design was originally a piece from the Gold Label collection and would have come with the price tag of around┬ú1,000 but at World’s End you can purchase it for ┬ú295. I know this is still expensive but it is a piece that will last you a lifetime and it’s special cut is the most flattering fit for any body shape, trust me it is worth every penny.

There are other classic items which don’t have a big price tag at all such as the brooches and t-shirts, even a pin for ┬ú5, there is something for every budget- how many designers can say the same? Vivienne’s aim is to make it possible for everyone to come to the shop and find something they can take home to treasure. Most of the clothes on the World’s End label are made in England, at the London studio so you are also supporting the British economy and it is hard to find clothes produced over here these days, it really does make it more special. Classic print World’s End t-shirts ┬ú35 each Lisa As if you even needed another reason to visit but here you go, you get to meet Lisa the store manager who keeps the place buzzing. She is also one of the coolest people I know and always happy to help you should you need a mail order – world wide available, help with stock and sizes or just style inspiration. Lisa is always head to toe in Westwood and is just generally fabulous! Awesome World’s End looks World’s End also stocks an edit of Gold Label, Lee Denim and Anglomania to compliment the WE pieces.

There are probably many more things I could say about World’s End but this is already a super long post, so anything else can be saved for another day. I have to dedicate this post to my friend Danny for sitting all night tweeting me reminding to finish this post and stop wondering off getting distracted, I know I promised it ages ago. Vivienne Westwood and Agyness Deyn on the counter at World’s End Read my friend Jason’s blog post about World’s End he has some fab photo’s (First image my own, rest courtesy of Vivienne Westwood World’s End) Vivienne westwoods philosophy and influences in contemporary design Vivienne westwoods philosophy and influences in contemporary design Published: 23, March 2015 This essay has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work written by our professional essay writers. Abstract The article is talking about one of Englands leading fashion designers, Vivienne Westwood. Who aslo has been one of Britains most consistently original, outrageous, eccentric and controversial designers.

Today, she has evolved from an iconoclastic outsider to an internationally revered figure, with two British Designer of the Year awards, an OBE, her own successful fashion label and an unrivalled reputation for leading where other designers follow. Her lifestyle could scarcely be in greater contrast to the opulence which surrounds other leading designers.So in this article, it discuss about how did an awkward girl from a conventional and provincial background become one of world fashions most influential and respected designers and how her design influence on present day design culture. Vivienne Westwood, one of Englands leading fashion designers who maintaining a devotion to history as a key theme to her unique styles. She has these wisps of yellow-blond hair spill around her oval face, which has been plucked, painted and powdered into a perfect cameo. Her lips are a bright kiss-me red, while her walk is that of a slowly advancing, scepter-toting monarch. Vivienne Westwood, really is made of awesome with her funky and creative designs. She is respected throughout the industry and fashion world as a highly influential designer.Vivienne Westwoods early profileVivienne Westwoods story is featured.

Westwood grew up in the village of Tintwistle and he worked as a teacher in North England in 1962. She also had a 13 year marriage with Malcolm McLaren in the 1970s that resulted in two sons. At the same time, artists like Chrissie Hynde and bands like the Sex Pistols were influenced by Vivienne Westwood who was the creator of punk rock music and style in the 70s.She inspired the current British designers such as Christian Lacroix and John Galliano, was knighted the Order of the British Imperial Medal by the queen in 1992, and is presently married to the designer Andreas Kronthaler. Vivienne Westwood starts her fashion career in 1971 when she opened a small shop called Let It Rock at 430 Kings Road in Chelsea with Malcolm McLaren, a former art student six years her junior. They had met in 1965 when Ms. Westwood, already a young mother and separated from her first husband, was working as a primary school teacher. Their partnership, which also produced a child, would soon shake up British fashion.Mr.

McLaren was the rebel, the agitator, the provocateur, while Ms. Westwood was his muse and model, already in 1971 she wore spiky peroxide with dyed hair, as well as a skilled craftsman. In its first version, 430 Kings Road became a 1950s nostalgia parlor with Teddy Boy, or Edwardian revival clothes, copied and sold as a kind of anti-hippie protest. And Ms. Westwood was the one doing the unpicking, copying and resolving.In 1973 the couple renamed the store Too Fast to Live Too Young to Die, this time in homage to James Dean and the rising motorcycle culture. Leather, studs and buckles appeared alongside T-shirts with aggressive slogans. But this lasted barely 15 months.In April 1974 the store became SEX and was filled with sadomasochistic and pornographic references as well as clothes made of leather and rubber, including rubber-wear for the office.In 1975 the Sex Pistols, a rock group formed by Mr. McLaren, carried the punk movement beyond Chelsea, even beyond Britain.

Wearing outrageous clothes and scandalizing the media with profanities, the Sex Pistols trumpeted Mr. McLarens anti-authoritarian message. Its first single, Anarchy in the U.K., was followed by an irreverent God Save the Queen, which was promptly banned by British radio. In 1977 SEX was renamed Seditionaries, but punk power began to wane. In 1979 Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols died of a drug overdose, and the group was disbanded. In 1980 Seditionaries became Worlds End and when Mr. McLaren wanted to vacate it, Ms. Westwood held onto it. More crucially, for the first time she began designing her own clothes with what became known as the Pirates collection. This collection, her first to be presented on a catwalk, in 1981, was to prove a turning point, not only because it announced her interest in historicism, but also because within two years she would form her own company without Mr. McLaren.

I decided that in order to understand the world I lived in, I should somehow enter it and exploit my own ideas and see how I could get on, she recalled in a recent interview at the Victoria and Albert. Vivienne Westwoods philosophyMs. Westwood rise herself as a fashion maverick comes from being both wildly inventive and perversely out of touch. But most of the people call her the queen of extreme. Her managing partner, Carlo DAmario said This is a woman whos an English eccentric. But he said it with a tone for unexplained phenomena. To imagine what that means, all you have to do is picture this quaint-looking lady attended the Dame Edna Show in 1989 with a flesh-tone tights and a glimmering green fig leaf. And her famous entrance into Buckingham Palace in 1992 to receive her Order of the British Empire from the Queen, when she obliged photographers with a triumphant twirl, there was hardly a living soul in Britain who didnt know that Ms. Westwood was 1 sans culottes under her whirling skirts.But that Ms. Westwood truly become the genuine iconoclasts at that period.

Those style expresses the delirium and anarchy of their time. Now, at an age when many other designers are resting on their laurels, Ms. Westwood is taking on New York. Yesterday in SoHo, she opened her first store in the United States, a 7,000-square-foot emporium at 71 Greene Street, near Spring Street, that will sell her mens and womens collections, as well as more popular secondary lines. Ms. Westwoods personal style also appear on her design but more on a creative way. Her design contexts come from different elements. First main element is music, more clearly from punk music. The English Punk style began to gain attention when the Sex Pistols wore clothes from Ms. Westwood and McLarens shop. The punk style included 2 BDSM fashion, bondage gear, safety pins, razor blades, bicycle or lavatory chains on clothing and spiked dog collars for jewelry, as well as outrageous make-up and hair. These designs are definited as rebellion , anti form or sexy. In that very beginning of her career as a designer during the punk movement ,her designs become more substance than generally thought.

Secondly, there is another essential design element in her which is the adoption of traditional elements of Scottish design such as tartan fabric. The tartan pattern is the main symbol of Scottish tradition clothing style. And Ms. Westwoods using of tartan is unparalleled, in her collections and triumphed in Anglomania (A/W 1993) (Figure 1). Her fascination with Scottish traditions by using a mix of different tartans, her ensembles exploited the rich depth, colour and diversity of the traditional checked pattern. The tartans were made to order by Locharron of Scotland, who also created a special design for Westwood called the McAndreas, after her second husband, Andreas Kronthaler. Amongst the more unusual elements of her style is the use of historical 17th and 18th century cloth cutting principles, and reinterpreting these in, for instance, radical cutting lines to mens trousers. Use of these traditional elements make the overall effect of her designs more shocking. Other influential elements in Ms. Westwoods work have included Peru, the feminine figure, velvet and knitwear. Ms. Westwoods design has ranged from early punk garments to glamorous historical 5 evening gowns.

She worked these together to revolutionize fashion and the impact is still strongly felt today. Now, Ms. West wood has five exclusively-owned shops; three in London, one in Leeds, and one in Milan. Franchise stores are located in Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, three in Manchester and most recently, in FH Mall, Nottingham (20 March 2008), and in Blake Street, York (11 September 2008). Westwoods themes have included Savage (1981), Hobo and Buffalo (1982), and Pirate. Her latest collection was themed Gold and Treasure, Adventure and Exploration. So, if Ms. Westwood often comes across as a bit of a crank, it is easy to see why. Whereas most designers take a humble slice of the cultural pie, Ms. Westwood wallows in the whole glorious mess. She will refer to the Industrial Revolution, Greek skeptism, the Sex Pistols, the decline of standards in English art schools, Picasso, sex, John Stuart Mill -- in one sitting. Ive always needed to explain myself in more general terms rather than only through fashion, she said.

Vivienne Westwoods influences on punk cultureVivienne Westwood was punk symbol in the angry 1970s , she was wearing clothes festooned with spikes and pins. Today everyone knows what punk fashion is, but in 1970 it didnt exist. Punk first emerged in the mid 1970s in London as an anarchic and aggressive movement. Punk become a succeeded style even more when Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren put the punk ideas into their design ventures. In the 1975, McLaren launched the Punk music group called Sex Pistols which became the icon beyond Britain. They were wearing outrageous clothes and all these clothes were come from the shop called Sex that Vivienne Westwood opened on the Kings Road, London. That shop sold leather and rubber fetish goods, especially bondage trousers. Including rubber-wear for the office. Ms. Westwood gave world the fresh shock at that time and that is why her name is associated with the punk movement. In Ms. Westwoods punk style design, BDSM fashion is also a main element. Before 1970s, BDSM fashion wasnt something you can show in public or feel good about it in Britain. But Ms.

Westwood brought it into her punk design. In the early summer of 1974, Westwood and Mclaren decided to invent the shop Sex with a fetish and bondage outlet, inspired in part by their recent visit to New York. This trip had opened their eyes to the outsider status of sexual deviancy, which, now as then, has a far greater capacity to shock than youth cult. The shop Sex underwent a prolonged refit, and the fact that it was closed for months and reopened in September 1974, the transformation was total (Figure 2). Outside, the name `SEX was emblazoned in four-feet-high pink rubber capitals and sprayed with slogans from Valerie Solanas SCUM manifesto, as well as slogans and quotes from the drug addicted outsider pornographer Trocchi. And these design gave the information to public that everyone can enjoy their style with no shame. Even in today, it still influence on youth sub-cultural.Vivienne Westwoods influences on Scottish design styleScottish Style become wold knowing in fashion by Vivienne Westwood in 1990s.

Before, Scottish culture is just famous by its traditional instrument the Great Highland Bagpipe clothing, and the performers who are wearing 3 kilts. Ms. Westwood use this tartan pattern into her design with creativity. We can find it with all different shapes or colors through her collections. But she use the tartan in a complete new way, she will mix and match them , put great flash on them through Viviennes color and lining. Today, tartan become one of the main fashion style which called Preppy Look, has been wide using by many designers. But Ms. Westwood still the on who done more for tartan than any other designer - embracing the plaid extensively in her collections. The Locharron Textile Mill in Scotland created a special tartan for Westwood called the McAndreas. (Figure 3) Vivienne Westwood mix fashion with sexualityMs. Westwoods collection Britain Must Go Pagan in 1989 was truly a show full of sexuality information. But she showed that is people privately decide what they want to do their sexuality so it is not erroneous to show it in fashion. Ms. Westwood explored a diversity of influences, from Serves porcelain to pornographic Greek scenes.

The clothing reflected the inherent contradiction in Westwoods work between respect for tradition and culture and a love of parody and sexual liberty. She paired classical drapery with Prince of Wales check, Fair Isle sweaters with computer-game patterns, and designed articulated jackets and corsets with removable sleeves, inspired by medieval armour. Precise Miss Marple suits (after Agatha Christie) in thorn-proof Harris Tweed received a fillip with saucy tulle flounces. She teamed Savile Row-style jackets with nude tights with a fig leaf (Figure 4), creating something that shocked even herself: When I first did the fig leaf, in 1989, I just kept screaming. It was porno and so hilariously mad. Then I got used to it, and I think it looks so elegant and ironic. And she based this outrageous ensemble on fashion of around 1800 in which men wore flesh coloured breeches in a conscious emulation of classical statuary.Vivienne Westwood brings historical into modernHistorical 17th and 18th century are always Ms. Westwood s big element. She use these traditional elegant style dresses as the base , mix with her modern design to fit into todays lifestyle.

In her interpretations of historical dress, Ms. Westwood emphasise the idea of constriction as a way to define the body and its movement and to direct posture. She explore historical costume and, from it, to develop a completely new range of clothes that would form her first catwalk collection in 1981. The Pirate collection (Figure 5) drew inspiration from historical mens clothing and became the look for the emergent New Romantics, while providing Westwood with a vastly expanded repertoire of styles of cutting and tailoring, construction, fabric design and manufacture, pattern, colour and texture. Later When Ms. Westwood was working in Italy from 1984 to 1986, she developed the crinoline idea as the Mini-Crini, abbreviating it as a provocative new shape in total contrast to the exaggerated shoulders and narrow hips of the prevailing style of power dressing. In Vivienne Westwoods Cut, Slash and Pull collection of 1991, (Figure 6) The inspiration for this collection lay in the historical technique of cutting textiles to create a decorative pattern. In the original garments, the slashes exposed bright silk underlinings, but here Westwood reveals bare skin.

To give the passionate, masculine vitality that she so admired in Tudor portraits, she used denim with hand-cut gashes and frayed edges. For the lighter fabrics, she adapted a 4 broderie anglaise machine programme, omitting the embroidery but retaining the fine, regular cuts. To sum up, nothing is ever quite as it seems with British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. She has eccentric personality, she is an icon of rebellion. And that make she become one of the highly influential designers today. Her design always stand out of other designer with its unique technic and style which head the world into Ms Westwoods fashion fantasyland. Vivienne Westwood by stefania bjorgvins - issuu issuu Communication and Media IED 2011 LinLin Kearney Shira Kela Stefania Fanney Table of Contents 1. History 2. Quantitative Analysis of brand 3. Product List 4. Brand Value 5. Positioning 6. Relation between brand image and product 7. Target Audience 8. Consumer Drivers 9. Main Competitors 10. Media Strategies 1.

History Vivienne Westwood is a British fashion designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream world. She has designed clothing since the mid 1960 and she is still the creative director and designer for the brand. She has been rewarded the British Fashion Designer of the Year three times in her career. Westwood was awarded the Order of the British Empire, which she collected from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 1992. Vivienne Westwood was born on April 8th 1941, in England. At aged 17, Westwood studied at the Harrow school of art, taking fashion and silversmith, but left after one term. She became a primary school teacher. During this period she also created her own jewellery, which she would sell at a stall on Portobello Road. Westwood began by making Teddy boy clothes for McLaren and in 1971 Malcolm decided to open a boutique at 430 King’s road- “Let it Rock”. Westwood began to sell her outrageous and outlandish designs in the shop, which drew inspiration from bikers, fetishists and prostitutes.

During this period, Malcolm who she met in the late 60’s became manager of the punk band “Sex Pistols” and subsequently the two garnered attention, as the band often wore Westwood’s design and shopped at 430 King’s Road. By 1972 the designer’s interests had turned to biker clothing, zips and leather. The shop was re- branded with a skull and crossbones and renamed “Too fast to live, Too young to die”. Westwood and McLaren began to design t-shirts with provocative messages leading to their prosecution under the obscenity laws. Their reaction was to rebrand the shop once again and produce even more hard-core images. The pirate collection of 1981 was Westwood and McLaren’s first catwalk show. This offered a romantic look, which burst onto the London fashion scene and ensured this collection’s place in history. Native Americans inspired her, Ethnic cuts- keeping the original cuts as fashion. At this important point of her career, Westwood developed ethnic cutting techniques, which are based on rectangles. She continues to mix this in with historical cuts.

In the late 80’s Westwood’s heroes changed from punks and ragamuffins to ‘tattler’ girls wearing clothes that parodied the upper class. A chance encounter inspired one of her most important and influential collections, the Harris Tweed collection of Autumn\Winter 1987. She saw a little girl on the tube one day. The girl had a little plaited bun, a Harris Tweed jacket and a bag with a pair of ballet shoes in it. The girl looked so cool and composed standing there. During this period she was inspired heavily by the 16th Century, most notable by corsets, The Ballets Russes, and the famous oil paintings of this era. In the 90’s Westwood believed that fashion is a combination and exchange of ideas between France and England. On the English side we have tailoring and an easy charm, on the French side that solidity of design and proportion that comes from never being satisfied because something can always be done to make it better, more refined. And this is where she drew her inspiration from in this decade.

From the beginning of this century Vivienne Westwood her focus is on the beginning to put historicism one side, Westwood returned to a more asexual cut, exploring the natural dynamic of the fabric by treating it like a living mass. 2. Quantitative Analysis Through an extensive distribution global network Vivienne Westwood sells in a total of 86 countries in 5 continents with namesake stores all over the world. She has 7 stores in the UK but only one store in Central London, the longstanding “World’s End” in Kings Road. Her brands are also stocked in department and independent stores. Sales for a year ending 2006 were 13.3 million pounds, up from 11.7 million in 2005. Of these, 8.7 million was generated in the EU, up from 7.2 million in 2005. 3. Product List Women and menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RTW, women and men haute couture, bags and wallets, shoes, eyewear, neckwear, beachwear, costume jewelry, diamonds 4.

Brand Values The brand has self-described themselves as high fashion, expensive brand but they justify their price saying that buying their garments is an investment. She wants people to spend money on something that is good that will last forever. She is against consumerism in principal, should buy one off pieces that will last for a long time and not on bulk cheap items. In the global economical hardship, consumers tend to opt for better quality garments and accessories that will last for longer, being more economically smart. It is important to note that this shift in consumer mind frame has benefitted designer brand companies. It has opened a valuable opportunity for the Westwood brand, as their core values are to produce premium quality items that you pay more for at the beginning but have a much higher quality and longer life cycle than cheaper disposable fashion. 5. Positioning The brand has always positioned itself as an avant gard, contemporary brand that doesn’t follow the trends/constructs of society, be it in fashion or in politics. From the roots in the punk era of the 1970’s, the Westwood brand image has always been strong. It has a strong heritage and long lineage of history, with each of her collection’s relating to contemporary issues or historical themes.

The brand’s core values are to challenge common preconceptions of what fashion can or can’t be. 6. Relationship between brand image and product There is an intellectual method to the madness of her creative energy. Historical references, techniques and fabrics are intrinsic to her approach to design. The results are unconventional and alluring garments and accessories. Her subversive shapes and constructions in her garments have consistently proved to be ahead of their time. The brand image is challenging, avant gard, extravagant with a contemporary style. This image is clear and evident in all her products, from her haute couture garments to her RTW line. The products are bold and audacious yet remain dignified and this is consistent with the Vivienne Westwood brand image and values. 7. Main Competitors Alexander McQueen is one of the main competitors for Vivienne Westwood. The brand has an impressive reputation for creativity and fine tailoring. McQueenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s target audience is people that have a bold and fierce style. The brand positions themselves in the highend designer market, creating avant-garde collections with whimsical and eccentric elements that are creative and modern.

One weakness that can be found in the brand is in its very high fashion and haute couture designs. These garments are not as accessible to a large target audience and less RTW. Vivienne Westwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lines are catered for both high end haute couture wear as well as lower demi couture RTW lines for the younger generations. Paul Smith is another big competitor for the Westwood brand. Paul Smith is one of the most renowned British designers and is an English icon. Although competing in the same exact market as Westwood, making them direct competition, Paul Smith fall short as his brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth is limited within the UK. Westwood has a very strong heritage and reputation in the UK as well as the rest of the world and this differentiates her from her main competitor. 8. Target Audience The target audiences are those people with a mixed style, taste for sub-culture, they like different unique clothing and accessories, textiles, shapes, cuts and patterns. The typical Vivienne Westwood consumer looks for garments with an attitude and a “do it yourself” style, a chic take on punk style.

The target audiences are those that are socially, politically and environmentally aware. They identify with Vivienne Westwood’s sense of social awareness and like to convey this through their style and the designers they choose. The style of Vivienne Westwood is such that it transcends age or generations. Therefore the target audience is a broad mix, ranging from 25 years old up until 55 years old men and women. 9. Consumer Drivers The main driver of consumers of designer clothing is the idea of rewarding themselves with these items. Their motivation stems from the feeling of treating themselves to high quality items that will boast their self esteem and also contribute to their social status. In terms of specific target audience, their drivers are to purchase high quality clothes that are a statement, that do not follow the contracts of current trends and that will identify them with Vivienne Westwood’s distinct style and image. The brand’s most popular consumers are mainly from UK, USA and Asia. Red Label RTW is for women who want to wear designer clothes everyday. This lower price line takes on a younger aesthetic and adheres to current trends while still maintaining the elements of the iconic brand image.

Key attributes in this line are tartan plaid fabrics; body conscious cuts and dandified coats with rounded lapels. Gold Label is the demi couture line, which is Vivienne Westwood’s most fashion forward and innovative woman’s collection. This line is for women that push the boundaries of fashion, not adhering to social trends. Man is designed for a fashion conscious man who enjoys a new take on classic designs. Anglomania brings Vivienne Westwood’s avant gard designs to the new younger trend setting generation, diffusion woman and men’s wear. 10. Media Strategies The brand’s media strategy is simple yet effective. They only advertise in print magazines and online. Their media outlets do not include TV, radio or billboards like other designer brands. Their print advertisements always feature Vivienne Westwood herself and this is coherent and consistent with their brand image. Vivienne Westwood is an icon and the face of the brand. Her style and personality are the backbone for the brand’s image and by using her in all the advertisements, it reinforces the message being sent. Consumers see her in context with the other models wearing the clothes and this links the heritage of the brand with the latest collection.

The history of the Vivienne Westwood brand is essential in their style and image and this is being conveyed through their print advertisements. Vivienne Westwood’s advertisement campaigns are featured all around the world in Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle, Vanity Fair and New Woman, Grazia and Look. As the brand is quintessential British icon, the advertisements are feature more regularly in the UK magazines. All pages: Visiting Vivienne Westwood's World's End: Shopping Back In Time - Racked Visiting Vivienne Westwood's World's End: Shopping Back In Time pin Dame Vivienne Westwood is celebrated for designing unique and elegant British fashions, but she got her start creating iconic rock and roll streetwear for a little shop on London's Kings Road. The store, initially run with her then romantic and business partner, the late Malcolm McLaren, was initially called Let It Rock and sold Fifties-style Teddy Boy clothing. Over the years, the store went through various name and style incarnations such as Seditionaries and Too Fast To Live Too Young To Die. Its most famous manifestation, however, was as SEX. SEX sold bondage-inspired clothing and the band The Sex Pistols got their name, their clothing and their start there.

Westwood still operates the shop, but it's now called World's End. World's End is not a typical Westwood boutique. Instead of carrying her latest Red Label, Gold Label, Man and Anglomania collections, the shop carries rare one offs made from scrap materials, and reissues of iconic Westwood designs from days of yore. Many of these items can only be found at World's End or in their original incarnation in museum fashion exhibitions. We recently made pilgrimage to the legendary London shop. As mentioned, the shop is located on Kings Road, but it's fairly far west of the Sloane Square tube station, so fans won't just stumble upon it while wandering around that street's main shopping area. But even though it's out of the way, a visit to the store is well worth the trek. When we arrived there recently, we were thrilled to see that the legendary World's End giant clock, with its hands circling backwards, (taking us back in time) still hangs outside on the storefront, above the door. When people visit the Louvre, most are surprised to see how small the Mona Lisa is. We felt that way about World's End. The shop is miniscule. Lilliputian.

Probably less than 25' by 10'. It holds only a few racks of clothing, some shelves and one jewelry display case. It seems far too small to have been ground zero of the punk-inspired social, cultural and fashion revolutions, the impacts of which, are still being felt today. Our first thought upon entering was, "If the four Sex Pistols were hanging out here with Vivienne and Malcom, there'd be no room for anyone else." The store is dingy and its floor is sloped. It's easy to imagine a young Chrissie Hynde, back in the late Seventies, clerking behind the register. Today's sale assistants are dressed head to toe in Westwood's edgier attire—including headbands and badges. One initially struck us as as having a bit of an attitude, just like we'd imagine Chrissie might have had. But once she realized that we're big Westwood fans—she became very friendly, even mentioning that Adam Ant and some of the old SEX crew, still shop there. The store's stock is amazing, full of designs we'd previously only seen in museum exhibits.

Shoppers can buy reissues of iconic Westwood pieces like the Rocking Horse shoes and boots , Mountain hats, Pirate boots and hats, and bondage pants, along with a small selection of more current jewelry, buttons, purses, T-shirts, dresses and separates for both sexes. Prices aren't cheap, but tend to run less than items in her other stores. From the Pirates Collection, a hat was sale priced at £170, and a printed top, featuring the pattern worn by Bow Wow Wow in the "I Want Candy" video, found a new home with us back in New York, in exchange for £150.

Question: What is the name of Vivienne Westwood's clothes shop at 430 King's Road where she sells her Anglomania label?
Answer: World's End