A favourite fashion brand
Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood is a luxury fashion brand created by Dame Vivienne Isabel Westwood. Westwood was an English fashion designer and businesswoman who is most famously known for bringing modern punk into the limelight. Westwood started her brand in 1971 and ever since, has been a worldwide fashion icon!
Whenever I’m asked about my favourite brand/ designer, the first person who comes to mind is the punk fashion icon, Vivienne Westwood. I think this stems from the admiration my gran had for Vivienne Westwood and her brand and this was something we could bond over. My gran was really into fashion, particularly luxury fashion brands and this is what triggered my interest in fashion to begin with, and later form my appreciation for Vivienne Westwood.
As well as the designers’ garments, Vivienne Westwood jewellery is a favourite of mine- I feel it communicates a classy, luxurious yet slightly minimalistic look.
One thing that made Vivienne Westwood stand out to me as a designer and brand was the fact that she wasn’t afraid to be different and stray away from the norm, and this is communicated through her collections. In an interview with Harper and Queen magazine in 1983, Westwood claimed “The great thing about my clothes- the way they make you feel grand and strong- is to do with the sexy way they emphasise your body and make you aware of it”.[1] Westwood wanted her models and her consumers to feel sexy and empowered when wearing her garments- it was about more than just designing garments that look good, but rather garments that look and make women feel their best.
Vivienne Westwood’s ‘Portrait’ collection is one of my favourites, which predominantly consisted of corsets. The corset has historical significance, and the purpose of a corset has changed over time. For me, corsets symbolise female empowerment, an item women can wear to feel sexy and confident. Corsets can be style in several different ways and Westwood explored throughout this collection.
For me, Vivienne Westwood allowed every woman to feel confident, sexy and be their true selves. It gave women an opportunity to speak through what they wore, and they didn’t have to be afraid of being different. This is why I love Vivienne Westwood; women can feel and look their best.
[1] Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2023, Pirates Vivienne Westwood, https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O75527/pirates-ensemble-vivienne-westwood/