W hen Vivienne Westwood met Malcolm McLaren and decid- ed to abandon a uniform life in the suburbs of London, no- body could have imagined that they would climb to the very top of the world’s fashion scene. A teacher who had artistic tenden- cies, alongside Malcolm, who would soon become the manager of cult punk band The Sex Pistols, turned to the design of clothes. The era of punk could begin. Vivienne and Malcolm were inspired by the Teddy Boy style characteristic of youth from the working class, who transposed Ed- wardian suits, long tailored jackets, tight trou- sers, shoes with clasps, white shirts and ties in the costume of the 1950s. Her working-class roots were her tick- et into the world of punk. The ideology of the then marginalised punks was close to her. Rebellion, individuality and the need to win freedom by destroying taboos were in- itially visualised through a kind of worker’s appearance. Corduroy trousers, chauffer’s leather jackets, safety pins, quilted trousers, fishnet socks, dog collars, black crayon, jew- ellery with razorblades, chains and the most famous mark of punks: the Mohican hairstyle. At its peak, punk slowly went from having a worker’s look to gaining a fashionable look and becoming a trend accepted around the planet. Like many times throughout history, fashion relied on the impression it created and the energy of an important social event. It was time to move on, so Vivienne left punk behind and turned to fashion. In 1981 Vivienne and Malcolm showed their first col- lection,“The Pirate”at London FashionWeek. Pirate trousers, cuts like stylish dresses, In- dian clothes composed of rectangles, the shifting of necklines... Vivienne made it clear with her first collection that after the punk era she would continue innovating, while at the same time drawing inspiration from past epochs and traditions. Next followed the Savage and Buffalo Girls collections, in which brassieres come to the forefront and are worn over clothing. At the time it was eccentric, but 35 years later it has becomea trend. For the past two years, elements of underwear have been the fo- cus of attention. She then introduced ball skirts and models made of recycled materials. After that, she ended her cooperation with McLaren and in 1985 made a radical shift in her fashion statement, turning towards tai- lored dresses and coats with a princess’s cut, emphasising femininity and accentuating the hips. The waist became her obsession, so she returned the corset to fashion. The rest is fashion history written in gold letters. Innovator and provocateur, Vivienne doesn’t accept provincial principles and in- sists on freedom – primarily in dressing. Still,
Innovator and provocateur, Vivienne doesn’t accept provincial principles and insists on freedom – primarily in dressing malograđanska načela i insistira na slobodi – prvenstveno oblačenja Inovator i provokator, Vivijen ne prihvata
what is extremely unexpected for a fashion designer is that she criticises consumerism– buy less, choose smartly. She promotes en- vironmental protection and rational water consumption. As another English eccentric- ity, or through sincere advocacy, Vivienne rides a bicycle through the streets of London and claims to bath once a week. Although she avoids the mainstream, she created the wedding gown worn by the character Car- rie Bradshaw in the film Sex and the City. In her rich career, she has received two Orders of the British Empire and has three times been declared British designer of the year – in 1990, 1991 and 2006. Even today, when we think we have won all our freedoms and that nothing else can surprise and shock us - Vivienne can. In her 76 th year, just as strong- ly and successfully as before, she manages to shock, surprise and delight...
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