Saturday, October 04, 2008

My girl, Viv

Ahh, Vivienne. All I know about her is a concoction of tidbits from obsessive research and undying curiosity dating as far back as being thirteen years old. She was the first designer whose clothes I fell in unrequited love with. When I started making my own clothes as a teen, my first tendency was to rouche the fabric the way Westwood does, and, to add bustles, and exaggerated volume. The few pieces I own of her's are a bit oddball, they make me look like a punk pirate with an eye for dirty luxury.

Since, then, the appreciation has not faded. I don't adore every single piece in her collections, but I do find that each show has something - an idea, a look, a silhouette, that is worth taking away. Foremost, Viv's an uncompromising visionary. Less affected by season trends than many of her fashion cohorts, there is a certain consistency in everything the Vivienne Westwood house produces: Victorian structure, unadulterated punk nastiness, collage colors, volume, architectural draping, and beauty: beauty in something radically broken.

In the attached clip (click on the image above), wild Vivvie speaks candidly at her Spring/Summer 2009 show about staying away from compulsive bargain shopping. She suggests instead, "Buy less, let it grow old, and choose well." I couldn't agree with her opinion more, but her propsed solution for the scant wardrobe is a bit insane: 'next time you're at a loss, pull down your curtains and wrap yourself in that instead!' In her words, "If you don't have too much... You can make things out of your tablecloth or curtains. Don't get depressed! " Aww, Viv. Who would of guessed you were such a practical girl?

4 comments:

prettyneons said...

Wow amazing post, couldn't of put that better myself...

Kites and bobbins
Prettyneons

Anonymous said...

vivian westwood id one of the best.....Richard

Anonymous said...

vivienne's book of designs was the first coffee table book i bought at twelve for my sister. vivienne won my heart again when she used gypsies in her show. viv is my girl to. do you have an email address by any chance?

life . style . dissected said...

i will definitely check out the ysl mascaras! thanks for the tip.

as for queen viv - i adore her, can't get enough!

x
melissa