Vivienne-Westwood | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Featured

Vivienne-Westwood

Why this iconic designer has stood out to society within the last several decades.

1865
Vivienne-Westwood
https://topmodanova.com/products/aesthetic-print-crop-tops

For the last several decades, the iconic fashion designer Vivienne Westwood has taken fashion to a new level by creating a trademark style of clothing showcasing lines ranging from 16th-century renaissance and early 90s punk. Westwood has combined a sense of elegance with a clash of rebellion, creating looks that cross the boundaries of fashion expression. Clothes that are sexy with a little edge, push the boundaries of what might be considered proper society fashion.

Following a resurgence in Westwood’s fashions thanks to current influencers such as Bella Hamid, Zendaya, Dua Lipa, and Kylie Jenner, Westwood is most known for her controversial and alluring style that rose to the top of the fashion industry in the 1970s. During this period, punk culture created panic and a cultural shift within society. With its vulgar lyrics and provocative style, punk was a stray away from not only the typical music style of the day but also within the fashion industry.

Punk was seen as a way for people to express their personal identities and not conform to society's standards of religious or cultural backgrounds. Westwood alongside designer and partner Malcolm McLaren created a punk aesthetic for a rock band, the Sex Pistols, that would change anything the fashion industry has previously seen.

Westwood integrated traditionally different styles of clothing together such as graphic tees, lots of leather, plaid skirts, safety pin jewelry, skull and crossbones patterns, chain necklaces, and lots of layered clothes. Her take on fashion was seen as very vulgar and shocking to society as the free-flowing hippie movement had heavily influenced the previous decade.

Punk rock clothing allowed a sense of expressionism as Motown, Surf Rock, Folk Rock, and the British Music Invasion heavily influenced the 1960s music scene as rock started to evolve from early Rock & Roll. Punk rock was seen as a way in which people could express their uniqueness, emotions, and loudness. Those who enjoy punk rock were often overlooked when it comes to society's standards. Westwood and McLaren created a brand that allowed those who enjoyed punk to feel a sense of understanding and their own place within society.

Westwood’s departure from Malcolm McLaren from their brand in the early 1980s transitioned Westwood to a new fashion era that was heavily influenced by the renaissance. Westwood’s clothing style revolved around an embrace of expressing a woman's sexuality as Westwood continued to revolt against society’s rules.

Westwood’s looks were inspired by 18th-century paintings in which her style was represented by corsets, pearl accessories, floral patterns, big hats, fur coats, and sleek gloves. Westwood introduced a controversial aspect as she designed undergarments to be worn as outerwear.

This period also marked her departure from the punk rock scene. Embracing the growing expression of women’s sexuality, Vivienne Westwood continued to push back against conformist society. This was seen in her Spring/Summer 1985 collection that featured the “mini-crini”, a modern take on the crinoline undergarment mixed with the mini-skirt craze of the 1980s. She reimagined the restrictive corset into an object of liberation. The iconic corset has seen a resurgence of love in the historic and archival fashion trends.

The Renaissance era for Westwood served as a way for her to see herself more as a designer as she was able to break away from McLaren and express more femininity within her style and not just fashion McLaren’s style. This era served as a time that allowed women to openly express their sexuality and freedom through the clothing that they wore.

Report this Content
university
University of Nebraska at Omaha

Creating your schedule for the upcoming semester can be an exciting process. You have the control to decide if you want to have class two-days a week or five-days a week. You get to check things off of your requirement checklist. It's an opportunity for a fresh start with new classes (which you tell yourself you'll never skip.) This process, which always starts out so optimistic, can get frustrating really quickly. Here are 25 thoughts you have when registering for classes.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

10 Thoughts Of A 5th Year Senior

What about those of us who don't do it all in four years?

615
college shirt
pointsincase.com

"College will be the best four years of your life" is a phrase that we have all heard growing up. College is painted as a magical place to us while we are in high school. A place you go to learn, meet your best friends and probably have the time of your life while all of this is going down. Four whirlwind years, where everything that you've known changes and you start to learn what it means to live on your own, have a job, etc. But what about those of us who don't do this all in four years? Major changes, hard courses, switching schools, career paths changing, these are just a handful of factors that could extend your four years to five, six or seven. There is nothing wrong with taking extra time to graduate, but returning as a fifth-year is a little different. Most of your best friends have most likely graduated and moved and while you may be one of the oldest undergraduates on campus, you might feel as awkward as a freshmen. A world that became home and comfortable to you is still there but it's slightly different than you've known it to be and you have to find a groove to fall into. These are thoughts you'll have as you look ahead to returning to your college campus, with a victory lap planned.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

17 Times "Friends" Accurately Described Life

You can't say that no one told you life was gonna be this way.

30
friends

In the 12 years since it went off the air, "Friends" continues to be adored by millions. The show that gave generations unrealistic expectations about love (or should I say lobsters?) and New York City apartments had a charming cast of characters that everyone could relate to at some point or another. Here are 17 times Ross, Monica, Joey, Chandler, Phoebe and Rachel accurately described life.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

11 Times Aubrey Plaza Described Sophomore Year

"I don't want to do things. I want to do not things."

398
Aubrey Plaza
Flickr Creative Commons

Aubrey Plaza is one of my favorite humans in Hollywood. She's honest, blunt, unapologetic, and hilarious. I just started my sophomore year of college, and found that some of her best moments can accurately describe the start of the school year.

1. When your advisor tells you that you should declare a major soon.

2. Seeing the lost and confused freshmen and remembering that was you a short year ago, and now being grateful you know the ins and outs of the campus.

3. Going to the involvement fair to sign up for more clubs knowing that you are already too involved.

4. When you actually do the reading required for the first class.

5. Seeing your friends for the first time since last semester.

6. When you're already drowning in homework during syllabus week.

7. Realizing you don't have the same excitement for classes as you did as a freshman.

8. Going home and seeing people from high school gets weirder the older you get.

Keep Reading...Show less
graduation

Things you may not realize are different between high school and college:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments