Vivienne Westwood presents the spring summer 2023 collection through a digital launch and lookbook.
“The Queen performs a national service. Every morning she has her breakfast, most days her outfit is already decided for her royal appointment - shake hands, give speeches. Every institution in our country wants her acknowledgement and attribution. Her life is prescribed. The Royal Family, as an institution, is social cement. The Queen holds the country together. She’s a figurehead of international diplomacy. I think it’s so important that our Royal Family is hereditary, the family member’s learn diplomacy by osmosis and develop a sense of duty to our country and to the world. We all owe her our gratitude.”
Vivienne Westwood
Inspiration
Shot in the suburbs of Paris, in and around the high rises of the 20th arrondissement, where urban landscapes are giving space to localized areas of rewilding, and rooftop cityscapes. The title of this collection BORN TO REWILD appears in multiple guises; cotton underwear, embroidered denim, formal fil-coupes, and pin-stripe jacquard suiting. Flower blocking with new and archive floral prints – clashing.
Collection notes
Kyoto-inspired brothel creepers worn by Teddy Boys and Rockers. New shapes and silhouettes; ‘cut-out’ or ‘torn’ pattern systems for tailoring, shirts, and organic denim, and interpretations of the 'Footballer’ – exaggerated shoulders and tapered waists.
Our neon summer tartan ‘MacAndy’ – drawn from our AW’93 Anglomania collection – is inspired by the 18th-century French craze for British Dress; stout tweeds, colorful tartans; Vargas platforms, kilts, corset skirts, and the Pourpoint Bomber.
Our blue & white English school stripe suiting and BORN IN ENGLAND woven jacquard denim sits with Ken Russell’s Teddy Girl-inspired platform sandals, and geometric knitwear inspired by 14th Century German needlework.
The ‘heart’ motif, synonymous with the house, is used across relaxed jacquard felpa and knitwear and informs a new silhouette – ‘the heart system’ – given to a heart dress and our new heart corset.
Our Unisex tailoring in the Infinity & Saturn print – is inspired by the Horoscopic astrological event of ‘Saturn Return’, which is said to occur only a small number of times in one’s lifetime. It represents a period of significant change and transformation.
Rewilding Britain
Rewilding offers hope for tackling nature and climate emergencies while delivering a cascade of benefits for people. It’s the large-scale restoration of nature until it can take care of itself again. It’s about reinstating vital natural processes and repairing damaged ecosystems.
We are supporting Rewilding Britain rewildingbritain.org.uk which is taking ambitious action for major nature recovery across 30% of Britain by 2030. They are influencing decision-makers, raising awareness, and upscaling rewilding on land and at sea through the Rewilding Network. As part of the Global Rewilding Alliance rewildingglobal.org, it is helping create positive change worldwide.
We are supporting Rewilding Britain rewildingbritain.org.uk which is taking ambitious action for major nature recovery across 30% of Britain by 2030. They are influencing decision-makers, raising awareness, and upscaling rewilding on land and at sea through the Rewilding Network. As part of the Global Rewilding Alliance rewildingglobal.org, it is helping create positive change worldwide.
Download the full lookbook below.
viviennewestwood.com
Instagram: @viviennewestwood
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