Vivienne Westwood - A Brief Introduction

A brief introduction and history of the renowned British designer, Vivienne Westwood. Westwood shot to fame in the 80s with her debut fashion collection and has only skyrocketed since.

Being credited with creating the Punk movement, and receiving an Order of the British Empire from HRH Queen Elizabeth are both incredible accomplishments – but these are just two of the stories Westwood has to tell.

Vivienne Westwood’s career in fashion began in the early 70’s when, along with her husband, she opened a shop called ‘Let it Rock’ on London’s trendy Kings Road. Her time there would be spent living in the Punk culture, visiting the grunge and punk clubs and stitching together her first rock inspired clothes. By the mid-70’s the couple had a second boutique called ‘Sex’, which sold very erotic T-shirts and garments.

Vivienne Westwood’s first self-named collection was unleashed upon the World in 1982. The collection was a massive success and was followed up on in subsequent years. Her 1984 sports collection, ‘Hypnos’, was the first range of sports clothing to have fluorescent fabric featured on the Catwalk.

Westwood’s dedication to fashion and her ability push the boundaries of style and taste are well known and very well respected. She has expanded the realm of fashion and consistently surprises the industry with her incredible designs. Vivienne has been well rewarded for her contributions, having been the receiver of several awards, including an O.B.E. from HRH Queen Elizabeth II!

Vivienne Westwood Men’s clothing – called Vivienne Westwood Man – is a year-on-year barrage of success. They contain some of the most sought after designs and command respect, awe and envy. She has a talent for taking the ordinary and reimagining it – she’s also a trend-breaker as much as she is a trend-setter. While many designers were focused on twisted-seam jeans, Vivienne took that to the next level and gave us twisted-seam shirts. Wearing any of Westwood’s formalwear is the ultimate statement of style directly in the face of corporate conformity. All the important elements are in place – smart shirt, pressed trousers, slick belt – but they’re all different. Standing out does not even come into it – you’ll positively dominate your peers.

Westwood’s range of accessories is as famous and respected as her main lines of clothing. Her rings, in particular, are lustfully acquired by many jewellers who recognise their beauty and value. Men and Women everywhere gaze upon the Westwood orbs, skulls and typography; even when they might not have given any other brand a second look.

Vivienne Westwood’s history goes beyond that of just a great designer. She’s accredited with creating the Punk look and contributing to its lifestyle. She made cool the ‘edginess’, and has lived up to it with every second of her life. In terms of how the public perceive her, she has truly gone above and beyond other designers. In 2008 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Westwood was honoured by a nationwide Museum Exhibitions showcasing the highlights of her designs, personality and history throughout her life. This was an incredibly popular exhibition and appealed to an enormous range of visitors. Museums all across the country were celebrating at just how many attendees there were!

The Spring and Summer 2010 collection from Vivienne Westwood promises to be a show-stopping, game-changing range of the best designs Vivienne Westwood has ever given the World. The collection has a loose pirate theme – her show at London Fashion Week featured the stripes, loose clothing, eye patches and hats one would associate with pirates. It’s a look that works incredibly well, her showcased suits are to die for and her casual wear reaches a level of, well, casualness that just has not been seen before. This coming season was already going to be a great one for fashion, but with Vivienne’s contribution it just became even better – one to definitely not miss!