Eccentric British designer Vivienne Westwood is sticking to her signature anti-establishment looks: Her fashion show in Paris today was an extravaganza of exaggerated taffeta ballgowns printed with the slogan “Active Resistance to Propaganda,” latex pants and a loincloth made of a chopped up T-shirt. Perfect for a night at the opera!
The collection, Ms. Westwood wrote in the show’s program, was called “56″ because of a controversial British Labour party proposal to increase the amount of time suspected terrorists can be detained before being charged with a crime to 56 days from 28. But the politics ended there.
“I use my collection as an opportunity to speak out in an age where this is becoming increasingly difficult,” Ms. Westwood wrote. “That said, the collection is about sex.”
The 66-year-old Ms. Westwood, best known for transforming punk style into high fashion in the 1970s with provocative garments such as the “bondage pant” — with a leather “hobble strap” that holds a wearer’s legs together — has been the subject of numerous museum exhibitions in recent years, including one that opens at the end of this month in Milan.
Now, Westwood’s managing director Carlo D’Amario, is trying to parlay curatorial enthusiasm into strong sales growth for the privately held company, by opening some 25 stores throughout Asia, Russia and Europe.
The goal to triple volume to €300 million ($428 million) seems at odds with Ms. Westwoods latest “manifesto” in which she rails against consumer culture and urges people to support the arts. (A copy of the manifesto, a 21-page dialogue between Pinocchio, a talking cricket and other assorted characters, was placed on each seat.)
“We are not against the consumer,” Mr. D’Amario explained. “We are against the mass market consumer. Don’t buy 10 dresses, buy two excellent ones.”
He added that sales in Milan have jumped 45% as a result of the exhibition.
Ms. Westwood dipped her toe into mass-market apparel design last year with a limited edition collection for the $2 billion Nine West shoe retailer, which is owned by Jones Apparel Group, Inc. The collection featured tartan-printed boots and lace up shoes that topped out at around $350. “Tartan, it is so sexy,” Mr. D’Amario said at the time.
The collection, Ms. Westwood wrote in the show’s program, was called “56″ because of a controversial British Labour party proposal to increase the amount of time suspected terrorists can be detained before being charged with a crime to 56 days from 28. But the politics ended there.
“I use my collection as an opportunity to speak out in an age where this is becoming increasingly difficult,” Ms. Westwood wrote. “That said, the collection is about sex.”
The 66-year-old Ms. Westwood, best known for transforming punk style into high fashion in the 1970s with provocative garments such as the “bondage pant” — with a leather “hobble strap” that holds a wearer’s legs together — has been the subject of numerous museum exhibitions in recent years, including one that opens at the end of this month in Milan.
Now, Westwood’s managing director Carlo D’Amario, is trying to parlay curatorial enthusiasm into strong sales growth for the privately held company, by opening some 25 stores throughout Asia, Russia and Europe.
The goal to triple volume to €300 million ($428 million) seems at odds with Ms. Westwoods latest “manifesto” in which she rails against consumer culture and urges people to support the arts. (A copy of the manifesto, a 21-page dialogue between Pinocchio, a talking cricket and other assorted characters, was placed on each seat.)
“We are not against the consumer,” Mr. D’Amario explained. “We are against the mass market consumer. Don’t buy 10 dresses, buy two excellent ones.”
He added that sales in Milan have jumped 45% as a result of the exhibition.
Ms. Westwood dipped her toe into mass-market apparel design last year with a limited edition collection for the $2 billion Nine West shoe retailer, which is owned by Jones Apparel Group, Inc. The collection featured tartan-printed boots and lace up shoes that topped out at around $350. “Tartan, it is so sexy,” Mr. D’Amario said at the time.
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