Vivienne Westwood Red Label RTW S/S ‘16
Austerity, is a crime in both senses of the word at Vivienne Westwood’s show at London fashion week; extreme plainness in style, and economic conditions created by the government to reduce budget deficits. The clothes, in true Westwood form were anything but simple, and the queen of anti-establishment presentations let loose again with a government protest at the Red Label show.
The collection, which was themed ‘Mirror the World’, implies that “you understand the world through art and culture”, says Westwood. “You’re like a tiny shard of mirror that’s an exact copy of the whole world. It evokes an idea of wanting to do your best for the world, by not being blind to what’s in it. That’s why the models paraded the runway to a soundtrack of riot and chaos noises, with a girl mindlessly chanting on repeat: “Go crazy, post everyday, everyday, boom, boom, hashtag, hashtag, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest”. Basically put down your phones, and open your eyes to current world issues; It was like the subliminal messaging was a rebuttable, purposedly heard. If you’re in Westwood’s position, you can use your runway as a protest platform. The protest came first, clothes second, pertaining again to the idea of being held at the mercy of nature and of others. Undoubtedly, what’s more important in this world, the clothes, or the climate? the fashion or the fracking movement? This display came only a week after Westwood turned up in a tank outside the UK’s prime minster David Cameron’s house in an effort to publicly challenge the controversial fracking plans that he is trying to administer throughout the UK.
{Fracking is intended as an economic, energy security solution, recovering gas and oil from shale rock. Gas is released when sand, high-pressure water, and potentially carcinogenic chemicals are directed at the rock deep inside the earth. The process may have somewhat transformed the energy industry in the U.S., but it has also caused real environmental concerns, particularly chemical contamination of groundwater, and fracking related earth tremors.} |
Photo: nymag.com
Photo: usatoday.com
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Well, you might be wondering what can you do about it? “You’ve got to demonstrate!”, declares Westwood..
Photo: wwd.com
‘Climate Revolution’ written on a graphic long-sleeved cotton top makes a statement, while the oil-slick look on the models eyes suggest both being blinded to truth, and oil-spilling issues. Westwood’s signature tartan-print is given a wet-look using a shiny lamé fabric for the bloomer-style trousers, worn with sand-colored slip-ons. Westwood demonstrates a kind of, get educated, with the book as an anchor for the outfit.
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Photo: wwd.com
There’s no denying the impact of the color, red, used for an entire outfit. Maybe she’s suggesting, danger? The standout look is a top and skirt combination of textured linen tailored at an angle, or cut lopsided. The body brace almost resembles a plastic six-pack beverage holder (like the things that have caused environmental concern when dead animals have been found entangled on our shores.) The wet-straggly hair looks like she just emerged from the sea too.
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Photo: wwd.com
What’s your carbon-footprint? is what Westwood is saying here. A monster-sized charcoal footprint mars an otherwise bright and simple t-shirt. Her British-style tailoring is distinctive in the fitted jacket and puffed high-waisted trouser suit which hints at her admitted “politicians are criminals” beliefs.
Her messages are expressed in the Red Label because “I’m here to sort of say something” says Westwood. “Like a crazy person, because people aren’t saying it, they’re all pretending everything’s normal.” |
The voice of the Westwood girl dares you: go on, ‘put your stuff on a fashion app, get on a fashion app…
you’ll get so many followers’.
you’ll get so many followers’.
Video: Vivienne Westwood YouTube channel
Runway Gallery
Runway images: wwd.com