Vivienne Westwood is one of the most influential designers in modern fashion, known for her ability to blend historical fashion influences with avant-garde and rebellious designs. Her work often reflects a deep reverence for historical aesthetics, but she manipulates them in ways that challenge conventional ideas of style, elegance, and form. Westwood’s use of history in her designs tells a story that both honors the past and pushes it forward. Let’s dive into how historical fashion has shaped Vivienne Westwood’s iconic dress designs.
Reviving Victorian Fashion: Corsets and Bustles
One of the most prominent historical influences on Vivienne Westwood’s dress designs comes from the Victorian era, particularly the use of corsetry and bustles. Victorian fashion was known for its elaborate and structured silhouettes, often involving tightly fitted corsets and expansive skirts supported by bustles. Westwood’s early work in the 1980s, including her “Pirate Collection,” showcased her fascination with the Victorian period.
However, Westwood did not merely replicate these historical garments. She took the structure of the corset and turned it into a symbol of both empowerment and sensuality, redefining how women could wear this form of clothing. Her corset dresses, often paired with asymmetric hemlines or modern fabrics, were a fresh take on Victorian silhouettes, combining the discipline of history with the freedom of contemporary design. In doing so, she broke the conventional boundaries of what historical fashion could be.
The Influence of Rococo Fashion: Luxury and Ornamentation
Westwood’s design philosophy often includes elements from the Rococo period, an era known for its luxurious, opulent, and highly decorative fashion. The Rococo style was characterized by elaborate gowns, extravagant embellishments, and intricate fabrics. This influence is particularly evident in many of Westwood’s more ornate creations, where lavish details like lace, draping, and voluminous skirts evoke the splendor of the 18th century.
Westwood incorporates these Rococo elements in modern ways, fusing them with her punk aesthetic to create stunning contradictions. For example, she might combine a luxurious brocade fabric (a hallmark of the Rococo era) with edgy cuts or a structured design that retains the opulence of the past while challenging the traditional elegance expected of such fabrics. This mix of historical extravagance with modern punk edge is what makes Westwood’s dresses truly unique.
The 18th Century: Frocks and Revolutionary Silhouettes
Vivienne Westwood has often drawn from the bold silhouettes of the 18th century, particularly the extravagant gowns worn during the French Revolution. The frock coat, often associated with the masculine attire of this era, has had a lasting impact on her designs. Westwood has reinterpreted these historical forms to create more androgynous and gender-fluid looks.
She plays with the 18th-century notion of structured, corset-like shapes but uses them in a more casual, relaxed manner. Her use of frock coats and Regency-era-inspired dresses captures the essence of 18th-century fashion while reflecting her rebellious, forward-thinking approach. In addition, the 18th century’s revolutionary spirit and disregard for rigid norms resonate strongly with Westwood’s ethos, as she constantly pushes against fashion’s traditional boundaries.
Medieval and Renaissance Inspirations: Draping and Opulence
The Medieval and Renaissance periods have also had a significant impact on Vivienne Westwood’s dress designs. Known for their rich, flowing fabrics, regal designs, and intricate draping, the Medieval and Renaissance styles are often evoked in her more ethereal, fantasy-inspired collections. Westwood has taken inspiration from these periods to create dresses that have a grand, yet soft and feminine feel.
For example, her collections often feature rich silks and velvets reminiscent of Renaissance paintings, paired with fluid, sculptural draping that mimics the gowns worn by royalty during these periods. The voluminous dresses with layers of fabric, particularly those with low backs or asymmetrical shapes, bring the grandeur of history into the contemporary realm. Westwood’s ability to incorporate the opulence of Renaissance fashion while adding her own flair makes her work timeless and distinctly modern.
The Influence of 1960s Mod Fashion: Tailoring and Structure
In addition to historical fashion periods like the Victorian and Rococo eras, Westwood’s designs have also been influenced by the style of the 1960s, particularly the Mod movement. This era was characterized by bold prints, geometric shapes, and precise tailoring, offering a sleek contrast to the extravagant historical fashions that Westwood often revisits.
In her earlier collections, Westwood embraced the clean lines and structured silhouettes of the 1960s while still maintaining her signature rebellious edge. The “mini-crini” dress, for example, combined the voluminous skirts of the 1950s with the sleek, shorter hemlines of the 1960s, allowing her to create a hybrid garment that echoed both the past and present. Her use of tailored dresses with sharp lines, paired with playful prints and modern cuts, offered a fresh take on 1960s Mod fashion, showing how history can influence modern, edgy designs.
The Victorian Influence Revisited: The “Mini-Corset” Dress
One of the most notable and lasting influences from historical fashion on Vivienne Westwood’s designs is the corset, especially the reinterpretation of the Victorian undergarment into her “mini-corset” dresses. Westwood’s use of the corset not only honors the shape and structure of the Victorian period but also adds an element of sensuality and power to it.
The mini-corset dress is a key example of Westwood’s skill in taking a historical garment and making it wearable, comfortable, and daring in modern fashion. These dresses often combine the tight-fitting structure of a corset with a relaxed, flowing skirt or even a casual design that makes the dress suitable for various occasions, from formal events to everyday wear. The result is a garment that speaks to the past but is undeniably forward-thinking.
Conclusion: History Meets Modern Rebellion
Vivienne Westwood’s designs are a testament to the power of history in shaping contemporary fashion. By drawing from various historical periods—including the Victorian, Rococo, 18th century, Medieval, Renaissance, and even 1960s Mod fashion—she creates garments that defy traditional notions of style and beauty. Her work showcases a unique ability to blend historical elements with modern rebellion, making her designs timeless and influential. Westwood’s dresses not only celebrate the past but challenge the conventions of fashion, allowing for an ongoing dialogue between history and the future of style.
