Where the late Vivienne Westwood’s husband Andreas Kronthaler honored her life and career with his show in Paris, the focus for her London-based eponymous label—the company’s more commercial offering—was to carry on as usual. This was a deliberate move on the part of the internal team, who opted to present after Paris to ensure that Kronthaler’s outing served as a tribute to the designer founder.
For fall, the Westwood design team focused on the brand’s extensive archive. Inspired by the concept of a nomad who’s collecting myriad eras through textures and silhouettes, the garments combined new ideas with references to seasons past.
A spring 2014 checkered fabric, for instance, was transformed into a newly developed style—a rounded shoulder suit. Elsewhere, there was a distressed taupe jumper with a monkey motif from spring 1993 printed on it, as well as tailored separates for both men and women that featured the iconic off-kilter drunken tailor shape. The corset, an enduring Westwood hallmark that was introduced in the fall 1990 Portrait collection, was updated as the ‘Sunday corset’ by Kronthaler, which was made with a bodice on its underside and a soft, draped exterior. Leopard print could be found on button-up shirts, thigh-skimming dresses, and a plush teddy coat constructed out of woven wool (emulating the softness of shearling)—a throwback to fall 1991’s Dressing Up collection.
It goes without saying that Westwood’s legacy lives on—in the industry, as well as within her design studios. Devotees of the brand may feel at ease knowing that their favorite styles will continue to be explored, modernized, and re-produced here.
