Vivienne Westwood draped chiffon blouse, ss 1993
About the Item
- Designer:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: One Size (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU14027182171
Vivienne Westwood
For someone who regularly swatted away the industry that made her, audacious British fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood certainly knew her way around a garment. And she knew how to provoke. “I don’t follow fashion,” Westwood once told the New York Times. “I’ve never been interested in it.” Collectors are certainly interested in her work, and vintage Vivienne Westwood dresses, handbags, lingerie and jackets have become very desirable over the years.
Westwood was born Vivienne Isabel Swire in a village in Derbyshire, in central England, but moved to London as a teen. In the early 1960s, she began to make her own necklaces and other jewelry and met an artist, activist and entrepreneur named Malcolm McLaren. They became involved romantically and she made clothes for him in the style of the Teddy Boys — the city’s music-crazed, occasionally violent teenagers at the time who wore high-waisted trousers and tailored velvet blazers that drew on Edwardian-era fashions.
Westwood and McLaren opened a vintage shop on King’s Road in London in 1971. The flared denim and peasant blouses of the 1960s, then still popular with the “peace and love” set, didn’t hold any weight for Westwood. Instead, she was interested in provocative, edgy apparel. She repaired used clothing and endeavored to create bold new designs from scratch.
Together Westwood and McLaren sold older rock-and-roll records, customized T-shirts with antiestablishment slogans, biker jackets and snug trousers inspired by the Marlon Brando film The Wild One as well as bondage fetish wear. The shop, once called Let It Rock and then Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die before Sex became a more appropriate moniker, evolved into a youth mecca. The DIY garments — zippered tops, burnt tees emblazoned with anarchist messages — flew off the shelves. More notably, it brought punk to the masses.
Westwood was soon dressing the Sex Pistols, a band that McLaren managed, all the while bridging the gap between music and fashion in a manner that has reverberated throughout the industry for decades.
In 1981, the couple’s first fashion show marked the debut of their Pirate collection — a swashbuckler-themed line that sprang from Westwood’s research into Indigenous Americans and the “power garments” of the Louis XIV era. The collection’s ample proportions and cutting-edge tailoring countered punk’s geometry and tight latex fits as well as what rocker Adam Ant called the “Puritanism” that plagued England at the time. The Pirate collection’s enduring influence on the world of fashion as well as the theatrical work of designers such as John Galliano and Alexander McQueen is undeniable.
For the colorful corsets of her 1990 Portrait collection, Westwood drew on 18th-century oil paintings — her models donned the pearl necklaces that have become a social media star and a favorite of influencers and fashion lovers all over the world. For a jacket-and-shorts suit from her Fall/Winter 1996–97 Storm in a Teacup line, the designer used the extreme asymmetry of a tartan mash-up to confront, according to Westwood, “the horror of uniformity and minimalism.”
The self-taught Westwood enjoyed a rapid ascent in fashion, with British society embracing her looks and Vogue immortalizing them in its glossy pages. She garnered accolades for introducing corsets to the runway and dressed Kate Moss and Helena Bonham Carter. And an original Vivienne Westwood wedding dress is featured in 2008’s Sex and the City film.
The fires of political and environmental activism burned brightly for Westwood: She was a Greenpeace ambassador, having designed the organization’s official “Save the Arctic” logo; her clothing brand is committed to using recycled canvas and other eco-friendly materials in the production process; and in 2020, she protested the extradition of Julian Assange by suspending herself in a bird cage outside London’s Old Bailey court. But she will always be the grande dame of British design.
Find an extraordinary range of vintage Vivienne Westwood shirts, shoes, gowns and other items today on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: London, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Worlds End pink cotton 'Punkature' oversized blouse, ss 1983By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBWorlds End by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren. Pink cotton oversized blouse. Oversized turn up cuffs with Velcro fastening, signature using Bla...Category
1980s British Blouses
- Vivienne Westwood blue and white striped back to front blouse, ss 1989By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBVivienne Westwood blue and white striped back to front blouse with metallic gold motifs on the cuffs Spring-Summer 1989Category
1980s British Blouses
- Margiela pink cotton oversized deconstructed folded shirt, ss 2001By Maison Martin MargielaLocated in London, GB▪ Martin Margiela pink oversized shirt ▪ 100% Cotton ▪ Oversized fit ▪ Deconstructed design with sewn folds ▪ Embroidered four-leaf clover ▪ Size Medium ▪ Spring-Summer 2001Category
Early 2000s Italian Blouses
- Vivienne Westwood 'Cut, Slash & Pull' blue voile oversized shirt dress, ss 1991By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBVivienne Westwood; dusty blue cotton voile oversized blouse with large bishop sleeves, pointed collar, and ascending hemline from front. Signature slashes throughout the whole blouse...Category
1990s British Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Martin Margiela white and black striped inverted overlocked vest, ss 1991By Maison Martin MargielaLocated in London, GBPresenting an extraordinary archival Martin Margiela inverted vest top from the Spring-Summer 1991 collection, a key piece that marks the inception of Martin's illustrious career and...Category
1990s Italian Blouses
- Gianni Versace black and white polkadot silk ruffled shirt dress, ss 1993By Gianni VersaceLocated in London, GBGianni Versace black and white polkadot printed silk shirt dress with ruffled trim. Spring-Summer 1993Category
1990s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Oscar De La Renta Lace Silk Blouse, 1990sBy Oscar De La RentaLocated in Scottsdale, AZCut From Flattering Stretch-Silk. In A Versatile Ivory Hue, This Wear-Anywhere-With-Anything Oscar De La Renta Blouse Stands Out For Its Lace Appliqued Sleeves And Elegant Bell Sleev...Category
1990s American Blouses
- Jean-Claude Jitrois Couture White Leather TopBy Jean-Claude JitroisLocated in Scottsdale, AZFeel All Of The 80s Vibes In This custom Couture Leather Shirt Jacket which is numbered 1516 was worn by Bridgette Nelson as seen pictured in listing! Circa 1980s, this Jean Claude Jitrois top is crafted from white leather and features a shimmery silver abstract pipping pattern, fox fur trim, billowy sleeves, boatneck collar, and zipper closure on the back. Sure to keep you cozy at all your winter getaways, this shirt jacket will pair perfectly with your favorite YSL leather pants...Category
1980s French Blouses and Tops
- Gianni Versace Versus 1990's Print BlouseBy VersaceLocated in Scottsdale, AZGet your hands on this cool and vibrant blouse! By none other than the Gianni Versace, he introduced Versus as a secondary line as a gift to his adored sister, Donatella. Each collection of Versus is ready-to-wear and comprised of accessories, eyewear, watches, and garments. Gianni said that this collection was born with a very creative approach with focus on innovation and unconventional ideas which anticipates new trends. This blouse uses a combination of vibrant colors like pink, purple, green, and yellow. Trust me, you will not blend into the crowd with this blouse! The details of the print are incredible so be sure to zoom in on the photos. It features a collared neck and gold buttons on the sleeves. Pair this blouse with a Dolce and Gabbana mini...Category
1990s Blouses
- Valentino Pinstripe Blue and White Silk Button DownBy ValentinoLocated in Thousand Oaks, CAValentino Pinstripe Blue and White Silk Button Down Vertical pinstriped blue and white silk button down shirt by Valentino. A wardrobe essential! Reta...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Blouses
- CHANEL Black Sheer Sleeveless Collar Blouse Size 36By ChanelLocated in Thousand Oaks, CACHANEL Black, Sheer, Sleeveless, Collar Blouse. Zip up blouse with pleather tie strings. Collared with a swing shape. 100% silk. Collar: 71% wool, 23% silk, 6% nylon. Size 36. Great Condition. Model is wearing with black camisole.Category
2010s French Blouses
- Prada Pink and Silver Strapless Bustier With waist bow SZ MBy PradaLocated in Thousand Oaks, CAPrada pink and silver metallic strapless bustier. Front bow accent. Back zip. Crop length. Acetate, cotton, silk blend. Size 40 (fits small - US 4 ) Excellent ConditionCategory
2010s Blouses
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Vivienne Westwood’s Punk Spirit Lives On in This ’90s Tartan Ensemble
The shorts suit in a mash-up of patterns with an asymmetrical cut speaks to the designer’s rebellious spirit.
This Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen Ensemble Is Part Zsa Zsa Gabor, Part ‘Blade Runner’
As Burton steps away from the brand, it’s a fitting time to revisit one of her visionary designs.