Ouno recently compiled quotes by fashion designer Vivienne Westwood that SO totally fly-in-the-face of the usual fashionista view, we were knocked out: it is fashion-as-liberation, self-expression and NON-consumption. Our favorite Westwood quotes:
“Wear a towel instead of a coat, it’s very chic. Or your husband’s boxer shorts with a belt, or something from your grandmother. It’s all about do-it-yourself at the moment.” —Vivienne Westwood at the New Economics Forum in November 2011.
“There’s this idea that somehow you’ve got to keep changing things, and as often as possible. Maybe if people just decided not to buy anything for a while, they’d get a chance to think about what they wanted; what they really liked….”
…“If you ask me what I think people should be getting next season, I’ll tell you what I’d like them to buy—nothing. I’d like people to stop buying and buying and buying.” —Vivienne Westwood in the Oct. 4, 2007 edition of The Telegraph.
“People have never looked so ugly as they do today. We just consume far too much.. I’m talking about all this disposable crap. What I’m saying is buy less, choose well. Don’t just suck up stuff so everybody looks like clones. Don’t just eat McDonald’s, get something a bit better. Eat a salad. That’s what fashion is. It’s something that is a bit better.”—Vivienne Westwood, speaking to reporters after her Autumn/Winter 2012 show at London Fashion Week
At age 71, Westwood’s constantly-evolving look and flame-red hair defies the usual agist notions, which we love.
Via Ouno Design via Ecouterre
*Photo unattributed; if you know it’s provenance, please email us and we’ll insert a credit.
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Don’t like the compositions in the photos. It looks borderline psycholic.
Don’t like the compositions in the photos. Looks like borderline psychotic.
Just because V. Westwood flies on being fringey, eccentric, etc. doesn’t mean everything she throws together is good, or art, or fashion.
She’s got her own look, which sure isn’t mine, but really, her words are what got us: the are so the opposite of the usual fashion marketing.
To me it is not so much about the look she has -she says herself to not just copy things. I can admire a look even if it is not my style and find it as inspiring as a well-informed opinion . Talking from experience one can always learn and extract something for own use. I like changing perspective, it’s like a little mind-journey and i take some impressions home as souvenirs . It’s what i cherish about this blog .
btw. to stop buying to re-assess (and maybe then get stuff to create something yourself ) – yep ! good idea not just for clothing .
greetz,
sahana