The Vivienne Westwood collection has not been seen on the catwalk since 2019. Before the return to the catwalk, the London team headed to China last night to officially close the Shanghai Fashion Week program (officially used loosely, there’s still a lot to do coming from Shanghai).
The show started with a men’s look, a pinstripe suit, worn with a pair of silver leather peep-toe heels. Two other masculine-looking models followed in black dresses, one of which carried a basketball to match his dress. “Black, the best color for summer,” says the collection’s press release. These looks and their gender-bending styling – a signature of the house, but lesser known in Shanghai – were a reminder of the kind of titillating play that made Dame Westwood a counterculture icon.
What followed was an amalgamation of a number of commercial ready-to-wear (T-shirts, denim miniskirts and jackets, knit separates); a range of leisure activities in the form of biker shorts, tights, a funky singlet and a pair of wide-leg sweats; and swimwear. It was a confusing product mix at times, especially the addition of a single Mao jacket. Not every label visiting Shanghai Fashion Week needs to take on the challenge of reassessing Chinese clothing. At the very least, the goal should be to do this with more effort, especially considering that a slew of talented local designers are already doing this kind of thing this week. It makes you wonder what a combination of the unique Westwood tailoring language could look like paired with something as sharp as a Mao suit or a cheongsam.
The real hits here were the favorite Westwood-isms. From tailored jackets and a delightfully signature Dame Vivienne skirt suit to a range of corsets and the designer’s signature plaid, it was these crowd-pleasers that the label should have focused on. On the menswear side, a black blouse with a ruffled collar and a cropped denim jacket, worn under a little black harness, were highlights
A few little sparkly dresses and draped gowns are sure to please the celebrity crowd in the United States. Now that Americans including Taylor Swift and Malia Obama are wearing the label, New York should be the next destination on Westwood’s itinerary.