Vivienne Westwood

Mad Men Star Christina Hendricks The New Face of Vivienne Westwood

Filed under: Jewelry

christina hendricks for vivienne westwood

Mad Men co-star Christina Hendricks is hailed by some as a new modern ideal of Hollywood glamour--full figured, voluptuous; a throwback to the days of Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell a and Veronica Lake.

That is just what U.K. designer Vivienne Westwood was looking for when she tapped Hendricks to front for her Get A Life Palladium jewelry collection.

Westwood told the Daily Mail: "Christina is the embodiment of beauty and we were delighted to have been able to involve her with this new jewelry collection. She has proved to be the perfect model for the campaign."

Tags: AMC, Christina Hendricks, Mad Men, The Daily Mail, Vivienne Westwood

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Vivienne Westwood Red Label Show and Collaboration with Chivas Regal Unveiled (exclusive with video)

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Design

Vivienne Westwood is a busy Dame. Dame Vivienne, that is. The iconic London-based fashion designer is one of the rare few who shows her collections in various cities, including Milan, London and Paris. When Luxist had the opportunity to experience her work up-close on Sunday evening when she unveiled her Red Label Fall/Winter 2011 collection, it was on the third day of London Fashion Week. Earlier that day, her Austrian-born husband, Andreas Kronthaler, Vivienne Westwood's Creative Director, noted, they did a fitting with Helena Bonham Carter for the Academy Awards. A busy day, indeed.

Vivienne West's show was larger than life (see video below). It was presented at the grand Royal Courts of Justice at London's Strand, a gothic cathedral-like setting that was befitting for a designer of Dame Vivienne's stature. The inspiration behind her "Red Label" collection show was Lewis Carroll's "Alice through the looking glass" which evoked a feeling of British society and change. Models wore tartan prints, dresses with mis-matched seams, fantastic oversized hats (designed by Prudence Millinery, some were crowns), over-the-top makeup (including gold-painted faces) and hair styles that seemed to defy gravity. A video of the entire show can be seen on Vivienne Westwood's website.

Bold face names at the show included Jo Wood (ex-wife of Rolling Stones Ronnie Wood), singer Paloma Faith, Boy George, former tenns pro Boris Becker, Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes, and contemporary artist Tracy Emin. All were wowed by the show which was as magnificient a production as the Red Label Collection itself. "I am a big fan of Vivienne's, so I enjoyed the show," Nick Rhodes told Luxist backstage after the show. "She always has a few surprises. She is remarkably good at cutting things. So it has always reminds me of the Japanese, but I think they took it from Vivienne. I thought some of things were really exquisitely beautiful. There was one skirt and blouse toward the end that was quite classical. It was a black skirt with a white blouse that I thought was just exquisite---beautiful."

Former pro tennis player Boris Becker was equally impressed with the collection. "I thought, as always, she was spectacular with the different designs and the makeup--one girl was golden," Becker told Luxist. "Her creativity never stops. The Royal Court of Justice is a unique location with a very long runway. The girls did have to walk a long time, but nobody faulted and everyone did a good job."

Gallery: Vivienne Westwood's Red Label Fall 2011 Collection

Vivienne Westwood Red Label Collection Fall/Winter 2011

Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran backstage at the Vivienne Westwood Red Label Collection show

Chivas Regal 18 Year Old by Vivienne Westwood

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Vivienne Westwood's Valentine's Day Jewelry

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Putting her own edgy spin on the heart-emblazoned Valentine's Day holiday with her a two-piece jewelry set. Her Valentine's Day set is a two-piece jewelry collection made from gunmetal with an enamel eye which symbolizes knowledge and inner vision. It also reminds me a bit of Victorian lover's jewelry which often featured the eye of the beloved worn as a brooch or ring.

The eye is framed within an abstract heart pierced by an arrow with elaborate feathers. The pendant is also encrusted with tiny cabochon pearls, rich purple enamel and Swarovski crystals. The pendant sells for £135 and the earrings are £95. The collection will be available to buy online and in store at: Vivienne Westwood, 44 Conduit Street, London W1S 2YL; www.viviennewestwood.com.

Tags: jewelry, valentines day, vivienne westwood

The Fashion Statement: Countdown to Royal Wedding

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

As more details of the royal wedding emerged yesterday -- including the start time ( 11 a.m. on April 29) -- there was, of course, more talk of the dress. Unless there's a press leak the size of a geyser, none of us will know what the bridal gown will look like until that fine spring day. Still, it's fun to speculate and when it comes to designers, there's been plenty of chatter on both sides of the pond. According to the bookies, here's where things stand.

Phillipa Lepley's shop (pictured above) has been under the magnifying glass since bookies first noticed real money being bet on the British designer who's known for simple silhouettes and top-notch fabrics. Another bookie favorite? WWD reported last month that Irish bookmaker Paddy Power says odds are 1-3 that British designer Bruce Oldfield will be Kate Middleton's choice, "and that it has suspended betting on the designer due to a recent 'flurry of big-stake bets' of more than 500 pounds, or $780 at current exchange." Oldfield has dressed everybody from Rihanna to Barbara Streisand. Jasper Conran, who's had his own made-to-measure bridal collection since 2007, is another name being thrown about.

Sadly, Alexander McQueen is not around. If the bride was me, he would be my first choice. Then again, it was rumored McQueen once embroidered the c-word inside Prince Charles' jacket. "I didn't embroider it, I wouldn't waste my time! I wrote it with a biro," he later admitted. Okay, so maybe that wouldn't be the greatest move in father-in-law relations.

Tags: Alice Temperly, Bruce Oldfield, Jasper Conran, Kate Middleton, Phillipa Lepley, Prince William, stella mccartney, Vivienne Westwood

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The Fashion Statement: Brides, 2010!

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

In India, the color is red. In the West, the hue is white (off-white back in the day, if you were considered less than virginal). Even black is making a comeback. When it comes to bridal gowns these days, anything goes.

Historically, designers have created wedding gowns -- usually making their debut in the finale of their shows -- that are reflective of the cultural norms and political messages of the day. Coco Chanel caused a stir in the roaring '20s when she introduced a knee-length dress with a long veil, a look vastly different from the house's current collection (pictured above).

In 1968, Yves Saint Lauren sent brides down the catwalk in bikinis made of actual flowers to celebrate the sexual revolution (the look resurfaced again in the '90s as a nod to history). Remember Sharon Tate's mini dress that same year in the much published photo with Roman Polanski? In 1969, Yoko Ono sported the same short hemline as she walked down the aisle with John Lennon. In the '70s, pantsuits had a moment, no doubt because it represented the day's feminist ideal.

So what's the message in 2010? It seems everything old is new again. Vivienne Westwood has picked up where YSL left off with a two-piece, toga-like number. Azzaro gives us plenty of short minis à la Tate and Ono. And Tuleh makes the statement that shorts are perfectly okay on the aisle as are corsets. Reem Acra and Donna Karan are all about elegance, draping and Greek goddesses while Charles Anastase has raised the empire waist to a new level, sitting just above the breast line.

Gallery: The Fashion Statement: Bridal Wars

Tags: Azzaro, Bibhu Mohapatra, BibhuMohapatra, Bridal fashion 2010, Bridal gown, Bridal springsummer 2010, BridalFashion2010, BridalGown, BridalSpringsummer2010, Chanel, Charles Anastase, CharlesAnastase, Donna Karan, DonnaKaran, House of Holland, HouseOfHolland, Marchesa, Reem Acra, ReemAcra, Tuleh, Vivienne Westwood, VivienneWestwood, YSL

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The Fashion Statement: It's a Cinch!

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

Women's Wear Daily, the so-called bible of the fashion industry and my former employer, wrote an interesting article this week about how corset sales are up in the U.K. thanks to the influence of Rihanna (above) and Lady Gaga.

The piece said women in London are snapping up corsets in the intimates departments and wearing them to the discos. It's such the rage, Selfridges Oxford Street posted a 70 percent increase in sales in November compared with the same month last year. The article goes on to say that the trend of underwear worn as outerwear is more popular that ever.

Rihanna and Lady Gaga are not the first divas to go corset crazy, of course. The corset, which has existed in womenswear for hundreds of years, now represents sex, fetish, bondage, body modifications -- all the good racy stuff that shocks us and slightly turns us off and really turns us on. It worked for Madonna. Why not Rihanna and Lady Gaga? And why not a million other girls?

In my 15 years covering the fashion, I've always suspected the edgiest fashion (streetwear, rock and roll, punk) appears to change more slowly than conservative fashion (contemporary, designer). Because it doesn't have to. Spikes always provoke us. Punk hair that resembles a frill-necked dragon always pushes our buttons. Exposed body parts always unnerve us just a little (OK, maybe not all of us). Corsets always work. Every time.

There are a few other masters of the shock game and all of them make ample use of the corset. Jean Paul Gaultier, of course, through Madonna in the '80s as I mentioned.

Tags: Alexander McQueen, AlexanderMcqueen, Corsets, Jean Paul Gaultier, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Vivienne Westwood, VivienneWestwood

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Jasmine Sloane Leather Bag, Handbag of the Day

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

Jasmine Sloane Handbag by Vivienne Westwood

Metallics are all the rage this season, and the Jasmine Sloane Leather bag does up the trend in a big way with scale-effect metallic leather in silver, double leather handles in metallic bronze, and an oversized signature Vivienne Westwood orb in bright goldtone. It has a slouchy, pouchy shape that's a little bit casual and a little bit evening sophisticate. All together it strikes me as a mini disco ball with handles and a zipper. Lined in beige gabardine cotton with an interior zip pocket it also features a logo-embossed leather luxury tag/zipper pull. £799

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Tags: handbag, handbag of the day, HandbagOfTheDay, handbags, sloane, vivienne westwood, VivienneWestwood

Pamela Anderson to Star in Westwood Fashion Show

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Former Baywatch bombshell Pamela Anderson will star in famed fashion designer Vivienne Westwood's runway show in Paris on Friday, Vogue UK reports.

Anderson, who was photographed for the British designer's sexy new Spring / Summer 2009 ad campaign (right) by Juergen Teller in Miami, has become Westwood's new muse.

At the recent New York Fashion Week, Anderson appeared on the runway in a gold swimsuit for avant-garde label Richie Rich.

Westwood, who's credited with bringing punk and New Wave fashions into the mainstream, formed an early alliance with Malcolm McLaren and the Sex Pistols. She often incorporates the Union Jack into her designs.

Tags: Ad campaign, AdCampaign, British fashion, BritishFashion, Celebrity, Fashion show, FashionShow, Juergen Teller, JuergenTeller, Pamela Anderson, PamelaAnderson, Paris, Vivienne Westwood, VivienneWestwood

Would You Wear The Sex And The City Wedding Dress?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

The elaborate Vivienne Westwood wedding dress Sarah Jessica Parker sported in the "Sex and the City" movie didn't bring Carrie Bradshaw any luck but that hasn't stopped women from wanting it. Now, for two days only Gabriella Risatti, owner of Gabriella New York bridal salon in the Meatpacking District of New York City is making reproductions of the dress for $15,000 tomorrow and Thursday only. Risatti tells the NY Post that they will be taking measurements for those two days but only making 30 dresses.

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Tags: carrie bradshaw, CarrieBradshaw, sarah jessica parker, SarahJessicaParker, sex and the city, SexAndTheCity, vivienne westwood, VivienneWestwood

Lux Q & A: Resurrection's Mark Haddawy and Katy Rodriguez

by Tracy Chait (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Auctions

On the eve of their big auction with Christie's -- essentially the widest range of 20th Century avant-garde fashion amassed privately and sold at auction -- Katy Rodriguez and Mark Haddawy sat down with me to talk about the collection they gathered piece by piece over the 12 years they've owned their vintage boutique Resurrection.

With such rare pieces as Paco Rabanne's aluminum-paneled dress and Zandra Rhodes's dramatic yellow maxi coat on offer, the fashion world will likely be watching today's bidding as closely as Mark and Katy.

What prompted you to present your collection in this way?
We could have sold off pieces one by one in our stores, but this was a great opportunity to present the clothes as a collection with a point of view. It's not a complete survey of fashion history, but there's a common thread among these designers, which is generally pushing the boundaries of traditional fashion.

Are there pieces that will be difficult to let go or that you're particularly interested to watch?
Rodriguez: I'm very interested in the Paco Rabanne, especially because those are pieces we've had for a long time but have never offered in the store. The artist pieces like the Alan Jones sweater and the Lichtenstein shirt -- you never see those sorts of clothes for sale. I'll also be interested in what happens to the gold leather mask [from Vivienne Westwood's '70s Sex collection], if it will be too edgy for the museums. And there's a Marc Jacobs sweater, which he designed right after college. There are certain pieces that are easier to guess about, pieces that have sold in the past, but some of the early Westwood or the Paco Rabanne is unprecedented.
Haddawy: For any collector, it's important not to see this auction as an ending, but a beginning. This auction for me is really more about tracking these pieces, not unlike a scientist who watches a certain species of animal; it's about these pieces finding the right home. I'm hopeful that will be in museums in some cases, so people will be able to understand the clothes in the context of an exhibit, and will be able to see in them what we saw.

Gallery: Resurrection: Avant-Garde Fashion at Christie's

World's End Toga Dress with Matisse Print

Are you concerned about the economy's influence?
Haddawy: It's a crazy time now, but as we analyze other auctions, inspired material is still selling well, and certain people will continue to be excited about certain things. If I wasn't selling myself, I'd be scrambling to buy from this collection. I've probably seen a couple million pieces of clothing over the 12 years we've been doing this, so I know how rare these are, like the jacket Paco Rabanne designed for Bridget Bardot. These designers were so innovative, not only in how they made clothes but in some cases saying, I'm not even going to use fabric. Of course prices Thursday will reflect the market climate on that day, but in this auction, if you bid competitively, you could walk away with five incredible lots for under $100,000. What other world can you do that in?
Rodriguez: I'm nervous -- it's all been very surreal. At the end of the summer when we were choosing dates, we kept asking ourselves, Is this the right time? But the clothes are so rare, I think they'll do well.
Haddawy: It's a tremendous value for what it is, and you have to trust people to find the material great, which I think they will. Is it a good investment? I don't know. But that's the wrong reason to collect anything. You buy it because you love it -- you collect out of passion.

The pair will be watching the London-based auction together here in Los Angeles, which with the time difference means a 6 a.m. start time on the West Coast. The Norma Kamali New York Times dress, above, is estimated to reach prices of up to $2,300. Place bids online through Christie's LIVE service.

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Tags: 20th century fashion, 20thCenturyFashion, avant garde, AvantGarde, christies, fashion, paco rabanne, PacoRabanne, resurrection, vivienne westwood, VivienneWestwood

Luxe Lingerie Brand Agent Provocateur Set to Expand

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Luxe British lingerie brand Agent Provocateur, known for its sexy ad campaigns featuring Kate Moss (right), is expanding rapidly following its $120 million acquisition by a private equity firm last year.

The label, designed by Vivienne Westwood's son Joe Corre, already has 40 boutiques worldwide including eight in the U.S., with new locations planned for Boston and Chicago this fall, in addition to others around the globe.

"I just opened a boutique in Bahrain [in July], as well as Geneva and Puerto Barres in Spain," Corre tells WWD. "There also are more openings [planned] in Madrid, St. Petersburg and Germany." The brand, which was founded in 1996, plans to unveil its latest round of racy adverts next month.

Gallery: Agent Provocateur

Tags: agent provocateur, AgentProvocateur, British fashion, BritishFashion, Chicago, Joe Corre, JoeCorre, Kate Moss, KateMoss, Lingerie, vivienne westwood, VivienneWestwood

Vivienne Westwood Diamond Safety Pin Necklace

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

I wonder if how you feel about Vivienne Westwood's diamond safety pin jewelry depends on your feelings on punk in general. Westwood, who was the doyenne of fashion's fringe in the 1970s now has her own diamond line that includes hearts, orbs,arrows and safety pins done in white gold and diamonds. Are these tomorrow's classics or do they just represent a mainstreaming and aging of what was once rebellious and young? The necklace shown here sells for $1,540.

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Tags: diamonds, jewelry, necklace, safety pin, vivienne westwood, VivienneWestwood

Vivienne Westwood And The Bright Yellow Bentley

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

For fashion designer Vivienne Westwood no sedate silver Bentley will do. Bentley has announced that for Milan Fashion Week, they have teamed up with the goddess of punk to show off a screaming yellow 1992 Bentley Continental convertible in front of the Palazzo Reale toe celebrate a retrospective of her decades of avant-garde fashion. Westwood will also the keys to a Bentley Continental Flying Spur for use in Milan and a ride in the Bentley Continental GTC.

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Vivienne Westwood Pirate Collection Tote, Handbag of the Day

by Sandy Maple (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

Vivienne Westwood may be known for her funky fashion sense, but this bag looks positively sedate. From her Spring/Summer 2007 Pirate Collection, the gold tote features a classic shape with a retro color scheme. There is something about the gold cotton fabric that brings to mind drapes, but the orange leather trim does funk it up a bit. With just touch of silver on the hardware and the trademark orb, the bag is lined in a logo print and has two interior pockets. $589.57.

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Tags: designer bag, designer handbag, DesignerBag, DesignerHandbag, gold tote, GoldTote, handbag, pirate collection, PirateCollection, purse, retro bag, RetroBag, vivienne westwood, VivienneWestwood