It’s really quite tricky to be punk in fashion these days, with few things left to rebel against. Wearing your underwear in the street is fine, as is pink hair, piercings, and ripped tights, if the scene outside the shows is anything to go by. On Saturday, Vivienne Westwood was sat with Pamela Anderson and a row of assorted drag queens at her own show, now designed by her husband Andreas Kronthaler, which we have to say is still quite punk, going to your own show. It was surpassed, however, by not just having Bella Hadid walk twice, once at the beginning and again at the end as the Westwood bride, but making her wear a big hat and carry a huge lacy umbrella so you couldn’t see her face. Getting Bella Hadid to model in your show, presumably at great cost, and then making sure nobody can see her unless you were particularly eagle-eyed? Extremely punk and anarchic. We approve.
Obviously, this was the closing moment of the show, which was a parade of just as fabulous looks, inspired by a naked 50s pin up, “looking like she’s in the sky with puffs of cotton wool thrown onto her.” Andreas imbued the show with a lightness, not just from the sheer fabrics and glimpses of nudity. In place of historical corseting, the clothes had a flyaway feel, with collars and hems shredded or falling away, dresses draped to fall off one shoulder, and ribbons hanging from collars. You felt like the models had flown through the sky to get there, their bedsheets fashioned into outfits.
Of course, it was also jam-packed with the surreal moments that Andreas can’t resist packing in. One model wore a giant, glittering fish hat with her beautifully tailored skirt suit. Rubber tabards were shaped like life-size versions of the models’ shadows, arms hanging limply around their knees. And a series of hats quite literally mimicked the clouds and earth, in black, white, and then moss. It was a more whimsical direction for the designer, and that’s after seasons filled with art installations, men in thongs and scooters. The huge hats giving a completely unhinged feeling to the truly great tailoring (and kaftans, for those phobic of structural dressing). As Andreas strolled by for the finale, Vivienne and Bella in tow, you couldn’t help but feel this is the kind of insane family we’d like to be part of. One where the only thing anchoring you to planet earth are the other people like you.
Credits
Photography Mitchell Sams