Sheffield – Saturday 2nd August 2008

Went off to Sheffield this week, as recommended, to see as many exhibitions as possible, I wanted to make sure one of them was the Vivienne Westwood one at Millennium Gallery. I went with my uncle’s girlfriend Jill, offered to drive (saving me my train fare, ha). There were two rooms full of Westwood’s clothing, shoes and accessories. Also some great fashion photography. I loved it! There were also catwalk videos, and a video of Bondage wear, from the shop ‘Sex’ that Vivienne designed for. That was quite strange. One of my favourite things in this exhibition was the famous blue mock-croc platform shoes Naomi Campbell wore when she fell on the catwalk in 1993. I wanted them. They reminded me of the good old girl power days of the Spice Girls, and Geri’s famous platforms, though I doubt that hers were as high as Westwood’s. There were also two more pairs of shoes that particularly took my interest (See photos).

As for Westwood’s jewellery, there was some knitted, but what really took my fancy was the Paper Mache flat Tiara, Earrings and Necklace with Screen-print detail (See photo). I also loved the other necklace and single earring in this photograph which looked like it would be quite heavy on your neck and ear.

I love the large bows on the big yellow dress, with the white netting underneath. The large amounts of netting made the dress really puffy and really quite elegant. (See photo)

(See other photos for glitzy glam dresses and jackets, simple dresses with snails and ladybirds attached, outfits that have been layered up and ruffles.)

I picked up a few postcards from the shop featuring Naomi Campbell in the Mock-croc platforms falling, Vivienne Westwood in a printed t-shirt and the Booze Suit, made from fine grey wool. I also got a badge, which said ‘I (heart) Crap’ which is pretty cool and a key ring which has the words of Westwood – ‘Fashion’s just life, and I do believe that appearances are everything.’

‘The only reason I’m in fashion is to destroy the word ‘conformity.’ Nothing’s interesting to me unless it’s got element.’ – Vivienne Westwood.
Westwood’s career stretches from anarchic beginnings in the punk era of the 1970’s to her present day iconic status within the world of high fashion.
‘I still adore what remains of the British tradition in clothes.’ – Vivienne Westwood.