One day I would like to write an essay about Vivienne Westwood and all of the Spectacular Things she has done for Society and Culture throughout the Western World, and maybe even the East. She has rebelled against society in every way possible in her designs and has opened up the taboos on sex, kinky sex, drugs, tattoos, motorcycle gangs, you name it. Despite all the uproar she has received she never stopped fighting for her causes, whether they were right or wrong. Even now she has a campaign going on against Global Warming and the Melting of Glaciers. However, in this most recent fashion show the past week in London, Vivienne did not rebel. She did not do what needs to be done. Some one brave person needs to start putting models who are over forty, fifty, sixty, even seventy, on the runway. For God’s sake, who is buying most of these clothes? How many 30 year old women are there that can afford an entire Designer outfit unless they are a Trust baby? If the thirty year old is buying one, you know that she must be sacrificing lunches, or something very important.So, why not have the women who will be wearing the clothes model them. The fashions the past week, in my opinion were horrendous. The designs are getting more and more outlandish; it seems like designers are competing to see who can be the weirdest. Very few things are even pretty let alone feasible to wear in the “Fall/Winter” season.Vivienne Westwood and her designs were a big disappointment. She went with the trend of being weird. However, today, being weird is the norm. What she did do was put a young model on the runway with silver hair, because apparently silver hair is the next trend. Young or old. This is just more conformity on Westwood’s part. Putting someone young with white hair doesn’t really make a statement other than I am going to be like everyone else and try to be different. Originality in this instance, by using maturing women, would make a statement, and would make a much more important societal contribution.
I used to think that If there is anyone who could stand up to pressure, it would be Vivienne. There are millions of baby boomers who would: celebrate her, buy her clothes, talk about her at cocktail parties, and be forever grateful. This is a cause that someone must address because it is an important societal issue. Models are getting younger and doing more self-loathing things. Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian’s half-sister just walked the New York runway with a completely sheer top, nipples showing and everything. I think she may be 18. This is NOT the direction we want to be going. Maybe Vivienne is getting too old herself and she is frightened. Maybe holding on to the “weirdness” is holding on to her youth. However, no one can run from their fears because they chase you down and follow you wherever you go. Whatever the reason Vivienne will not buck the trend, I am hoping that somehow she wakes up. Just so you know, I do think she uses an older model in her anti-global warming campaign. Big deal. Let’s see her really stand up for what is important, hopefully sooner than later.
Vivienne accepting the audiences applause after her Runway show at London’s Fashion Week.
