Top
1981 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
For well over three decades Vivienne Westwood, along with her one-time partner Malcolm McLaren, has been at the centre of British fashion and one of its most inventive and influential designers. Westwood’s career in fashion was galvanised by McLaren and together they launched memorable fashion moments, including Punk in the early 1970s and later their Pirates collection. McLaren and Westwood conducted a design relationship between 1971 and 1983. In 1990 and again in 1991 Vivienne Westwood was named British Designer of the Year; she has also received an OBE.
Westwood’s unique mix of practicality and inventiveness, her preoccupation with silhouette and the manner in which she manipulates fabrics result in dynamic fashion. Westwood herself once said, 'You have a much better life if you wear impressive clothes.’
This shirt, from Westwood and McLaren's 'Pirate' collection, is an example of the garments inspired by the swashbuckling pirate or buccaneer: Pirate included oversized shirts, roomy trousers, pirates' hats with tassels and flat-toed, slouchy boots.
Westwood’s unique mix of practicality and inventiveness, her preoccupation with silhouette and the manner in which she manipulates fabrics result in dynamic fashion. Westwood herself once said, 'You have a much better life if you wear impressive clothes.’
This shirt, from Westwood and McLaren's 'Pirate' collection, is an example of the garments inspired by the swashbuckling pirate or buccaneer: Pirate included oversized shirts, roomy trousers, pirates' hats with tassels and flat-toed, slouchy boots.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Cotton |
| Brief description | Top, m, cotton, blue, grey and red cotton, designed by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, Britain, 'Pirates' collection, s/s 1981. |
| Physical description | Long-sleeved top composed of three different patterned cotton fabrics of red, grey, blue, navy and white. Front is shorter than back. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'worlds end mclaren westwood born in england' (Label; English) |
| Credit line | Purchased with Art Fund support and assistance from the Friends of the V&A, the Elsbeth Evans Trust, and the Dorothy Hughes Bequest |
| Production | 'Pirates' collection (spring / summer) |
| Summary | For well over three decades Vivienne Westwood, along with her one-time partner Malcolm McLaren, has been at the centre of British fashion and one of its most inventive and influential designers. Westwood’s career in fashion was galvanised by McLaren and together they launched memorable fashion moments, including Punk in the early 1970s and later their Pirates collection. McLaren and Westwood conducted a design relationship between 1971 and 1983. In 1990 and again in 1991 Vivienne Westwood was named British Designer of the Year; she has also received an OBE. Westwood’s unique mix of practicality and inventiveness, her preoccupation with silhouette and the manner in which she manipulates fabrics result in dynamic fashion. Westwood herself once said, 'You have a much better life if you wear impressive clothes.’ This shirt, from Westwood and McLaren's 'Pirate' collection, is an example of the garments inspired by the swashbuckling pirate or buccaneer: Pirate included oversized shirts, roomy trousers, pirates' hats with tassels and flat-toed, slouchy boots. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.109-2002 |
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| Record created | October 28, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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