Suit thumbnail 1
Suit thumbnail 2
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On display

Suit

ca. 1995 (made)
Artist/Maker
Vivienne Westwood (designer)
Place of origin
Britain (made)

Vivienne Westwood (born 1941) is considered among the most unconventional and imaginative of designers. She first began selling clothes in 1970 at her shop, Let It Rock, in the King's Road, London in partnership with Malcolm McLaren. By 1974, they were both at the centre of the burgeoning London punk scene, providing clothes that were rebellious and provocative. After setting up on her own, Westwood turned to clothing of the past for her inspiration, evolving a deep reverence for the traditions of couture, tailoring and historical dress-making, mixing the most incongruous of materials with historical details. This suit showcases Westwood's frequent us of traditional British textiles. The traditional air of the Harris Tweed jacket and tartan trousers is subverted by the waistcoat's capacious shawl collar.

Object details

Categories
Fashion
Men's Clothes
Object type
Suit
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Jacket
  • Trousers
  • Waistcoat
Brief description
Suit, tweed tartan jacket, checked wool trousers and wool waistcoat, Vivienne Westwood, Britain, ca. 1995.
Dimensions
  • Waistcoat waist measured inside garment circumference: 84cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Waistcoat chest measured inside garment circumference: 98cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Waistcoat diaphragm measured inside garment circumference: 86cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Waistcoat across back width: 62cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Waistcoat nape waist length: 53.5cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Trousers waist measured inside garment circumference: 81cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Trousers lower hip circumference: 116cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Trousers outside leg length: 110cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Trousers inside leg length: 81cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Trousers crotch depth (front waist to back waist through crotch) measured inside garment length: 76cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Trousers hem measured inside garment circumference: 46cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Jacket waist measured inside garment circumference: 105cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Jacket chest measured inside garment circumference: 107cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Jacket nape waist length: 42cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Jacket nape hem length: 78cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Sleeve length: 66cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Cuff circumference: 31cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
measured for manneuin 04/2016
Credit line
Given by Mark Reed
Summary
Vivienne Westwood (born 1941) is considered among the most unconventional and imaginative of designers. She first began selling clothes in 1970 at her shop, Let It Rock, in the King's Road, London in partnership with Malcolm McLaren. By 1974, they were both at the centre of the burgeoning London punk scene, providing clothes that were rebellious and provocative. After setting up on her own, Westwood turned to clothing of the past for her inspiration, evolving a deep reverence for the traditions of couture, tailoring and historical dress-making, mixing the most incongruous of materials with historical details. This suit showcases Westwood's frequent us of traditional British textiles. The traditional air of the Harris Tweed jacket and tartan trousers is subverted by the waistcoat's capacious shawl collar.
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
T.37:1 to 3-2011

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Record createdMarch 8, 2011
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1193407/suit-vivienne-westwood/
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