Pirates
Ensemble
Fall-Winter 1981-82 (designed)
Fall-Winter 1981-82 (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Vivienne Westwood's designs were at the forefront of the early 1980s Neo-Romantic movement in fashion. This movement led to a wave of nostalgia featuring colourful masquerades of highwaymen, pirates and other characters. Westwood expressed her philosophy in an interview in Harpers & Queen magazine (April 1983): 'I'm very anarchical and perverse about what I do with clothes but what I drive at is simplicity . . . The great thing about my clothes - the way they make you feel grand and strong - is to do with the sexy way they emphasise your body and make you aware of it.' Some people wore the complete Pirate Outfit, while many took elements from the collection and freely mixed them with other clothes. The tunic, with its powerful meandering print, and the fall-down stockings were particularly popular.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 10 parts.
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| Title | Pirates (named collection) |
| Materials and techniques | Figured cotton and rayon ensemble, with printed plain weave cotton shirt and sash, muslin stockings, and hat of stiffened felt trimmed with leather and braid |
| Brief description | 'Pirates' ensemble, Fall-Winter 1981-82, English, Vivienne Westwood |
| Physical description | Yellow figured cotton and rayon ensemble, with printed plain weave cotton shirt and sash, muslin stockings, and hat of stiffened felt trimmed with leather and braid |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by the designer |
| Summary | Vivienne Westwood's designs were at the forefront of the early 1980s Neo-Romantic movement in fashion. This movement led to a wave of nostalgia featuring colourful masquerades of highwaymen, pirates and other characters. Westwood expressed her philosophy in an interview in Harpers & Queen magazine (April 1983): 'I'm very anarchical and perverse about what I do with clothes but what I drive at is simplicity . . . The great thing about my clothes - the way they make you feel grand and strong - is to do with the sexy way they emphasise your body and make you aware of it.' Some people wore the complete Pirate Outfit, while many took elements from the collection and freely mixed them with other clothes. The tunic, with its powerful meandering print, and the fall-down stockings were particularly popular. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.334 to I-1982 |
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| Record created | February 26, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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