Dame Vivienne is Fashion’s Fair Lady
At the young age of 79, Dame Vivienne Westwood is still starring in fashion films. The film for Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood FW 2021 is nothing short of a spectacle, and the stars are the creators of the collection. Westwood’s name may seem more familiar these days, as her simple yet distinguished accessories are becoming a staple for many. Westwood has no doubt put her mark on the fashion world throughout her life, earning her legendary status (we can all thank her for the popularization of punk in the fashion world). She also makes daily speeches on her plan to save the world on her Climate Revolution website. Kronthaler is not just another designer brought in to collaborate with Westwood, he is her husband of 28 years and creative director of the brand.
The show is titled MayFair Lady, and is an homage to the musical My Fair Lady. Vivienne states that she was inspired by the original version of the story. “The original play by George Bernard Shaw was called Pygmalion (1913), named after the Greek sculptor who fell in love with the perfect beauty he had formed, and then the raw material came to life,” (Westwood for Vogue UK). It is clear that a story about material coming to life could inspire a legendary fashion designer. Westwood states of her style inspirations right now, “Old, worn, flashy, Savile row, Edward VIII, mismatched, which is the ultimate snobbery, because there’s no interest in popular opinion,” (Westwood for Vogue UK). Kronthaler states, “Everything tells a story, it’s all theatrical,” and it is clear how this inspiration culminated into a show centering around theatre.
The show opens with the zooming in on Mayfair Street in London and we are quickly swept into the first model, Caroline Polacheck, reciting the I Could Have Danced All Night chorus several times over while modeling the newest collection. This is followed by Kronthaler himself and Malik Sharpe, an American choreographer, walking down the street and singing On The Street Where You Live, another iconic song from My Fair Lady. The most striking part of the show comes from Vivienne herself performing Without You from the same musical, singing from the window of her 6 Davies Street, Mayfair store.
This film for Paris Fashion week reminds us of who Westwood is and her neverending creativity and dedication to individuality. Her collaboration with her husband brings the collection to new heights, and Westwood will forever continue to leave her footprint on the world of fashion.
Strike Out,
Writer: Annie McGrath
Boca Raton