PARIS, Oct 1, 2007 / FW / --- Vivienne Westwood has finished writing her ‘Manifesto’, a powerful piece of pamphlet literature which was distributed to everybody attending her runway show this morning. Will many read it? This is beside the point, she has written it and it is a piece that, although it goes far beyond the realm of fashion, is also applying to it.

In fact, using various literary genres, Vivienne Westwood is trying to re-establish the primacy of creativity over anything else (i.e. money, business, profit, and marketing). The thoughts are worth remembering today, particularly in the field of fashion, at a time when business is the absolute idol, like the Old Testament’s Golden Calf.

Nevertheless, in her collection for spring 2008, Vivienne Westwood has not chosen to refer to the event of her “Manifesto”, rather she has given an example of what creativity could come up with when it’s free of all the garbage the fashion world is constantly surrounding it with. Neither trends, nor politically correct applications are to be found here. Instead, we were presented with a vision by an artist who is also a master couturier.

Her theme, she admitted backstage was “What if Marilyn Monroe had met an English Lord and they would live together in an estate, having a kinky relationship”. In her own tradition of tailoring techniques’ restructuring, the designer has revisited the female wardrobe her very own way, playing wittily on proportions to create a sophisticatedly négligé look. The front of a jacket, for instance, worn over a skirt suit complete with shirt and tie, looks like it has been abused to reveal what it was meant to protect, while the bottom part of the same garment is carefully tied to the hips to recover its usual architecture wit a simple button.

The work on volumes is as always very elaborate, paired with a full mastering of the seaming techniques, always accentuating a woman’s curves or focusing on them, with various means. Some silhouettes, watched from the side, invariably evoke a 17th century figure, reinterpreted in many subversive dresses for today. The flounces along the breast line always reveal a décolleté that seems to have been torn apart, worn by a girl who is not afraid to show that her body can be desired… and has been.

Yes, the women in Westwood clothes are showing that they are consider pleasure as a cherishable value, yet kinky is never vulgar or derogatory here, it’s definitely rock-n-roll, just like the simple prints which are revealing the wilder aspect we sometimes willingly relate to.

Exit after exit, one could not help but think that Vivienne Westwood has been very much inspiring many of the biggest English designers of today, who have integrated some of her original thoughts in their creations. Yet, she can continue to teach them a lesson or two on the runway and the first one would be: go your own way, you are free!

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood