Fashion and clothing has brought people together in society for centuries. Telling stories, inciting action, and provoking emotion were major focal points of all art, including fashion and fashion design. Women played a very large and influential role in the development of fashion as we know it today, creating some of the icons we love and brands we still wear to this day, years after it was created.
While punk fashion is more socially accepted today, that wasn’t always the case. The 1970’s were a large decade for fashion in general, but especially for the punk scene. In 1971 the now famous Vivienne Westwood opened her first shop, ‘Let It Rock’, with her then-partner Malcolm McLaren, the creator of the ‘Sex Pistols’ band. Selling rubber and leather fetish goods and bondage toys, the shop was a harsh sight for some walking down the London streets.
Many criticized her works for years, saying that they were ‘unwearable’ but that did not stop her. She continued to create clothing, leaning into the theme of pirates and focusing heavily on frills, lace, and other things relating to romance. She has stated that most of her work has history behind it, as she enjoys when her work has meaning and tells a story. As she evolved in her style and work, her clothes became the more publicly accepted pieces we see today.
Vivienne Westwood was one of the most famous punk icons of her time, breaking typical societal and fashion based rules to tell a story, make a point, and fight for what she thought was right. Another icon, Viv Albertine, stated in her memoir that Vivienne and Malcolm dressed to irritate and shock people whilst trying to inspire change in all those who saw her creations..
Westwood was one of the first women to truly express herself through clothes and fashion in the more harsh and aggressive tones we now associate with punk and alternative fashion and music scenes. As one of the mothers of fashion, she has instilled creativity in the minds of many young women alike all across the globe.
References:https://fashion-era.com/1970s/punk-fashion-history