In early October, a major announcement made its way to every fashion circle and online media outlet. Popular anime and manga series, NANA, and Vivienne Westwood would finally be collaborating for NANA’s 25th anniversary. Not only was this big news for fans of the popular series, but it was equally as big for the fashion brand. NANA and Vivienne Westwood have been linked since before the animated show even hit TV screens in the early 2000s. Let’s talk about the history of NANA and Vivienne Westwood, and why people are so excited about this collaboration.
NANA was first released as a novel manga series in Japan in early 2000 by Ai Yazawa. The story starts with two girls, Nana, meeting on a train by chance, trying to run away from their troubled pasts and start a new life. They end up accidentally wanting to live in the same apartment and agree to be roommates in exchange for lower rent (we’ve all been there). What makes the show so captivating is that both Nanas are complete opposites. Nana Kamatsu is bubbly, wears pink, loves glass cups with strawberries, and is clumsy. Nana Osaki is in a band, smokes cigarettes, is nonchalant, and, most importantly, wears Vivienne Westwood. This is a fact that is very apparent and vital throughout the series. The band Osaki is in wore mostly Westwood attire. Yazawa creates Osaki as the embodiment of punk, aided by Vivienne Westwood.
Ai Yazawa was a fashion student who dropped out and decided to focus on her storytelling and illustrated work. She decided to create the world of NANA and to draw on Vivienne Westwood’s influence for her character and story building. Nana Osaki, being the most prominent character, is also subject to this, as is the rest of the fictional band Black Stone.
Vivienne Westwood was founded in the late 1970s by, you guessed it, Vivienne Westwood herself, alongside business partner Malcom McLaren. The icon designer co-founded the brand as a form of protest and to bring attention to the punk style/scene emerging in the United Kingdom at the time. Westwood had basic pieces with written terms and words on them, such as “Destroy” with imagery of Christ in the crucifix and “Sex” phrases and words that were considered controversial and out of the ordinary and edgy at the time. McLaren was the manager of the popular British band the Sex Pistols, a prominent fact about Osaki’s character. One of the show’s early dialogues has Nana Komatsu state that Osaki’s favorite band is the Sex Pistols. The Sex Pistols’ image was heavily curated by Vivienne and aligned with the brand’s philosophies.
The fictional world of NANA is not all about clothing aesthetics and opposite characters. The series deals with a handful of heavy topics such as bad dynamics, abandonment, and rebellion. Osaki is looking to escape her problems, which is why she was on a train to Tokyo to pursue a music career. She was abandoned by her parents at a young age and was forced to be raised by her grandmother. Though Osaki is the prominent character for all things Westwood, we cannot overlook the other main character, Nana Komatsu, who, despite her positive energy, is still subject to these topics. She runs away from home in pursuit of romantic validation, going as far as to move to another city to be with him. She hides her feelings behind smiles and laughter until she is forced to come to terms with the reality of her life and the struggles around her. Not to mention that she was dating a handful of older men whilst being in high school, and even mentions dieting for them because she didn’t feel like she was attractive to them. These hard-hitting situations and topics are what made the series so special. They aren’t artificial or made up. These are issues people face in life, not just on a TV screen.
Despite the hardships the girls faced throughout the show, they find comfort in each other and learn lessons from one another. It shows the real power of community and friendships.
Why is this important? NANA began to rise as anime started to reach Gen Z, and so did the fashion powerhouse. Most of us weren’t born during Vivienne Westwood’s prime or startup. The show and series gave the brand a new life. The latest generation, Gen Z, can see themselves in these characters and what the brand stands for. Openness, resilience, punk, standing up for what is right, and freedom. Although these are characters from an animated universe, they still demonstrate real-life struggles and topics people face. The show helped bring a new audience to the fashion brand, an audience that wants change in the world and has historically been vocal about injustices.
The official collaboration is set to drop on Oct. 21. There is no word on which pieces will be included in the partnership, but an official NANA x Vivienne Westwood lookbook has been released for presale, with shipping the same day the collaboration is released. I personally would love to see the armor ring ( shown above )make a comeback. It is a piece that Osaki is seen wearing during the show.
The essence of the show NANA embodies Vivienne Westwood’s philosophy and its values. Its edgy look and punk essence defined the show and inspired many people in real life to follow it. This collaboration is more than just two companies plotting with marketing; this is the real deal, authentic. Fans of the show ( like me) have been waiting for this day.