TREND I-SPY

This month marks not only Vivienne Westwood's 70th birthday but also the 30th anniversary of her famous first collection, Pirates, which included the iconic squiggle print. Below is from The Financial Times The longevity of the Squiggle, and its ongoing journey from subversive, counter-culture beginnings to the upper echelons of luxurious interiors is nothing short of astounding, mirroring the ascendancy of Westwood (who turns 70 on 8 th April) from Chelsea anarchist to British national treasure. Similarly, there are few – if any – prints in fashion that are so inextricably linked to one single fashion label. While Murray Blewett of the Westwood design studio points out that the print ‘developed from trying to symbolize rope’ (which it obviously does), its journey to World’s End started in Paris in the hands of another designer. Paul Gorman, author of the rock and pop fashion book and blog The Look, interviewed Malcolm McLaren many times between the mid-1970s and his ...

Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, 1981 I was surprised to hear that Malcolm McLaren had died in a Swiss hospital on April 8th. First because I had no idea that he was sick and second because I knew that it was Vivienne Westwood's birthday (it's on the same day as my own). It was rumored that Viv was at his bedside but then that turned out not to be true. Those present however did include their son, Joe Corré (founder of coolest lingerie line on the planet, Agent Provocateur), and Vivienne's elder child from her first marriage, Ben Westwood. Ben Westwood She made a brief yet poignant statement, below taken from Vogue.co.uk "[He was] a very charismatic, special and talented person," Westwood told the BBC. "The thought of him dead is really something very sad." Corré on McLaren As a mere fan, nothing I can say about McClaren and his impact on music, fashion and culture can hold a candle to the words of his own son. Here is what Joe had...

Vivienne Westwood I grew up in England worshipping Vivienne Westwood. Rarely do you come across an individual who lives and breathes fashion the way Dame Viv does. She recently issued a series of wallpapers for Cole & Son to add to rugs and pillows designed for The Rug Company all of which convey the same wicked mix of tradition and perversity as her clothing design. "Rubbish" wool rug , Cole and Son "Pirate" pattern wallpaper , Cole and Son VW Flag Rug, The Rug Company

American Vogue January 2010 Dolce & Gabbana S2010 As you might have guessed, I'm more than a little obsessed by intimate apparel at the moment. Luckily, many r-t-w designers feel the same way for Spring 2010 so there's lots of fashion to discuss. Great show from Dolce & Gabbana who celebrated the female form with many lingerie-inspired styles including shapely corseted looks that work to create a curvy hourglass figure. Just imagine that Vivienne Westwood was designing the precursor to that look over 20 years ago! While many of the other well-known designers had jumped onto the band-wagon of the Grunge movement (flannel shirts! flowery vintage dresses!) on models with super-skinny boyish bodies (the waifs) Vivienne was showing a modernized version of the hourglass silhouette with a variety of structured corsets in luxury materials like velvet and lace, often with gold metallic decoration or even romantic portraits. Red Velvet Corset 1987, Corset with photographic print...

Marc Jacobs S10 Marc Jacobs is another designer with a fascination for emphasizing classic women's underthings. He styled his models with old-fashioned, satiny underwear over the clothes in Spring 08, a theme he repeated with gusto for Spring 10. Marc Jacobs S08 Unless your name is Lady GaGa (who sported the look at the Ace Awards this month) you're probably not planning on wearing this look but let's revel in the fact that there is a current celebrity who does. Marc Jacobs S10, Lady GaGa November 09 Runway shows aim to create a mood for the season and send messages about a designer's influences and future direction. Visible panty lines allude to freedom of expression, power and strength (Superman anybody?), and applaudable eccentricity (can't you just see the ladies of Grey Gardens prancing around the house with knickers on their heads?). Vivienne Westwood 1982 It's not the first time a designer has shown this "...