Analysis of a Collection:
Vivienne Westwood F/W 1993-1994 Anglomania
The Ask
Identify a collection from a specific designer and analyze its historical significance and overall theme.
Finding the collection.
On March 16th, 1993, Vivienne Westwood brought the idea of iconic French art through the English lens to the fashion world in her Anglomania F/W 1993-1994 collection show in Paris. Westwood has always been a favorite designer of mine and I knew I wanted to focus my collection on her incredible talent of bringing culture to fashion. Westwood utilized this collection to awaken and partake in the 90’s new era of breaking societal standards. I found it fascinating how a collection could identify with ethnicity, gender, and sexual expression and inspire movement for change all in one. I looked for background within resources like Vogue and Business of Fashion.
Part of the analysis involved gathering imagery and examining the show video for details and specific elements. I was able to find a full video of the show on YouTube and used VogueRunway to find all looks and close ups. With this, I could point out the specific historical elements including the Mini-Crini which took inspiration from the mini skirt of the 60’s, the corset dress worn by Kate Moss, and French tailoring that encompassed the Victorian Era.
Gathering imagery.
Identifying the major themes.
After gathering research and images from the collection, I focused on identifying the major themes that represented different historical elements. Westwood used idealized versions of aristocratic past wear to create an entire new expression of broken gender stereotypes that no longer represents a person’s social status or wealth. The collection ultimately is inspired by heritage and culture, and then made into a new femininity with elements of historical men’s wear and women’s wear. Westwood diversified fashion in different ways and explored sexuality within her pieces, shortly after adding menswear pieces to her collection. I then gathered my final thesis statement that showcases the major pieces and themes of this collection. Classic English tailoring, original Scottish tartans, and French Art were all combined into rebellious and traditional style that encompassed the 90’s and was a symbol of activism and female empowerment among youth,
The Outcome
Learning about one of my favorite designers, Vivienne Westwood, was incredibly intersting and inspiring to research. I was able to use my analyzation skills to create a paper that communicated major themes and the zeitgeist of the 90’s, showcasing how history of fashion is brought to life. This analysis improved my writing skills and showed me how to identify and research a runway collection while understanding the show process.