5 Things To Know About Vivienne Westwood’s Big Cat-Inspired AW22 Collection
Vivienne Westwood’s autumn/winter 2022 collection celebrates the year of the tiger, while also incorporating some of the designer’s most famous signatures. Below, see our five key takeaways from her latest collection, shown digitally during London Fashion Week.
1/5There’s big cat energy
The starting point for this collection was actually Vivienne Westwood’s Gold Label winter 2001 collection, entitled Wild Beauty – with the tiger print re-appearing this season to mark the year of the tiger in the Chinese zodiac. It isn’t the only big cat referenced: leopard spots and a panther-inspired cutting technique also feature.
2/5Westwood gives us an art history lesson
The art world has long been a source of inspiration for Westwood, with her 1990 Portrait collection (featuring those Boucher corsets) being a prime example. This season, the designer incorporated Pieter Bruegel’s 1559 painting ‘The Fight Between Carnival and Lent’ – which reflects “the human condition, teeming with life” – onto a quilted coat, bag and shoes. “The painting itself is cut up and re-pieced together, so it has that [M.C] Escher [take on] Hieronymus Bosch feeling to it”, a senior designer at Vivienne Westwood explains.
3/5Her ’70s F*CK slogan makes a comeback
Referencing her punk-era T-shirts designed with Malcom McLaren, “F*CK” is emblazoned on a corset in Westwood’s famous chicken bone motif. Elsewhere, the brand’s signature logomania print also makes an appearance on knitwear, denim and suiting.
4/5The power shoulders are sports-inspired
Strong shoulders are officially back, as evidenced by Westwood’s structured trenches and jackets that have been given a sporty twist. “It’s taken from American football uniforms – massive broad shoulders and then a tailored waist”, the senior designer explains.
5/5The brand is reimagining waste
Sustainability has long been a core value for Westwood, with 71 per cent of the autumn/winter 2022 collection made from low-impact and cruelty-free materials. Making use of deadstock from previous seasons is also a major focus for the brand. “We have this reimagining waste concept this season, but also going forward, where we’re using fabrics from old seasons and reinterpreting them – making them feel new”, the senior designer adds.