Vivienne Westwood

PARIS, March 5, 2010
By Hadley Freeman
The granny-ish shoes and mid-length full skirts at the beginning were deceptive. Yes, Vivienne Westwood had turned, as is her wont, to a very particular British icon—the bluestocking young lady this time—but these librarians were more interested in tripping the light fantastic than knocking out To the Lighthouse. As the models walked past in their disheveled finery—wraps that could have been made from blankets found in an old country pile; seemingly sloppy but in fact artfully constructed sweaters and dresses slipping off the shoulder just so; smeared red lipstick with heavy black eye shadow—it felt like one had stumbled upon a massive rave in an aristocratic country house, just when the acid was hitting. A relatively sober tan trouser suit was worn with a splatter-paint top underneath, making sure the trip was that little bit more colorful. Heck, even the bluestockings' stockings weren't all blue, moving swiftly into psychedelic swirls and metallic pinks.

This is natural Westwood territory. From Kings Road punks to ravished Hardy-esque milkmaids, the designer is always at her best when she fondly plays with her isle's cliques and classes and refashions them in her own distinctive style. The look for this collection was as British as a cold walk through the heath on Christmas day, full of young women partying carelessly in heritage clothes. Tatler magazine, you have the wardrobe for next season's photo shoots sorted: The debutante dresses at the end looked like they had come straight out of a Beaton portrait…by way of Glastonbury.

This was one of Westwood's stronger collections in a while, helped in no small amount by the lack of blatant sloganeering and the fact that the models' antics were kept to a minimum. There were no cringe-y skips down the runway (a frequent weakness in a Westwood show); only one model pretending to talk on her mobile phone, which actually fit the festive mood. While some of the wraps were a little too heavy and close to their tapestry inspirations, the dresses and trouser suits were sexy and messy, just like a good party should be.

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