Medium: Multicolor striped cotton and black cotton

Date: Fall 1981

Country: England

Credit: Gift of Barbara Hodes

Today, Vivienne Westwood is considered the “Grand Dame” of British fashion. She began her career selling audacious Punk styles during the 1970s. In the following decade, Westwood’s growing interest in historic dress and complex garment construction took her work in a new, more fashionable direction. The set shown on the right is from 1981, when the designer presented her first runway collection, Pirates. It is paired with one of her menswear looks: a man's suit from 1980 dressed with a top from 1991 (88.63.8 and 2001.44.10).

Object Number: 87.52.5