"On Liberty"
More than any other contemporary designer, Vivienne Westwood has been scrupulous in her study of historical forms of dress. Her brilliance, however, has not been in the literal rendering of period artifacts but in her application of contemporary techniques to resolve their form-making and an almost abandoned revivification of their sexual content. Despite its cartoon-like rendering of the bustle, this suit precipitated a surprisingly erotic response when seen in motion on the runway.
Artwork Details
- Title: "On Liberty"
- Design House: Vivienne Westwood (British, founded 1971)
- Designer: Vivienne Westwood (British, 1941–2022)
- Date: fall/winter 1994–95
- Culture: British
- Medium: wool, cotton, leather
- Credit Line: Gift of Vivienne Westwood, 1995
- Object Number: 1995.213a–h
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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