Vivienne Westwood looked to the Commedia dell’arte — one of her favorite themes — for inspiration this season, referencing its Pierrot and Harlequin characters in details like ruffled collars on silk blouses, draped sleeves, the multicolored fringed layers of a beautiful cropped jacket or the diamond-shaped leather patches in shoes.
As always there was a strong emphasis on tailoring, with a softly tailored “Prince” blazer the star of the lineup. It came in schoolboy gray, and was teamed with a patched maxiskirt of blue and green panels; or in a yellow version, which was worn with wide-leg paper-bag pants.
With an intellectual, art-loving woman in mind, Westwood offered up a dizzying array of shapes and cuts, with a focus on navy chalk-stripe wool, which came in no less than 12 different outfits, including a raw-edge midi skirt, worn with a marching jacket cut in her signature off-kilter fashion.
For evening, gone is the nipped-in waist and low-cut décolletage of seasons past. This collection was all about long, loose, bias-cut gowns with dropped waists that she teamed with boyfriend jackets. Among the highlights was a cool blush-pink satin boilersuit that was worn tucked into white boots.