What's Better Than a Valentine? A Valentine From Vivienne Westwood
You've got mail! Just in time for Valentine's Day, Vivienne Westwood's got a love letter with your name written on it.
On January 27, the British fashion house will release a novel take on the locket. Instead of a heart-shaped picture frame, Vivienne Westwood's Valentine's Day exclusive is a tiny gold envelope, complete with the brand's orb logo stamped on the front and its London store address on the back. That's not all: Inside the metal envelope is a miniature gold "letter," etched with "I love you."
The necklace is especially meaningful given Dame Vivienne Westwood's recent passing. Last December, the English designer — widely credited with bringing punk fashion into the limelight — died at the age of 81. Her love letter necklace strikes as a sort of message beyond the grave, a reminder of Westwood's lasting legacy.
In case you need a refresher: In the '70s, Westwood and her partner Malcolm McLaren (who passed away in 2010) opened SEX, an explosive clothing store that specialized in leather jackets, bondage pants, and creepers — garments that would come to define the fashion of the punk scene.
In 1981, Westwood and McLaren began showing their collections in Paris. As News Editor Jake Silbert wrote: "Vivienne Westwood collections were fiery condemnations of conformity and convention, deconstructing Paris' stuffy runways with punkish flair. It's safe to say that Westwood at least partially blazed the way for the next several generations of enfants terrible, like Alexander McQueen and COMME des GARÇONS founder Rei Kawakubo."
